AMEX Card Chronicles Champions Small-Biz Owners

Challenge

In an evolving landscape requiring small business to constantly adapt and be ready for anything, Amex wanted to champion small businesses and empower them to face the road ahead. The only problem? No one knew Amex had Cards built for small businesses. Only 19% of consumers had Amex top-of-mind for small business cards and only 11% would consider Amex for a business card. The purpose of this campaign was to drive consideration and awareness among SBOs (Small Business Owners) by changing their perception of Business Cards and reminding them that businesses should not be run on personal cards.

Solution

To stand out in a “sea of sameness,” Amex had to do something completely different for the category. Enter the Amex Business Card Chronicles, a series of whimsical films featuring fictional business owners with very relatable problems. By embracing narrative storytelling and a bold visual identity, this work broke through expected traditional B2B creatives norms and depicted small businesses with heart and humor.

With practical, top-of-mind RTBs like managing cash flow to responding to unexpected purchases to meet the moment, this campaign found a way to dynamically demonstrate how American Express Business Cards are specifically built for business all while celebrating the many facets of small business owners: the uniqueness of their businesses, the unexpected challenges that arise, and most importantly, their resilience.

Result

A B2B campaign with showcasing relevant business solutions in an entertaining, memorable format.

BIG MEMBER PERKS = BIG RESULTS

American Express acquired 2.7 million new Cards in Q4 2021, up 54% YOY. 2021 was on the best years ever for U.S. SME new account acquisitions with continuing success in 2022. In particular, US Small Business Platinum Card acquisitions were at an all-time high for Q4 2021 and for the full year of 2022. Campaign results suggest the work is resonating with small business owners across the board, with performance far exceeding expected benchmarks in creative testing research. The campaign is changing perceptions and raising awareness of the American Express business offerings and delivering tangible business results.