PNC Bank is back with another chapter of its “Brilliantly Boring Since 1865” brand platform, this time roasting hypey money fads right in users’ feeds. The new social campaign, “If Risky Investments Were People,” imagines volatile plays as attention-seeking characters: an NFT banana in a tux and a porcelain collector’s doll that promises dust-coated riches.
Created by AOR Arnold, the spots riff on the “what if brands were people?” trend to show how ridiculous financial FOMO can look up close, while positioning PNC as the steady alternative. The tone is snackable and self-aware, designed to meet viewers where they scroll and remind them that boring can be brilliant when it comes to money. Watch below:
“There’s no shortage of risky money moves online,” said Dresdyn Hefferen, SVP, Director of Brand Marketing and Paid Media at PNC Bank. “By bringing these over-the-top investment ‘characters’ to life, we’re holding up a mirror to the kinds of financial fads people see every day. It’s a playful reminder that while flashy trends come and go, smart, steady choices stand the test of time.”
“Our feeds are already crowded with influencers who prey on financial fears,” added James Bray, Executive Creative Director at Arnold Worldwide. “So we thought, what if we created a few of our own, each one embodying a questionable investment plan, to show the value of a safer, smarter choice: boring banking.”
The campaign extends beyond OLV and a comprehensive social mix, encompassing Meta, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, continuing PNC’s year-two effort to make “Brilliantly Boring” a distinctive and memorable stance in a category that often chases the latest trend. The message lands the same way across placements: when the doll and the NFT are done pitching pipe dreams, PNC is still there, reliably, methodically, and yes… brilliantly boring.
CREDITS:
BRAND: PNC
- Jenn Garbach, Chief Marketing Officer
- Dresdyn Hefferen, SVP, Director of Marketing & Paid Media
- Amy Farrell, SVP, Group Marketing Manager
- Sara Needham, VP, Marketing Manager Senior
- Ben Langdon, VP, Marketing Lead
AGENCY: Arnold
- James Bray, Executive Creative Director
- Joe Fallon, SVP, Group Creative Director
- Molly Adler, SVP, Group Creative Director
- Jesse Yowell, Associate Creative Director
- Scott Cooney, Associate Creative Director
- Ryan Vinnicombe, VP, Strategy Director
- Colleen Saville, Strategy Director
- Elyssa Ahern, Director of Business Affairs
- Sammy Ouansa, Business Affairs Associate
- Paul Shannon, SVP, Head of Production
- Whitney Bogosian, SVP, Executive Producer
- Sarah Taylor, EVP, Marketing Director
- Laura Allen, SVP, Marketing Director
- Jaclyn Posner, Marketing Director
- Maddie Basirico, Senior Marketing Manager
- Paige Hardy, Marketing Manager
- Will Gregg, Senior Editor
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Chirp Films / Four Twelve Films
- Director: McMint
- Line Producer: Mario D’Amici
- Production Designer: Mark Davis
- Costume Design: Scott Molampy / Geppetto Studios, Inc
- Costume Design: Matt Krivicke
- Prop Master: Patrick Reidy
- Hair & Makeup: Jo Holland
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