VICIOUS CIRCLE

Short List
TitleVICIOUS CIRCLE
BrandHSBC UK
Product/ServiceHSBC
Category A05. Consumer Services / Business to Business
Entrant WUNDERMAN THOMPSON London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation WUNDERMAN THOMPSON London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement PHD London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production KNUCKLEHEAD London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name Company Position
Steve Aldrige Wunderman Thompson UK Chief Creative Officer
Mike Watson Wunderman Thompson UK Creative Director
James Humphreys Wunderman Thompson UK Creative
Craig Hunt Wunderman Thompson UK Creative
Claire Chislett Wunderman Thompson UK Business Director
Luke Thornton Wunderman Thompson UK Account Director
Olivia Taylor Wunderman Thompson UK Account Manager
Omar El-Gammal Wunderman Thompson UK Strategy Director
Eleanor Metcalf Wunderman Thompson UK Strategists
Tom Lawrence Wunderman Thompson UK Producer
Graham Channon Wunderman Thompson UK Designer
Bryan Riddle Wunderman Thompson UK Designer
Sonny Botero Wunderman Thompson UK Agency Producer
Max Cain Wunderman Thompson UK Account Manager
Yoshi Okubo Wunderman Thompson UK Designer
David Howard Wunderman Thompson UK Designer

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

We dramatised the repetitive struggles the homelessness face when they can’t access the financial system. We used the largest revolving stage in the UK to do so. On it, we placed a central homeless character who bounces between the minimalist set pieces of an estate agent, a bank teller, and an interview panel repeatedly as she tries to escape her situation. With each rotation, her performance becomes increasingly distressed as an emotionless voice narrates the cycle of financial exclusion: "No home? No address. No address? No bank account. No bank account? No job. No job? No home." Emphasising the bureaucratic roadblocks that continuously prevent the narrative from changing. A repetitive audio track (which begins skipping towards the end) and the stark look and feel of the

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Brand perception studies showed that people strongly associated HSBC with being global and with wealth management. In short, they perceived HSBC as a bank for wealthy foreigners. At the same time, our research told us that our target audience strongly values creating greater social inclusion. The disconnect between these two things formed the basis of our approach. We needed to find a way to reframe HSBC UK’s perceived internationalism. Making it less about geography and more about the values of a worldly, open, and connected Britain. To do this, we started with one of the most vulnerable and overlooked groups in the country at the moment – the homeless. Demonstrating through the No Fixed Address Service that HSBC UK is committed to creating opportunity for everyone in the country regardless of their gender, sexuality, place of birth, social class, employment status, physical capability, or living situation.