Citizens Bank wanted to position itself as a distinct and modern financial services partner millennials would consider. We developed a new platform “Made Ready” and partnered with Questlove of The Roots on an integrated campaign, a content series developed with Vulture Magazine, a song debut from The Roots, and a crowdsourced music video promoted by Questlove, influencers and Vulture’s social channels and content hub.

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At the heart of the campaign launch was a brand activation titled “Made Ready for Music,” where The Roots’ debuted the original song at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, Questlove’s high school alma mater. Citizens Bank donated $10,000 to the school’s principal, and Questlove and attendees wore video glasse to get a first-person experience and capture video.

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The event earned nearly 862,000 impressions and 70,000 comments and likes. Pitches earned more than 27 stories—national and local—including RollingStone.com, reaching nearly 6 million unique visitors each month. The song and music video also earned more than 6 million views from both Questlove’s organic post and paid support.

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Results: 27-point lift in unaided brand awareness, 10-point boost in trust & favorability.