BMO’s zero-gravity ad invites Canadians to celebrate the bank’s 200th year with a wish.
Elite wheelchair racer, actor and stuntman Josh Cassidy floats in a simulated zero-gravity chamber in BMO’s newest TV ad, which invites Canadians to wish it forward for a friend, family member or their community, at BMO200.com to help mark the bank’s 200th year.
In “Weightless,” Cassidy portrays a man floating in zero gravity while his wife watches with joy. The ad cuts away to reveal that the man uses a wheelchair, and that his wife had used BMO200.com to wish he could fly.
“We asked FCB to help us encourage people to participate in our anniversary by making a wish for someone they love, or their community” says Connie Stefankiewicz, Chief Marketing Officer, BMO. “When they presented the concept for Weightless as an expression of the feeling we’re trying to create, it moved us. We loved how deeply personal and human it was and how it will inspire people to dream big when they make a wish.”
BMO plans to grant a variety of wishes throughout its 200th year in business as its bicentennial fountain travels from Toronto to Chicago and Montreal. So far, more than 18,000 wishes have been tossed into the bank’s digital fountain with the top three wishing categories being “Family”, “Happiness” and “Community”.
“BMO’s bicentennial is the perfect moment in time to bring BMO’s brand purpose to life. After all, what’s more human than wanting to make wishes come true for others,” says Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, chief creative officer at FCB Toronto. “In this spot, we tell the love story of a couple and the transformative power of wishing for something greater than yourself.”
The new television commercial continues BMO’s year-old creative platform “The BMO Effect,” which shows the bank as offering customers a more human experience – whether via outstanding customer service or products and services that help them get the most out of their banking relationship. The ad will appear on Facebook and YouTube, as well as on TV during Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC games.
Credits:
Client: Bank of Montreal
Project: Bicentennial
Spot title: “Weightless”
Chief Marketing Officer: Connie Stefankiewicz
Senior Vice President, Brand Advertising and Sponsorships: Justine Fedak
Managing Director, North American Brand, Advertising and Market Research: Jennifer Carli
Vice President, Director North American Brand and Strategy and US Advertising: Michael Sanders
Senior Brand Advertising Manager: Brenna Donoghue
Senior Advertising Manager, Brand and Sponsorship: Melanie Miron
Agency: FCB Canada
CEO: Tyler Turnbull
Chief Strategy Officer: Shelley Brown
Chief Creative Officer: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna
Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Hilts
Group Creative Director: Jeremiah McNama
Group Creative Director: Andrew MacPhee
Sr. Copywriter: Nimy Leshinski
Art Director: Gira Moin
Producer: Tess Waisglass
FR Producer: Anick Rozon
VP, Group Account Director: Tracy Little
Account Director: Ravi Singh
Account Supervisor: Allison Lochhead
FR Account Supervisor: Alexandra Candet
Account Executive: Rameez AlAghbar
Production Company: Untitled Films
Executive Producers: Lexy Kavluk, Peter Davis
Director: Phil Brown
Director of photography: Chris Mably
Line Producer: Trudy Turner
Editorial: Saints
Editor: Griff Henderson
Post Production Online: Alter Ego
Music and Sound Design: Apollo
Song: “What If”
English singer: Michael Mooney
French singer: Baptiste
Lyrics + Music: Annie-Claude Navert for Apollo Studios
Casting: Powerhouse
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