Citi wanted to #MakeTheMomentCount by implementing the Citi Thank You Card as a gateway to doing good — and looking cool in the process. Citi provided easy steps to making a collective difference by encouraging cardmembers to use their voice in a place they were already living - online.

This included a call to engage thousands of global citizens with a simultaneous social blast, via social-media platform Thunderclap, to create a tidal wave of voices sharing a Citi-branded message that drove awareness of the UN’s Global Goals.

To enhance this message editorially, Citi bought media and created a branded photo gallery with RollingStone.com featuring Ed Sheeran’s experience at the festival.

On-site, Citi Thank You was further personified by an exclusive lounge that offered cardmembers premium food and beverage, and an on-stage moment with Stephen Bird, Citi’s CEO of Global Consumer Banking, who shared Citi’s Thunderclap message live during the program.

Upon arrival, VIP guests were greeted by a statement wall that featured Citi ThankYou and Global Citizen Festival branding. Citi ThankYou branding was featured throughout the festival grounds. New York City-based artist Laura Loving created custom branding to stand out from other partner signage. The VIP tent featured indoor and outdoor seating, food and open bars for guests to enjoy.

Tablet magicians surprised and delighted guests with a unique experience that integrated Citi ThankYou branding and product education into the backstage VIP area. The magicians developed 5 custom tricks that engaged attendees and showcased Citi ThankYou card benefits in an entertaining and unexpected way.

The Thunderclap social media blast was captured as part of MSNBC’s live broadcast and YouTube’s live stream, when Citi CEO Stephen Bird appeared on stage and lit up Central Park with the message: "Support the #GlobalGoals and help end extreme poverty by 2030!"

- 60,000 Attendees with speeches from dignitaries and celebrities

- 1M impressions on Twitter, reaching over 500K accounts

- Hashtags with 10M impressions

- Festival posts with #CitiThankYou reached over 7 million users from September 14 – October 7, 2015

- Thunderclap Blast had social reach of over 1.3 million users

- 39k views of Citi Splash Page

- Citi donated 1 Million ThankYou points

- 100,000 point donations from cardmembers

Now in its fourth year, the Global Citizen Festival made it cool to care about the world with the help of world leaders and global entertainers. The event created culturally relevant content by providing “global citizens” free access to a marquee music festival simply by performing a good deed. Citi, as the festival’s largest corporate partner, was able to bring activism, philanthropy and unprecedented layers of access to the 2015 festival. Its Citi Thank You card was featured to bring its unique cardmember benefits to life.

A 360-degree program was developed to amplify Citi's partnership and engage cardmembers and Global Citizens pre, during and post-event. In addition, a ThankYou Point Worthy Donation Program ran from August 6 - September 16, 2015.

A partnership with Thunderclap drove awareness of the UN’s Global Goals, promoted the #CitiThankYou hashtag and positioned Citi as being on the cutting-edge of the world’s first “crowdspeaking” platform, utilizing its ability to schedule and post simultaneous messages that drive social change. An integrated partnership with Rolling Stone brought the broader message and experience to music fans.

Objectives:

Citi wanted to build on its existing partnership with Global Citizen Festival by incentivizing community service on a worldwide scale, in support of the Global Goals to End World Poverty by 2030.

The 2015 Global Citizen Festival coincided with the launch of the UN Global Goals, which were designed to help fight inequality, protect the planet and end extreme poverty by 2030.

Through its Progress Makers platform, Citi enables change around the world. Supporting the Global Goals was a natural extension of their mission.

Citi’s primary objectives were to:

- Deliver exclusive benefits to cardmembers

- Align the brand with an important cause

- Gain visibility and equity via charitable donation

- Educate attendees about the benefits of the Citi ThankYou card

- Drive social action and awareness of the Global Goals