Mastercard's 'True Name' wins Cannes Brand Experience and Activation Grand Prix
Campaign McCann allowed transgender customers to change their names easily on cards
Editor's Pick
Mastercard's "True Name" campaign has won one of two Brand Experience and Activation Grand Prix at Cannes, adding to its stash of Lions so far.
The campaign from McCann New York was created to allow transgender people to change their name easily on their credit card and was awarded alongside Burger King's Stevenage Challenge project. It had already been awarded Gold Lions in both the Direct and PR categories.
Original story:
A year after announcing the launch of its True Name card—which was created to allow transgender people to change their name easily on their credit card—Mastercard has debuted a new TV spot that explains what it will mean for users.
The ad, by McCann New York, ran on ABC as part of its Pride coverage this weekend. It shows a transgender customer in a convenience store. The voiceover explains "for a transgender person, a secure payment doesn't mean protecting yourself from someone buying sneakers with your card." It goes on to explain that for a transgender person it can be the difference from being harassed, insulted or even assaulted -- just because the name on their card doesn't match the gender with which they identify. The spot was directed by Hungry Man's Bryan Buckley and features trans and non-binary actors.
The "True Name" project originally launched last year during Pride 2019 when it was accompanied by a campaign that transformed Gay Street into "Acceptance Street" with a series of street signs. Earlier this month, Mastercard expanded the scheme further, to include BMO Harris Bank consumer credit cards and small business debit and credit cards.
“Now more than ever, the world needs champions and advocates against discrimination and racism," said Cheryl Guerin, executive vice president of North America Marketing and Communications for Mastercard, in a statement. "That is why we continue to work closely with our partners, the community and the industry to elevate the voices that need to be heard as well as create financial products that reflect cardholders’ true identity. While the physical celebration of NYC Pride is different this year, the spirit of Pride and equality has never been more significant. Together with the BMO Harris expansion of True Name and continued industry conversation, we are proud to empower even more individuals in the trans and non-binary communities to embrace their identity and be the realest version of themselves.”
Earlier this month, Guerin spoke at Ad Age's Future of Creativity festival about the background to the campaign, together with McCann global Executive Creative Director Pierre Lipton and Associate Creative Director Lucas Crigler, who is transgender and had the original idea for True Name. You can replay the interview here.
Credits
- Date
- Jun 29, 2020
- Client :
- MasterCard
- Agency :
- McCann Worldgroup-New York
- Executive Vice President Marketing & Communications North America :
- Cheryl Guerin
- Senior Vice President Communications North America :
- James Issokson
- Senior Vice President Consumer Marketing North America :
- Nicola Grant
- Vice President Communications North America :
- Sarah Ely
- Director Consumer Marketing North America :
- Anthony DeRojas
- Director Social Media and Digital Marketing North America :
- Gregg Weiss
- Director North America Sponsorship :
- Lauren Stephens
- Senior Specialist North America Sponsorship :
- Marisa Bianchi
- Senior Specialist Social Media and Digital Marketing North America :
- Chanelle Lowe
- Co Chief Creative Officer :
- Thomas Murphy
- Co Chief Creative Officer :
- Sean Bryan
- EVP Global Executive Creative Director :
- Pierre Lipton
- President Creative Europe Global ECD :
- Adrian Botan
- EVP Executive Creative Director :
- Pete Jones
- SVP Group Creative Director :
- Cinzia Crociani
- VP Creative Director :
- Leopold Billard
- Associate Creative Director :
- Lucas Crigler
- Senior Art Director :
- Andre DeCastro
- Chief Production Officer :
- Nathy Aviram
- SVP Executive Producer :
- Judi Nierman
- Producer :
- Liz O'Connor
- Senior Vice President Executive Integrated Music Producer :
- Eric Johnson
- Business Manager Music :
- Jamie Jou
- Managing Director :
- Veronica Bertran
- Chief Comms Officer :
- Jeremy Miller
- SVP Group Account Director :
- Daniel Mize
- VP Account Director :
- Shelley Bowcher
- Account Executive :
- Mathew Guerra
- EVP Global Strategy Director :
- Oriol Bombi
- SVP Group Strategy Director :
- Robin Bardolia
- SVP Group Strategy Director :
- Dan Cohn
- Senior Strategist :
- Rosalind Mowitt
- VP Social Strategy Director :
- Danielle Johnsen-Karr
- Social Strategist :
- Kristen Levy
- Production Company :
- Craft
- Editor :
- Matthew Ranson
- Producer Video Post Production :
- Paloma Bido
- Senior Audio Editor/Mixer :
- Gerard McConville
- Post Producer :
- Bianca Muccia
- Production Company :
- Hungry Man
- Director :
- Bryan Buckley
- Producer :
- Matt Lefebvre
- Executive Producer :
- Mino Jarjoura
- Executive Producer :
- Caleb Dewart
- Cinematographer :
- Par Ekberg
- Casting Director :
- Tiffany Persons
- Music :
- JSM Music
- CCO/CEO/Co-Composer :
- Joel Simon
- VP/Executive Producer :
- Jeff Fiorello
- Co-Composer :
- Jonathan Russel
- Producer :
- Norman Felker
- Producer :
- Andrew Manning
- Editorial :
- No6
- Editor :
- Jason Macdonald
- Assistant Editor :
- Patrick Saxer
- Executive Producer :
- Corina Dennison
- Producer :
- Weston Ver Steeg
- Flame Artist :
- John Shea
- Graphics :
- David Gerber
- Producer :
- Jamie Lynn Perritt
Need a credit fix? Contact the Creativity Editors
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