Mastercard's 'True Name' wins Cannes Brand Experience and Activation Grand Prix

Campaign McCann allowed transgender customers to change their names easily on cards

Published On
Jun 29, 2020

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

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