American Express recently sponsored a 40-minute documentary chronicling the lives of struggling Americans who, without access to banking services, are forced to rely on alternative financial means to make ends meet. Turning to check cashing services and payday loans, individuals are seen paying steep fees for basic services, which creates a vicious cycle for those living on the margins of our financial system.
Partnering with filmmaker Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth," "Waiting for Superman"), the film, however, gives hope and sheds light on technology's potential to address these pressing issues. It attracted 7.8 million viewers last week, according to Visible Measures.
Beats by Dre debuts at No. 5 this week with its highly publicized "The Game Before the Game" campaign featuring an impressive roster of soccer superstars and other celebrities; Christian Dior comes in at No. 6 with its third installment of the "Secret Garden" series; and YouTube takes No. 7, owing to an inspiring campaign that aims to foster equality and inclusion in the world of sports.
Wrapping up the chart at No. 10 is Friskies' adorably funny and endearing commercial that features a cat mentoring a young kitten. Produced with the help of social news site BuzzFeed, it garnered over 3.9 million views last week.