iShares ETF: Eleanor T. Fitzsimmons
iShares needed to broaden investors' perception of ETFs beyond basic functions. The objective was to highlight the diverse applications and greater potential of iShares ETFs to a target audience of investors seeking new portfolio perspectives.
Creative Idea
The campaign used an exaggerated child prodigy's biography to illustrate ETF versatility.
This campaign used the exaggerated biography of a prodigy, Eleanor T. Fitzsimmons, to humorously illustrate that iShares ETFs, like Eleanor, possess unexpected and greater capabilities than commonly perceived, challenging investor assumptions.
The Prodigy With A Hidden Acronym
A $6 Billion Masterclass in B2B Storytelling
While financial services marketing is often dismissed as dry, this campaign shattered industry benchmarks by driving $6 billion USD in Net New Business for BlackRock. The cinematic approach, typically reserved for lifestyle brands like Apple, successfully shifted the narrative of ETFs from a "commodity" to a "versatility play." The impact was profound among professionals, with 80% of financial advisors reporting they were persuaded to use iShares more frequently, while overall brand consideration spiked by +120%.
Directing via Live Stream from Belgrade
The production serves as a landmark case study for pandemic-era filmmaking. Filmed in Belgrade, Serbia in August 2020, the shoot utilized a "hybrid" video village. While Director Isaiah Seret and DP Rina Yang were physically on-site, the DDB San Francisco creative team and BlackRock executives directed the entire process remotely via a high-definition live stream. To ensure safety, the script was strategically designed around a single character - the "precocious prodigy" Eleanor - which allowed for natural social distancing without compromising the narrative's scale.
The ETF Easter Egg
The character's name, Eleanor T. Fitzsimmons, was a deliberate "hidden in plain sight" reference to the ETF acronym. To mirror the multi-functional nature of the financial products, the production team depicted Eleanor mastering five distinct, complex disciplines: pastry chef, artist, chess master, scientist, and gymnast. This creative parallel was designed to prove the strategic brief's core insight: "If people wrote off ETFs as one-trick ponies, we had to surprise them with just how many tricks they could actually do."
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
iShares, as a leading ETF provider, had the credibility to challenge perceptions about investment products and their potential.
Category
The financial category often presents ETFs as simple, passive investment tools, limiting investor perception of their full utility.
Customer
Investors often underestimate the versatility and potential of ETFs, seeking new perspectives on portfolio management and usage.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for prodigies and unexpected achievements provided a relatable and engaging narrative framework for the message.
Company
iShares, as a leading ETF provider, had the credibility to challenge perceptions about investment products and their potential.
Category
The financial category often presents ETFs as simple, passive investment tools, limiting investor perception of their full utility.
Strategy:
Challenge investor assumptions about product capabilities by demonstrating unexpected potential through relatable narratives.
Customer
Investors often underestimate the versatility and potential of ETFs, seeking new perspectives on portfolio management and usage.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for prodigies and unexpected achievements provided a relatable and engaging narrative framework for the message.
Strategy:
Challenge investor assumptions about product capabilities by demonstrating unexpected potential through relatable narratives.
Strategy Technique
Exaggerate to Reveal the Truth
By comically exaggerating Eleanor's precocious achievements, the campaign highlights the often-underestimated versatility of iShares ETFs. This dramatic overstatement effectively reveals a deeper truth about the product's capabilities.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Story-Driven Campaign
The campaign narrates the incredible, exaggerated achievements of a fictional child prodigy, Eleanor. This engaging storytelling technique captivates the audience while subtly conveying the brand's message.
Explore Technique
