REMEMBER THAT TIME WHEN
We defined the strategy that became the north star for Mastercard’s McLaren F1 Sponsorship and launched it big at Vegas Grand Prix
F1 is a sport where logos compete as fiercely as the drivers. As soon as Mastercard announced their McLaren partnership, we shot off to the races to crack what would be uniquely Priceless to Papaya fans. After an audience sprint where we deployed Suzy for rapid audience research, we uncovered a clear tension: with only 1% of the fandom ever there to experience the sport - many not only felt kept at arms length from the sport but disconnected from one another. Mastercard, using its scale and access could build new connective tissue across the fandom and show up unlike any other sponsor had before.
The consumer-facing launch campaign centered on storytelling around fan-first moments all told on the platforms where F1 fans were engaging most with the sport - social. From surprise-and-delight activations to fun driver-led content, to a chance to purchase a cameo with Lando through Priceless Experiences, we brought Papaya fans closer to all the things they loved about the sport.
Results: 17M+ Views on our inaugural F1 Priceless Surprise post | Record-breaking sell-out of priceless.com McLaren experiences |160+ press mentions from priority news outlets | Our fandom-first strategy has been socialized and is now embedded across all Mastercard markets and being executed across teams from Abu Dhabi to Singapore.
We turned our commercial during the Grammys into the can’t miss performance of the night
With every single brand trying to out shout each other on music’s biggest night, we opted to make our commercial a direct extension of the Grammys main stage. After all, it’s the performances - not the ads that people want to talk about. And so we debuted Lady Gaga’s newest release - ABACADABRA but we didn’t stop there.
We took to social, inviting all of Lady Gaga’s fanbase to go from watching mother’s music video to starring in it - on the same set, in the same wardrobe, with the same crew.
Tears were shed - in all the best ways.
Results: 1.4Bn Views | +29% brand lift with Gen Z | 2/3 of TikTok saw it within 48 hours
We reinvented the holiday shopping experience with Mastercard with a first-of-its-kind immersive experience in Fort Langley, B.C., transforming the town’s small businesses into a living storybook
Small businesses aren’t just a segment for Mastercard - they’re foundational. When they do well, Mastercard does too, and there’s no period more critical for small businesses to do well than the holidays.
While it may feel like this is a time when small businesses would shine, big box retailers are the ones at a major advantage. After all, when you’re rushing to get everything done, it’s easy to default to the most convenient option - especially when it comes with free shipping and can be done from the comfort of your living room.
So how do we level the playing field? By flipping the expectation from shopping to entertainment.
Working with a local author we released Cranberry & Crumm - an interactive adventure book, where each physical store along Fort Langley’s Main Street became way to experience the storyline IRL. We incentivized transactions with collectable ornaments with purchase, made our bank issuer partners happy by making them a home base for the book and created opportunities for local policymakers to connect.
Results: 137M campaign impressions, 125% lift in transactions and 60% lift in spend at participating SMB’s , 40% SOV amongst competitors, +13pt consumer perception that Mastercard supports small businesses, 1000+ sign up so the Mastercard Small Business Community
Let’s be honest, no one is jumping up and down with excitement to download another app. But you know what Chick fil-A fans did jump and down in excitement over? The Chick fil-A cows. People loved those cows and their single-minded mission to take down evil burger conglomerate McDonalds Circus Burger.
Introducing Code Moo - an in-app game that put the fate of our cows right in the fans’ hands. Over 6 weeks, the game alerted fans on clues to help the Cows locate and destroy Circus Burger locations. In order to play, fans were required to sign up for the CFA One loyalty program if they weren’t members already.
To get the word we every channel available: In-restaurant signage, packaging, Kids meal giveaways, TV, OLV and CTV, Social, Search, Email, Push Notifications and OOH. The Cows even got their own merchandise line and made their debut in an animated short film that lived across YouTube.
Results: 47% increase in new CFA One members | 13% increase in YOY transacting members | 1.4M new CFA One members
We got people to let Chick fil-A onto their phones by leveraging their love for cows
We showed that the best learning is through play for Osmo
Post-pandemic, parents were more worried than ever about kids falling behind. The edu-tech market exploded with competitors rushing to make parents more proficient teachers and kids better learners.
But there was a real tension in that learning often felt diametrically opposed to play. Cue frustrating fights being waged at the kitchen table. Enter Osmo - the edutech company grounded in a tactile experience. One that’s not about fun but about play. Because we do our best learning when we play.
We turned a Mastercard tap into an invitation to play on public transit
The booming public transportation industry isn’t just good for the planet—it’s a major business opportunity for Mastercard. With open-loop acceptance, riders can now access public transportation with a simple tap of their credit or debit card versus going through the hassle of buying a special ticket or transit card. Every time they tap, they use Mastercard technology—driving revenue for us.
But the business impact goes beyond simply transit purchases. Our data showed that the more consumers tapped our cards for public transportation, the more they tapped them elsewhere, reinforcing Mastercard’s role in everyday spending.
Our competitors were aggressive, flooding the market with ads focused on convenience. Outspending them wasn’t an option. We needed to carve out a unique space - turning the Tap from a functional convenience to one that brought entertainment, fun and joy to public transit.
Tap, Go and Play was a global platform that we socialized and brought into nearly 20 markets. Each market team charged with localizing the idea in a way that would resonate best with their commuters. In Amsterdam, they built a holiday karaoke bus shelter, in LatAm they brought in partners to offer rotating surprise and delight deals, in Sydney they used AI to create audiobooks customized to the length fo the commute.
We turned the age-old, card acceptance story on its head for Mastercard for Copa America and launched an activation in North America that scored big with Hispanic small business owners
After kicking off globally with our hero spot “Giving Back,” we continued the story with social content to drive further engagement from the fans.
Hispanic business owners are a growing force in the United States with many being passionate soccer fans. But the thing is, on the biggest game days, they’re often working - not enjoying the game. So we decided to bring in a sub - for them. We tapped well-known celebrities to step in and run their businesses for a day so that these small business owners could cheer their national teams from the stands.
Clio Sports Silver - Experience/Activation
Clio Sports Shortlist - Partnerships/Sponsorships
ANA Multicultural Excellence Award - Best in Show, Shortlist
ANA Multicultural Excellence Award - Sports, Grand Prize Winner
Clio Sports Silver - Experience/Activation
Clio Sports Shortlist - Partnerships/Sponsorships
ANA Multicultural Excellence Award - Best in Show, Shortlist
ANA Multicultural Excellence Award - Sports, Grand Prize Winner
We helped TJMaxx find their groove again
The iconic retailer was in a rut. Long known for being a place to bag a great steal, they were in danger of tipping into being perceived as more cheap vs. cheerful. The clothing bazaar format that won them their loyal following was seen as a detractor to new audiences. But through store visits and consumer research, we found that women were increasingly seeking external multipliers for their inner creativity and led us to the shift for TJMaxx from a discount bazaar to a playground for self-expression.
