BMO Finance Heads into Twitch to Help Gamers Level Up in Gaming and Real Life

BMO Financial Group today announced the launch of BMO NXT LVL, a first-of-its-kind communications platform, on Twitch, known for its massive gaming community, with content intersecting gaming culture and personal finances. Driven by a commitment to authenticity, BMO NXT LVL, the bank’s new Twitch channel, will help gamers level up in-game and in life by connecting and engaging with them in the digital spaces where they are.

To drive the innovative initiative, BMO created the Gaming Relations Specialist (GRS) role, a global first for any financial institution. The GRS will host BMO NXT LVL, while engaging in insightful discussions on gaming and personal finances with influential guests through livestreamed and social content.

To recruit its GRS, BMO looked within to find the most charismatic and engaging gamer at the bank. Of the 50 employees who vied for the role, Sean Frame (aka @BMO_GRS), a Personal Banker from Windsor, Ontario demonstrated that he had everything it takes to become BMO’s first GRS

“NXT LVL opens the door for BMO to engage thousands of gamers by entertaining, educating, and connecting with them in a way no bank has done before,” said Maja Neable, BMO CMO, personal and business banking and chief data and analytics officer, marketing. 

“The Twitch platform is immersive and personal and it’s an incredible opportunity to continue to authentically connect with customers, provide value to viewers in an entertaining way, and help customers make real financial progress.”

In partnership with FCB Toronto and media agency UM, BMO will launch season one with its first stream of BMO NXT LVL on May 13th. The campaign will feature three live-streamed episodes on BMO’s new Twitch channel (twitch.tv/BMO_NXTLVL) where Frame (@BMO_GRS)  will play games and talk financial literacy with some of Canada’s most famous and influential  gamers including Wardell (twitch.tv/Wardell) and MTashed (twitch.tv/MTashed).

“We all understood that we were looking for a unicorn: a gamer, a banker, and a charismatic host all rolled into one,” said Andrew MacPhee, executive creative director at FCB. “As it turns out, unicorns do exist, they play video games, and their name is Sean Frame.”

In addition to weekly episodes on topics like monetising gaming, homeownership, and investing, the first season of BMO NXT LVL will feature a dynamic AR tour of the GRS’ office, social media contests, and game-playing across Twitter, TikTok, and Twitch, all designed to bring the human touch back to banking in the age of the Metaverse.

“This is a discerning community who has little patience for pandering, said Eli Ferrara, VP, creative innovation at FCB. “We’ve seen moments of engagement from brands on Twitch, mostly through sponsorships, but coming into the space with an authentic and long-term strategy to use the platform the way it was intended - this is historic for any brand (not to mention any FI).”

Follow @BMO_GRS and learn more about Sean and upcoming episodes here.