Rothco Shines a Light on the Darkness of Mortgage Applications in Optimistic AIB Campaign

The mortgage application process can be long and daunting, and it’s often hard to stay motivated when most of the process is out of your control – much like feeling left in the dark, not able to see the way through. To tackle such a feeling, Irish bank AIB has launched the My Mortgage tool that allows customers to see the light – tracking their application and breaking it down into simpler steps. The more customers use the tool, the more their belief in the process builds, lighting a clearer path forward.

Inspired by AIB’s ‘Belief is Everywhere’ campaign from 2018, Rothco, part of Accenture Interactive, brought the application to life with a spot that shines the light on the way in which this new tool allows customers to take back control and stay motivated throughout the typically daunting process.

Working with Conkerco, the director duo from Academy Films, Rothco set out to craft a campaign that feels like an antidote to the darkness and worry associated with applying for a mortgage. The film follows a couple navigating the application process through a series of scenic vignettes – moving from them leaving the bank, to uploading documents on their phones, to finally owning the house of their dreams. It is an out-and-out celebration of the light, with positive energy and a growing sense of optimism. 

Rothco created a heightened, imaginative world for the campaign, establishing an intentionally hazy atmosphere at the start to add a feeling of uncertainty around the couple in the film. As their belief grows through the tool, so does the realism in the world. The lights lift as the couple becomes surer of themselves – ultimately ending up in the real world, basked in natural light outside their new home.

Ray Swan and Emma Sharkey, creative directors at Rothco, comment: “A core tenet of the AIB brand is to be useful and the My Mortgage tool is a very real example of the kind of innovation that occurs when you put your customer at the centre of everything. This tool not only gives home buyers more control over the mortgage application process, it gives them a real sense of progress at a time when you really need to feel you’re getting somewhere, fuelling your belief that you’re well on your way to owning your own home.”

Mark Doyle, CMO at AIB, adds: “As Ireland’s most digitally enabled bank we are committed to improving our offer for our customers. By introducing Ireland’s first end to end online mortgage application we have made the mortgage journey simpler. With the My Mortage app, customers have more transparency, know where they stand, and can keep the belief on their home buying journey. This campaign really brings the benefits of the app to life while showing AIB’s desire to back you to achieve your dream of owning your own home.”