The UAE didn’t just face the Covid-19 pandemic, it also grappled with a cyber pandemic at the same time. Online phishing attacks increased by a whopping 250%, with 600,000 attacks reported in Q2 alone.

Fraudsters preyed on the confusion, doubt and fear among people and posed as banks, airlines offering flight refunds, hospitals looking for extra staff, charities, vendors and suppliers, and more to steal people’s bank account and personal details.

As the leading bank in the region, Emirates NBD decided to take a stand against phishing for not just banks, but every single industry affected by it in the UAE and across the world. How To Grow Rich During The Pandemic aims to not only entertain but educate people about online fraud and how to protect themselves against it.

The film showcases the lavish lifestyle of a man who has grown terribly rich during the pandemic very easily. He has actually written a best-selling book HOW TO GROW RICH DURING THE PANDEMIC. He considers himself to be an artist though, not just a writer. He is a multitalented guy who is a banker one day, and the founder of a charity the next. He talks to us about his inspirations in life, his beliefs and philosophy. He even develops his own vaccine and sells it for just $500 a pop. Driven by ego and led by greed, he believes his book will help his fans prosper easily during any pandemic, but before he could taste literary success, the police nab him for online fraud.

As a bank of the people, Emirates NBD needed to reflect & address the particular nuances of phishing in the age of COVID-19.

The strategy was to highlight phishing scam opportunities relevant to COVID19.

Cut through generic clutter with a unique Tone of Voice.

Extending the awareness approach from the previous year to cover topics beyond 'banking' and moving into a more education driven approach by highlighting additional scams people are exposed to.

The 2.5 minute film was launched across FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, TWITTER and LINKEDIN on February 14, 2021 and is still being shared and talked about. Till now the film has accumulated almost 2 million views, that's 25% of the UAE's population.

Dubai Police also shared it across all their social channels, adding to the film's popularity.

Soon, a unique version of the film will be shared specifically on TikTok.

Till now the film has accumulated almost 2 million views, that's 25% of the UAE's population. All major social platforms, and even Dubai Police have shared it on its pages.