CITY NATIONAL BANK
ON THE WAY UP
WITH CITY NATIONAL BANK
Concept. Writer. Interviewer. Creative Director.
City National Bank, in partnership with NYC’s iconic Beacon Theatre, wanted to leverage the venue’s access to artists to make a video series that worked in tandem with the bank’s “On the Way Up” marketing campaign—a program designed to empower customers as they grew their finances. Knowing that the Beacon’s freight elevator was renowned for its walls of celebrity signatures and famous photo-ops, the concept was a no-brainer. I pitched CNB the concept for a series where artists enter the Beacon’s freight elevator and do a “lightning round” interview as they ride the elevator to the top floor. These interviews discussed each artist’s unique journey from the very beginning with the intent to inspire the next generation of dreamers “on the way up.”
SMOKEY
ROBINSON
To say I was excited to do an episode with such a legend would be an understatement. This is the series’ longest episode because the stories were all too good to cut.
PARAMORE
For this episode, Paramore joined the Beacon to promote the Support + Feed charity and welcomed a special guest during their elevator ride.
SAL VULCANO
A stand-up comic seems an obviously fitting choice for this concept, and Sal was a gracious and hilarious participant.
WHY SPONSORED
CONTENT WORKS
In the digital age of advertising, ads are starting to look a lot less like… ads. Online video content that can be easily disseminated through multiple channels, including social media, is the most engaging and entertaining way to get someone’s attention these days—and in the process, maybe you sell something.
City National Bank was very happy with the series; that’s enough of a positive result for a creative team, right? But they also saw these videos convert fans into quality leads. Brand awareness is a valuable investment that never has to be boring, and I’m proud that this project embodies that.