Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, Millie
The current print campaign published for Synchrony Bank in 2020 and 2021. This series is in keeping with Synchrony Bank’s current branding look, used in all of its marketing materials. This campaign is intended to appeal to a wide demographic for Synchrony Bank’s online savings products, including various CDs and High Yield Savings Accounts. These ads feature a solid background in one of the bank’s branding colors, with a squared-up lifestyle photo, which is sandwiched between a two-part headline. The headline has no punctuation, is broken into two colors, and the bottom portion is larger, with the ascenders partially overlapping the photo. The look is intended to provide clear, concise messaging to continue to save, even in a down-turned economy.
Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, AARP
An award-winning print campaign in spread form published for Synchrony Bank in 2018 and 2019. This campaign is intended to appeal to an older, financially established demographic for Synchrony Bank’s online savings products, including various CDs and High Yield Savings Accounts. These ads feature a rich, colorful, full-bleed photo where a single figure is seen in a vast, aspirational, scenic environment. The figures have an anonymous but relatable quality to them, so potential customers can identify with the situation rather than the specific person. The Synchrony logo’s symbolic “pillars” are large and transparent, intertwined with the headline type for recognizable brand awareness. The headline contains two statements. The first, in white, offers a thought-provoking statement about saving, followed by an engaging, clever conclusion in gold. A dual offer with the latest rates is seen on the right side in bold text. Side note: The original photos are, on average, about one-fifth of what is pictured in the ads. The top, bottom and mainly left sides were added on by retouching.
Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, AARP
An award-winning print campaign campaign in single-page form, published for Synchrony Bank in 2018 and 2019. This campaign is intended to appeal to an older, financially established demographic for Synchrony Bank’s online savings products, including various CDs and High Yield Savings Accounts. These ads feature a rich, colorful, full-bleed photo where a single figure is seen in a vast, aspirational, scenic environment. The figures have an anonymous but relatable quality to them, so potential customers can identify with the situation rather than the specific person. The Synchrony logo’s symbolic “pillars” are large and transparent, intertwined with the headline type for recognizable brand awareness. The headline contains two statements. The first, in white, offers a thought-provoking statement about saving, followed by an engaging, clever conclusion in gold. A dual offer with the latest rates is seen on the right side in bold text. Side note: The original photos are, on average, about one-fifth of what is pictured in the ads. The top, bottom and mainly left sides were added on by retouching.
Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, AARP
A “Special Offer” print campaign for Synchrony Bank in 2018 and 2019. This campaign also has an unidentifiable figure in an aspirational scene, but something random and uncommon is happening in each photo, playing off the headline, “Rare opportunities are worth appreciating.” A one-time, special rate offer is in bold and gold with accompanying copy to the left. Again, the Synchrony logo’s symbolic “pillars” are large and transparent, intertwined with the headline type for recognizable brand awareness. Side note: The original photos are, on average, about one-fifth of what is pictured in the ads. The top, bottom and mainly left sides were added on by retouching, as well as the object of interest.
Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, AARP
An award-winning print campaign in spread form published for Synchrony Bank in 2016 and 2017. This was also intended to appeal to an older, financially established demographic for Synchrony Bank’s online savings products. Either a single figure or object was seen in a vast, aspirational, scenic environment. Again, if a figure is shown, it has an anonymous but relatable quality to it, so potential customers can identify with the situation rather than the specific person. The headline posed the question, “Why be average?”, followed by a thought-provoking answer that relates to the competitive rates offered. This was accompanied by a dual offer with the latest rates seen on the right side in bold text. Again, the original photos were much smaller than what was pictured in the ads. The top, bottom and mainly left or right sides were added on by retouching.
Publications: Time, Money, Fortune, Kiplinger’s, AARP
An award-winning print campaign in single-page form published for Synchrony Bank in 2016 and 2017. This was also intended to appeal to an older, financially established demographic for Synchrony Bank’s online savings products. Either an anonymous figure or object was seen in a recognizable situation. The headline posed the question, “Why be average?”, followed by a thought-provoking answer that related to the competitive rates offered. The offers and call-to-action, in this case, were seen in a metallic trio of blue, silver and green gradient areas. The advertising at the time also mentioned Synchrony Bank’s higher rates, which were always many times higher than the collective national average of competing banks.
