Trust Bank offers a chance to make your bad dreams come true

Who wants to be a millionaire? Pretty much everyone, right? Seems like an easy sell.

So when Singapore's Trust Bank set out to create buzz for its new cashback credit card with the chance to win a million Singaporean dollars by signing-up for the card, it was important for potential customers to start seeing dollar signs ahead.

Hence, they leaned on Iris Singapore and Havas Media to create buzz, with out-of-home placement at bus stops and the MRT with "joyous, cash-filled key visuals." Activations include a customer scavenger hunt, cash-filled wind tunnels at prime locations, and a fake silver briefcase of bills sent out to key social media influencers. 

Then came the supporting film, 'If Only', which got Trust Bank's younger demographic to imagine what they'd be able to do with a million dollars. As it turns out, all their spending ideas are bad ones. A guy imagines trying to impress his ex-girlfriend with a flashy sports car that merely shows he's trying too hard. Another sets out to spoil his dad, which only fuels his father's mid-life crisis bad habits. A young woman imagines buying a trip to the moon (maybe space flights will get cheaper) only to realise she can't get mobile reception there. 

Okay, initial instincts might not be perfect, but now Ad Nut expects the film will next show how a million bucks could more practically help young customers through cashback refunds on all their purchases. Except, it doesn't, aside from a quick graphic that doesn't really tie back into the film about getting 15% off some purchases with the card and 1.5% on the rest.

This is where some of you will tell Ad Nut to loosen up. This is meant to be a fun ad to get people talking about what they'd do with a million dollars.  As the campaign's press messaging says, "By posing these questions in fun and cheeky ways, the campaign aims to delight Trust customers and drive the brand’s commitment to be an easy and rewarding banking experience for everyone."

But Ad Nut's whole MO is to encourage ads to do more than entertain us, but also reinforce the brand message or product utility depending on the brief.  

Posing questions in fun and cheeky ways? Check.

Delighting Trust customers? Maybe.

Drive the brand’s commitment to be an easy and rewarding banking experience for everyone? Not so much.

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.