Crafting a Video for Deutsche Bank: Navigating Brand Refresh Amidst Challenges
A couple of years ago I was recruited as lead designer from our team to create a video as part of a pitch for Deutsche Bank. At the time I wasn't aware of the pitch as it was a last-minute type of project, but I performed well in those situations and happily agreed.
Essentially what my creative director needed was a sizzle video to highlight and enhance the other elements of the pitch. Since all of this was happening simultaneously it proved to be a bit of a challenge for all of us.
Deutsche Bank has suffered from negative press over the years for many reasons ranging from money laundering to its dealings with Russia. If you're not familiar with it you can read more about it here.
They reached out to several agencies to help with a complete refresh of the company and its brand. The company I work for specializes in talent attraction and retention so we were chosen to take part.
To say my knowledge of Deutsche Bank was limited at the time is an understatement. So I began by researching the company which is the first step for me in any of my projects. I like to know as much as possible about what I am working on as well as who I am working for. If I am allowed time, I like to start a mood/idea board using OneNote.
Once I have a good idea of what the idea what the parameters of the project are and I've done as much research as possible I like to jump right in and start piecing things together. In this case, after several brainstorming meetings with the creative director, we decided to essentially brush the cobwebs off of Deutsche Bank's brand and reputation and approach it from a technology-driven/industry leader with a youthful edge.
I began sourcing videos that would correspond with the script that was written. The video was to be fast-paced. Very quick clips of a wide range of subject matter. We wanted to lean into their involvement in crypto, blockchain, AI, script, and code as well as the fact that they have been around for over 150 years and have the resources to be a leader when it comes to the future of banking.
Turning a Challenge into a Triumph: Crafting a Standout Video for Deutsche Bank's Pitch
Attempting to encourage people to work for a company with a less-than-desirable reputation proved to be a challenge, but I feel our team did a fantastic job overall. My video served as the cornerstone for the entire pitch. It was not only extremely well received by everyone on my team and my department, but by the client as well.
In the end unfortunately we were not chosen to move on in the selection process but it was a big win not only for our team but for me. I am extremely proud of the video I produced and opened a lot of doors for me. Video production has always been a passion of mine and I have been lucky to expand my skills in this area and continue to do so as my career develops.