This set of thirteen award-winning sliver ad spreads occupied the lower portion of 26 consecutive pages in the “Largest U.S. Corporations” special section of Fortune 500 magazine. The ads were on alternating corporate branding colors of charcoal, blue and green. A twisting field of transparent plus signs was the constant visual that supported quick, three-word headlines, all ending with “… it up.” The series concluded with “It all adds up.” Each spread mentioned a different aspect of saving with Synchrony Bank.
This award-winning campaign ran for the first half of 2016. At that time, plus signs with coordinating headlines were used in most of the marketing materials. In this series, a fading mosaic pattern creating a pair of plus signs over a photograph was used to implicate the higher rates Synchrony Bank offered compared to its competitors. Within the plus signs appeared a two-part, question-and-answer scenario headline, always leading with “Why be average?”, with an answer in the second plus sign. The offers and call-to-action appeared in a gradient metallic trio of blue, silver and green areas.
An award-winning campaign that ran in 2014 through 2015. In this series, a field of plus signs in different sizes created an organic and unique shape on a white field that revealed an aspirational photo. This style was hailed for presenting unique brand awareness throughout the course of the campaign’s run. The rate box changed in 2015 to a color field with knockout type, to highlight the rate more so than the previous blue type on a white background, as seen in the older ad from 2014, in the lower left.
An award-winning series of graphic newspaper ads that used an illustration formed from plus signs, a symbolic enhancement of the higher rates offered by Synchrony Bank. In each case, the ads were seasonal. Pictured here is a butterfly for Spring, flip-flops for Summer and a heart for Valentine’s Day. Other ads not shown had leaves for Fall and a snowflake for Winter.
These ads were presented as concepts for the 2020-21 print publications. A new look was being established. The scenery around each figure has been knocked back and made more pastel, drawing more attention to the figure itself. The two-part headline is now much bolder, with the second statement larger, delivering more of a punch. The figure is placed between the statements, drawing the eye to the rate appearing in a gold box. This look was intended to establish a recognizable and consistent branding feel to the campaign.
The first in a series of concept ads presented to our client at Synchrony Bank for the advertising period of 2017-2018. The idea behind these visuals was to create an ethereal scene using plus signs to create imaginary objects combined with realistic landscapes. The headline, “Escape the ordinary,” paired well with the imagery of plus signs, creating an aspirational and imagined scene, illustrating the idea that saving well can take you anywhere.
The second in a series of concept ads presented to our client at Synchrony Bank for the advertising period of 2017-2018. The idea was to show figures that were pondering in an outdoor environment. A transparent, twisting field of pluses appeared in the sky. The headline of “Make your dreams count” or “Add to your dreams” would accompany the visual, again conveying the idea that saving well can lead you to any possibility.
https://vimeo.com/260237712 Password: SYFI
An award-winning video explained the benefits Synchrony Bank offers and why it should be chosen for potential customers’ online banking needs. It used the Synchrony logo symbol of gold bars that morphed into different shapes coordinated with the voiceover. As each individual illustration has finished rendering, a white animated emphasis appeared and interacted with the main illustration, driving home the point being made.
https://vimeo.com/215082171 Password: SYFI
The first in a series of three award-winning videos that explained Certificate of Deposit savings products for Synchrony Bank. These videos presented savings information in a fun, intriguing and engaging way. The videos were animated with a coin on a journey that was reminiscent of the work of Rube Goldberg, a kinetic sculptor who used gravity-driven, moving objects to define his work. The coin was put into motion with Synchrony Bank’s own marketing mascot, “Phil the Pig,” who sets the coin in motion on a journey that described how each product worked.
https://vimeo.com/215082134 Password: SYFI
The second in a series of three award-winning videos that explained High Yield Savings products for Synchrony Bank. These videos presented savings information in a fun, intriguing and engaging way. The videos were animated with a coin on a journey that was reminiscent of the work of Rube Goldberg, a kinetic sculptor who used gravity-driven, moving objects to define his work. The coin was put into motion with Synchrony Bank’s own marketing mascot, “Phil the Pig,” who sets the coin in motion on a journey that described how each product worked.
