CIBC Enlists Furry ‘Financial Stress Companions’ to Relieve Money Worries

Courage’s first work for CIBC features an experiment pairing dogs with clients to help make talking about finances a little less stressful.

Studies show money is the top source of stress for many Canadians. And while this stress can be debilitating, causing many to avoid thinking about finances altogether, the best way to overcome it is by having some real talk about it. So, CIBC did something to help make talking about money just a little less stressful. Enter CIBC ‘Financial Stress Companions’, an experiment where the bank brought in therapy dogs to sit with and comfort clients who had been putting off talking about their finances.

“With post-holiday bills, the investing season and all the talk of the uncertain financial climate right now, most people are feeling extra stressed about money. So, we wanted to make it easier for CIBC clients to start a conversation about their financial concerns, but not in a preachy way,” says Joel Holtby, CCO and co-founder of Courage. “The dogs provided some much-needed levity to what can otherwise feel like a very scary conversation, but the real magic came from the insight and advice the advisors brought forward.” 

“We loved the unexpectedness and relatability of the idea, but also how it works at a deeper level, as a metaphor for the way talking to one of our advisors makes people feel,” says Tammy Sadinsky, senior vice-president of brand and marketing at CIBC.

The experiment was filmed and will run on TV as 30 and 15-second spots, and online as social videos.

This is the first piece of work done by Courage for CIBC, with follow ups to establish and build the bank’s platform expected to launch in the coming months. “It’s amazing how many bank ads don’t even use the word ‘money’,” says Tammy. “We want to strip away all the jargon, confusion, and barriers that prevent people from talking about their money and connect with them on a human-to-human level. We think this is the perfect first piece of work to springboard that connection.”