The Duty Fee Shop worked because it allowed ATM users to turn a loss into an unexpected gain. Frustrating fees that had become part of daily life could now be exchanged for items of modest, but very real value—items that the average person craves on a daily basis.

These unexpected treats were the perfect jumping off point for face-to-face encounters with Oriental representatives, creating the necessary goodwill for the bank’s message to be heard and acted upon.

The stores also communicated Oriental’s “unbanky” positioning: clever, unpretentious, and pro-consumer.

4 stores popped up in major shopping centers, reaching an average of 30,000 people every day. The Duty Fee Shop gained immediate coverage and word of mouth took over the island, generating more than 1.8 million non-paid media impressions. We more than doubled our goal of 2,000 new accounts during the first month, achieving a total of 4,975 new accounts, adding up to 5 million dollars in deposits (626% ROI). The quirky and unexpected nature of the effort also contributed to a 28% increase in Twitter followers and a 38% increase in Facebook fans.