https://vimeo.com/223292512 Password: SYFI
The third in a series of three award-winning videos that explained Money Market Account savings products for Synchrony Bank. These videos presented savings information in a fun, intriguing and engaging way. The videos were animated with a coin on a journey that was reminiscent of the work of Rube Goldberg, a kinetic sculptor who used gravity-driven, moving objects to define his work. The coin was put into motion with Synchrony Bank’s own marketing mascot, “Phil the Pig,” who sets the coin in motion on a journey that described how each product worked.
https://vimeo.com/327357333 Password: SYFI
A video that promoted and described the new app for Synchrony Bank, launched early in 2019. It used stills of a variety of customers in different environments, along with dynamic, moving graphics to inform customers of the simplicity and convenience of using the new app.
A 16-page internal policies manual for the 60-member creative team, known as “The Studio.” The concept was to portray this as a retro-style owner’s manual, to make it fun and interesting. It was then inserted into a clear, plastic case, along with trial-sized items such as mouthwash, hand-sanitizer, gum, note pads, pens, stress balls, etc., and handed out to current members and newcomers in the in-house creative team at Synchrony Financial. The piece was done with minimal on-brand colors, as well as “exploded diagrams” and enlarged halftone-dot pattern photos, to convey a mid-century style.
A successful and award-winning direct mail piece that promoted and explained, in a simple way the benefits of “CD Laddering.” This process maximized funds with the ability to withdraw on these funds without a penalty, after a period of 36 months had passed. This piece used clever headlines and iconic illustrations with simple, understandable language, as well as an easy-to-understand graphic chart that conveyed a potentially complex process that can be difficult for a general customer to understand. It was accompanied by a promotional letter offering the latest rates.
An award-winning direct mail piece that described the benefits of banking with Synchrony Bank. The outer envelope posed the statement, “Why Settle for Average? Get More.” Inside was an unfolding, 5-panel, reveal brochure, with the front cover stating, “Take Your Savings Beyond Average.” Each unfold revealed a panel that had an illustrative icon with accompanying descriptive copy in the opposite panel, describing each benefit such as Great Rates, Loyalty Perks, Awards and Recognition, and Availability. This handsome, sophisticated piece was done in an alternating rich blue and silver gradient color palette. It was accompanied by a promotional insert offering the latest rates.
This award-winning direct mail piece described the benefits of having achieved the highest status in an award tier within Loyalty Perks, a program giving deserving customers discounts on hotel rates, theme parks, limousine services and special offers, such as on spa, golf, dining and car rental services. The piece also offered a $50 bonus for opening a Money Market Account of $10,000 or more within a given time period. It’s a die-cut trifold, using the shape of a plus sign to reveal a message of appreciation.
A large-format, postcard-style direct mail piece for elite customers that focused on travel benefits for New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando, with savings of up to 20% on vacation-related items, such as hotels, car rentals, dining, spas, theme parks and golf. The imagery used plus signs with embedded photos of these iconic cities mirrored in the headline.
This was a black-tie fundraising dinner invite and a preliminary save-the-date postcard mailer, featuring comedian Robert Klein. The mailer mimicked the style of “Playbill Magazine,” while the succeeding 2-C RSVP had an elegant, sophisticated appeal with imaginary Broadway-style reviews highlighted throughout the piece. The invite used a belly-band to aid in enclosing some of the accompanying elements.
A sample of an activity and fact-filled magazine for children and families in suburban Houston, TX. The 16-20-page publication was poppish, fun and colorful, using curves and colored blocks with curved edges to contain type and photos. Side note: The “t” in “kidnnected” was often pulled out and used as an iconic mascot fondly named, “Ted.”
A quarter-page, 4C newspaper ad that appeared in The New York Times and accompanying direct mail postcard for a large, multi-dwelling housing development, named “Equinox 360,” in the New Jersey Meadowlands, adjacent to Manhattan. This was intended to attract a millennial-aged demographic who were daily commuters into NYC. The ethereal-style photos were retouched to use a metallic sphere that had the round symbol of the Equinox 360 logo, engaged somehow with a person in coordination with the headline. The logo appeared near the photo to enhance the noticeability and recognizability of the metallic sphere in the photo.
