Background and Context:

Filipinos place greater trust in banks over e-wallets. Consequently, they prefer to store most of their money in banks. But banks also suck with poor mobile banking experiences. Recognizing this, Maya combined the trust of banks with the convenience of e-wallets so that it can come out on top as a more profitable and well-loved digital bank.

Targeting Gen Z was essential as the young adults of the generation are the driving force behind adopting new technologies and shaping cultural trends. Millennials taught us Facebook and GCash, while Gen Z taught us TikTok. We wanted them to teach everyone else to use Maya.

Creative Challenge:

Problem was, Gen Zs were disinterested in banking, particularly its culture. Philippine banks equate money with control. And while some digital banks used Gen Z lingo and imagery to appeal to the youth, they carried over this traditional culture. Consumer discussions revealed that they saw digital banking as boring and tedious despite the trendy language and visuals. We realized a cosmetic upgrade was not enough. We needed to launch with a fresh POV on money.

From our research and discussions with Gen Zs, we found that the culture of money has evolved. If previous generations saw money as a means for stability and control, for Gen Z, money represents freedom - to live life on their own terms and be who they want to be.

Solution:

Maya, the new All-in-One money app, breaks old money rules to become not just another bank, but an icon of financial freedom for Gen Z

Execution:

The idea was all about inspiring young people with a sense of freedom that came from within, through a brand experience that they could discover and experience on their own terms. So, we disguised ourselves as a hit song before revealing that we were actually a bank! We partnered with the Kendrick Lamar of the Philippines, Shanti Dope, to write a song named “Maya” that emphasized the hustle and ingenuity of the youth, fueling their financial freedom. It compared the Filipino hustle to the determined flight of a Maya bird, free to do whatever it chooses to achieve. The single was teased through graffiti expressions of its lyrics all over Metro Manila, and also promoted by Universal Records. The app was gamified for the launch. The music video served as the platform for the Maya Hidden Cash Codes Promotion - a game that allowed users to hunt for coded easter eggs in the music video, which could be converted to Bitcoin in the gamified app.

Soon after, the bank behind the song was revealed as it gained millions of streams and a spot in the top trending music videos on YouTube. To further increase engagement, we leveraged TikTok to challenge users to dance and rap to the song’s music.