Sapphire has a history of subverting expectations for the category since it burst on the scene in 2016, offering a lucrative signing bonus, super-flexible points, and a premium weight to the card. Competitors have caught up on the functional benefits, so the brand needed to build an emotional reason for people to choose Sapphire.

Instead of focusing on points, upgrades, or financial benefits – we centered on one of the many unique experiential benefits that come with being a Sapphire cardmember: exclusive private dining events. These events are more than high-end meals, they are cultural events with specifically curated details to ensure each experience is authentic, memorable, and meaningful.

The concept demonstrates how it's the little details that make a difference – and that Sapphire carefully curates these details to ensure each experience is truly unique.

Sapphire intentionally curates every detail to deliver premium experiences for its cardmembers. Through this campaign, we highlighted the distinct craft and intention Sapphire applies to these details. In a series of films, Michael B. Jordan introduces us to cultural insiders as he explores and experiences details that intrigue him.

“A Taste of West Africa” uses Nigerian Chef Tolu Eros’ signature Unity Jollof to share the deeply personal, historical, and cultural connections between the people of West Africa and Jollof rice. The signature dish takes inspiration from techniques and flavors of Ghanaian, Nigerian, and Senegalese Jollof, and adds a new perspective to the longstanding “Jollof Wars” debate.

Sapphire partnered with a West African chef and highlighted elevated West African cuisine and culture to create a premium dining experience. Tapping into the real insight around each country’s claim to Jollof helped amplify the dialogue on social authentically joining the existing debate.

Our campaign was designed to attract Experience Maximizers: consumers who seek meaningful and memorable experiences. They’re cultured, curious and thrive in social settings.

When we looked at culture today, we saw traditionally desirable experiences become more democratized. We’re inspired by the same shows (like White Lotus), viral videos and “best of” lists—and it’s never been easier to experience these things using credit card points and rewards. This convergence on the same restaurants, travel destinations and cultural events has flooded these historically desired experiences, making them less remarkable than they’ve ever been for an audience that covets uniqueness.

We learned that getting priority access to something desirable isn’t hard—but experiencing something truly unique is.

Our idea demonstrates how Sapphire’s insider perspective empowers cardmembers to unlock interesting and important details that make experiences more unique, memorable and meaningful.

Like planning any dinner party, the casting process was intense and intentional. We didn’t have a script so we needed to ensure authentic conversation, despite the talent not knowing each other. First and foremost, we focused on casting West Africans who could provide rich personal perspectives. We also looked for people who already had a presence within culture, including an ESPN Analyst, former NBA player, notable musicians and actors. This helped strengthen the cultural resonance of the film.

The casting of Chef Eros was also thoughtful. His cooking provides a modern twist on traditional Nigerian cuisine. His signature dish, Unity Jollof, takes inspiration from the three West African countries at the heart of the debate.

The film is anchored by Michael B Jordan, who’s the perfect partner to convey the message of unity given his popularity in culture, his natural curiosity, and his oeuvre focused on Black empowerment and excellence.

Within just the first week, “A Taste of West Africa,” earned 8M+ total Reach across earned Social and Press mentions. Coverage from culinary and lifestyle publications—like Complex, OkayAfrica, CuisineNoir—brought the conversation into the cultural zeitgeist, with headlines amplifying and championing Unity Jollof.

The film is the Sapphire brand’s top engaged video this year, driving total views at +477K% above benchmark and reach at nearly 10x. The long-form video resonated with and drove conversation among consumers, with an engagement rate nearly 2x higher than Sapphire’s average, demonstrating the impact of a brand offering unique experiences and telling enriching, authentic stories. As one user put it, “This was perfectly executed, bravo Chase 💫”

The campaign is estimated to have over 315M total impressions in 2024.

Sources:

Sprinklr Reporting Data for @ChaseSapphire on Instagram; Date Range: 4/8/2024 - 4/12/2024.

NetBase-Quid Social Listening. Date Range: 4/8/2024 - 4/12/2024.