In-office posters and brochures for Atlanta-based PT Solutions Physical Therapy, which is a physical therapist-owned, private practice with points of service across the United States. It is known for research-driven treatments to provide relief and restoration to their clients. The pieces all had either the company name or a treatment topic contained within a bold, vertical color-coordinated band, along with accompanying large-format photos. The photos had a ghosted, transparent band that either contained the logo or a subhead.
Federally funded medical literature targeted for low-literacy readers of the following: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, The Effective Health Care Program and The American Cancer Society, done in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. Some of the items included: guides for various medical conditions with accompanying literature for clinicians and pharmacists for treatment of diagnoses; suggestive guides for clinicians on treating low-health literacy patients; clinic posters in English and Spanish that informed patients of how to receive information about their conditions on their mobile devices, and other related materials. All of the materials for low-literacy readers had a “storybook” quality with large photos, colorful icons and large text. The copy was written with simple explanations of the condition and prescribed treatments, whereas materials for clinicians were written with explicit medical and science-based information.
A banner ad storyboard featuring “Phil the Pig,” Synchrony Bank’s marketing mascot, dressed as a superhero. Starting off, Phil was pictured with his cape flapping, along with the headline, “Save like a hero!” He faded away and eight money bills started falling into place to form a pile. At that time, Synchrony Bank’s High Yield Savings rates were 8 times the national average, which was reflected in the pay-off line.
An award-winning, second banner ad storyboard featuring “Phil the Pig”, Synchrony Bank’s marketing mascot. Here Phil was seen wearing a vintage pilot’s outfit, rising through the clouds in a hot air balloon, with trailing banners conveying how many times higher than the national average Synchrony Bank’s rates are on CDs and High Yield Savings products. The clouds faded, leaving sun rays shining on the pay-off messaging.
A third banner ad storyboard featuring “Phil the Pig,” Synchrony Bank’s marketing mascot, dressed as a superhero. Starting off, Phil was seen flying and weaving through a large numeral 8, while the headline, “Save like a hero!” faded in and then out. The 8 reduced in size and fell into place, while eight cash bills began to fall from the top to form a pile, reflecting the higher than national average rate messaging. Phil swooped through for a final appearance, revealing the call-to-action button.
A banner ad storyboard for the purpose of listing the benefits of saving with Synchrony Bank. Featuring “Phil the Pig,” he’s shown as a darkened outline shape along with a lineup of four coins above him. Phil started to glow in neon gold as the messaging began to appear. As each benefit appeared, each coin lighted up in neon, reinforcing each benefit. When the concluding statement of “Count on more at Synchrony Bank.” appeared, the coins started to flash in a row, giving the appearance of a real neon sign.
A banner ad intended for existing customers wanting to add another CD with a high rate to their portfolio. Beginning with a darkened stoplight, as each new message appeared, “Ready. Set. Save.”, the lights changed, as seen in a stoplight, from red to yellow to green. The call-to-action then appeared above the rate.
The first in a series of five banner ads that featured an animated, gradual line drawing. As in the whole series, a gold rule appeared by coming in from the left on a solid background of one of Synchrony Bank’s branding colors. It then created an object. Once the object was rendered, a statement appeared that reflected what had been drawn. In this case it was a growing family. As a conclusion, a little white, animated dog came in from the left, jumped up and wagged his tail, emphasizing the final messaging and rate.
The second in a series of five banner ads that featured an animated, gradual line drawing. As in the whole series, a gold rule appeared by coming in from the left on a solid background of one of Synchrony Bank’s branding colors. It then created an object. Once the object was rendered, a statement appeared that reflected what had been drawn. In this case it was a beach chair with a beach umbrella. As a conclusion, a white, animated beach ball playfully rolled in from the left, and bounced off the beach chair, emphasizing the final messaging and rate.
The third in a series of five banner ads that featured an animated, gradual line drawing. As in the whole series, a gold rule appeared by coming in from the left on a solid background of one of Synchrony Bank’s branding colors. It then created an object. Once the object was rendered, a statement appeared that reflected what had been drawn. In this case it was a new, sporty automobile. As a conclusion, white, animated sparkles appeared, making the new car shine and emphasize the final messaging and rate.
