In 2021, Italy remained in the throes of a pandemic and in a semi-lockdown scenario, with deserted towns and shopkeepers in crisis. American Express experienced a decline in the use of its services by regular customers, such as hotels, tourist facilities and consumer and business clients. American Express wanted to develop a creative integrated communication project to revitalize its relationship with small merchants and consumer clients during an emotional time of economic hardship. In addition to the need to consolidate the relationship with small merchants, customers and consumers, American Express also sought to evolve its reputation to new customer groups, both among merchants and consumers.

In a scenario where cities were empty because of the lack of tourists and visitors, there were few customers for merchants and citizens were limited in their movements, we wanted to give a new identity to Italian cities’ districts, turning them in tourist areas for their own residents, inviting them to rediscover places and shops through the support of international tourist guide Lonely Planet. To encourage people to go back out and buy from small shops, American Express partnered with Lonely Planet Magazine to create a series of guides that promoted the hidden neighborhoods in Milan, Rome, Florence and Naples, inspiring people to become tourists in their own cities.

Insight: Local studies showed that few Italians know their district well and the limitations of movement related to the lockdown represented an excellent opportunity to explore their own backyards.

Key Message: Encourage people to go back out and buy from small shops, inspiring people to become tourists in their own cities.

Target Audience (Consumer demographic/individuals/organizations) Middle-Class Consumers (potential new clients); Card Members (current clients); Small Merchants (current partners and potential ones); Local Institutions

Creation & distribution of assets: We created six local district guides in four cities – Milan, Rome, Naples and Florence – for local residents in collaboration with Lonely Planet. These Guides were distributed through local small shops and were available online on the Amex website.

After announcing the project, highlighting its main goals (celebrating district life to promote the strategic role of neighborhoods and relaunch social and cultural vitality and support local shops), we created the 6 district guides that were promoted through national and local media relations and presented in local press conferences with the mayors of the cities involved in the initiative. A great support in terms of promotion and visibility also came from social activities on Amex social profiles and on the ones of its partners, merchants, communities and districts, that together with local influencers, made the initiative go viral and generated very positive word of mouth.

June - July: Phase 1 - Rome & Milan Guides, incl. traditional & social media, influencer outreach and partnership with mayors

October - November: Phase 2 - Florence & Naples Guides, incl. traditional & social media, influencer outreach and partnership with mayors

The visibility of both the campaign and the broader Amex brand was wide and differentiated: more than 300 articles were published on business, current affairs, lifestyle, local, tourism media, TVs and Radios, obtaining around 50,000,000 in potential reach between consumers and businesses. Social reached 290,000,000 people on Instagram and 380,000 people on Facebook, with 1,600,000 total impressions. The perception toward the initiative was very positive, with the Company now perceived as an organization (and not just as a credit card) closer to people and more rooted in the territory. The reference business target of Amex was also extended. Many mayors, citizens and merchants contacted Amex to ask to replicate the same project in their own cities and districts. The project contributed to see Amex no more just as a business card or a card for high spending customers, but as a service for all.

The small guides allowed Amex to satisfy small merchants already customers of the Group, with those that were inserted in the guides confirmed to have registered an increase in sales. A good percentage of small shops that were not currently customers of American Express asked to become clients both because they admired this project and to be included in other similar initiatives.