CIBC Celebrates Change and Flexibility with New Credit Card Launch

In an unpredictable world, it often feels as though the best thing people can do is expect the unexpected. Sure, you might have plans for how things are supposed to go – be it work, your hobbies, or even something like a relationship – but the truth is, until it happens, it’s impossible to be entirely clear on just how things are going to turn out.

Such a concept does not always mesh well with the realities of financial responsibility, especially when it comes to credit cards. In fact, rigid structures and fixed categories – like groceries, dining or travel – often mean people juggle multiple cards or miss out on better rewards when life takes an unpredictable turn.

With this in mind, financial services corporation CIBC is addressing that disconnect with the launch of a new credit card, called ‘Adapta’. Designed to keep pace with the dynamic, ever-changing nature of spending habits, this latest offering lives up to its name by intuitively adjusting monthly to automatically remit more points on the things the holder spends the most on.

As part of this, the brand has turned to Courage, its creative AOR, to help spread the word. Kicking things off with a 30-second spot, ‘The Many Sides of Life’, and new out-of-home ads, the work plays with the idea of transition, showcasing a variety of life scenarios where financial adaptability is invaluable, and just how seamlessly they slide into one another.

“Adapta is such a unique concept and offering from CIBC, literally transforming itself to maximise points on whatever you need it to,” says Gerardo Agbuya, creative director at Courage. “We’ve all gone through those life changes where spending naturally tracks and reflects what is happening daily, be it summer entertaining or a newborn. We wanted the spot to convey those gradual life changes but in a digestible way, where the creative makes its point impactfully.”

According to fellow Courage creative director Jesse Wilks, equally important for ‘The Many Sides of Life’ was demonstrating Adapta’s ability to grow with its user. As such, dynamic editing and the use of split screen effects proved imperative, allowing the creative team to translate the prospect of gaining one-and-a-half points for every dollar spent (across the customer’s top three spending categories) into a fun, visual narrative.

“We wanted to show that life changes for everyone,” he explains. “Using a simple but effective device of split screens and match cuts helped us convey that to viewers in an instant, and convey that the card adapts to you with your ever-changing life.”

While it’s early days, which means it’s yet to be seen how the market reacts to this work, internally, spirits at CIBC are high. Excited by the prospect of rewarding its customers with more points as spending habits evolve, the company’s vice president, business partner marketing, Angela Sarino, hopes that with the launch of this campaign, people see Adapta as more than a card, but a companion on life’s journey, through all its changes, come what may.

“We know consumer habits change often, and our goal is to ensure we meet our clients where they are,” she says. “For this campaign, we wanted to visually showcase both the flexibility and adaptability of the card, and how it rewards consumers, regardless of how their spending changes."