The fourth in a series of five banner ads that featured an animated, gradual line drawing. As in the whole series, a gold rule appeared by coming in from the left on a solid background of one of Synchrony Bank’s branding colors. It then created an object. Once the object was rendered, a statement appeared that reflected what had been drawn. In this case it was a hand holding a mobile device. As a conclusion, a white, animated Wi-Fi symbol appeared and radiated from the phone, emphasizing the final messaging and rate.
The fifth in a series of five banner ads that featured an animated, gradual line drawing. As in the whole series, a gold rule appeared by coming in from the left on a solid background of one of Synchrony Bank’s branding colors. It then created an object. Once the object was rendered, a statement appeared that reflected what had been drawn. In this case it was a sailboat. As a conclusion, white, animated sea birds and waves appeared, emphasizing the final messaging and rate.
A banner ad storyboard promoting the film, “Doctor Strange,” done in collaboration with Marvel Comics for a co-brand with Synchrony Bank. The banner ad linked to a web page microsite (see WEB section) that featured film trailers, promoted saving products, showed videos with saving tips from Bankrate.com, and offered a link to an application for a Synchrony-funded, reward-based Marvel credit card.
A storyboard concept for an animated digital banner ad for 2020 that matches the previously shown print campaign concept (see PRINT section). A still of a figure pictured running and playing with his dog on a beach gradually appears. A two-part headline slides into position, followed by the rate promotion and call-to-action button. A lens flare appears on the horizon at the end as an exclamatory conclusion.
Credit card designs presented to Synchrony Financial’s partner, Walmart, as part of a pitch to retain their relationship. Each of the series of card designs had multiple levels of customer credit, reflected in the color. Some of the cards were intended to be reflective, textured or transparent, depending on the design or level. The cards used Walmart’s “burst” as the main design feature for brand recognition.
ATM and Debit card designs for Synchrony Bank used a plus sign as a design element, reflecting the marketing materials of that time. The branding colors of blue and charcoal designated the difference between the ATM and debit card. The pair in the upper left were the finalists that went into production and distribution.
This billboard appeared on the approach to the Lincoln Tunnel on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. This advertised a large, multi-dwelling housing development, named “Equinox 360,” in the New Jersey Meadowlands, adjacent to Manhattan. The development was intended to attract a millennial-aged demographic who were daily commuters into NYC. The ethereal-style photos used in the matching campaign were retouched to use a metallic sphere that had the round symbol of the Equinox 360 logo, engaged with a group of young people in coordination with the headline. The logo appeared near the photo to enhance the noticeability and recognizability of the metallic sphere in the photo.
A location awareness billboard for one of Synchrony Bank’s brick-and-mortar sites. It used a plus sign that extended beyond the borders of the billboard and a clever headline that told passersby of the bank location. The billboard was positioned on a heavily trafficked intersection of two interstates in central New Jersey.
A wallpaper background that promoted the film, “Doctor Strange,” done in collaboration with Marvel Comics and Rotten Tomatoes for a co-brand with Synchrony Bank. The top was the wallpaper in full design and the bottom had the Rotten Tomatoes site embedded over the wallpaper. A call-to-action button brought the viewer to a web page microsite, pictured below, that featured film trailers, promoted saving products, showed videos with saving tips from Bankrate.com, and offered a link to an application for a Synchrony-funded, reward-based Marvel credit card.
A microsite promoting the film, “Doctor Strange,” done in collaboration with Marvel Comics for a co-brand with Synchrony Bank. A banner ad brought the viewer to this web page microsite (see DIGITAL section) that featured film trailers, promoted saving products, showed videos with saving tips from Bankrate.com, and offered a link to an application for a Synchrony-funded, reward-based Marvel credit card.
Synchrony Bank’s home page web graphics that coordinated with the print campaign for 2018-19. The pages were switched out seasonally, and also displayed a variable current product rate. The lower portion of the page reflected a scenic seasonal photo with interactive icons over the photo, with a headline that reads, “Explore Synchrony Bank.”
A federally funded website and accompanying clinic poster for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Effective Health Care Program and the American Cancer Society, done in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine. The purpose of the site was to inform and educate prostate cancer patients on their diagnosis and treatment choices available for this disease. The use of stylized photos along with quotations helped to ease the viewer’s concerns on the topic and create awareness that there is time, due to the nature of this condition, to make the right decision for what works best for them.
