Recap
The FCS completed a six-event parlay during the month of June with a Cocktails with Content reception featuring Reanna Gross, VP and Head of OnBrand, the in-house creative agency at American Express.
The June 25 event at the New York Yacht Club spotlighted Amex’s “15 Stories” campaign which won the B2B Best in Show at the FCS Portfolio Awards in May.
Interviewed by FCS Board Director Katherine Divney, Dotdash Meredith’s CRO – Finance, Reanna touched on OnBrand’s origins, how Amex is navigating the changing media landscape, and the backstory to the development, execution and results of the “15 Stories” campaign.
Brand Consistency is Key
To generate the most success from campaign to campaign, brands have to find a method of staying in customers’ minds, ideally for as long as possible. For American Express, this method has proven to be brand consistency.
According to Reanna, brand consistency is what has allowed American Express to simultaneously innovate while staying true to the trust, service and security customers have relied on for over 175 years. Once the card of choice for young professionals, American Express has expanded into a suite of lifestyle offerings, dynamic products, and unique experiences that retain legacy customers and reach new audiences.
From Idea Kernel to Amex’s Creative Partner of Choice
Managing a brand as expansive as American Express can be challenging for marketers juggling multiple campaigns and content initiatives. That’s where OnBrand comes in. Originally conceived as a kernel of an idea, OnBrand has grown into an in-house creative agency that supports marketers across all business units. Today, it serves as American Express’ go-to creative partner, with offices in Atlanta and New York City
OnBrand is guided by three core goals. First, to deliver creative excellence by producing high-quality work that drives engagement and leads. Second, to find the connection point in a complex matrix organization like American Express, aligning channels, customer segments, and marketers to build cohesive, impactful campaigns. And third, to uphold efficiency and value: ensuring everything OnBrand does helps protect, modernize, and steward the American Express brand.
Know Thy Customer
The media landscape is rapidly evolving, making it a challenge for any brand to develop campaigns that stay up to date with their audiences. For OnBrand, this means conducting extensive research on insights and trends to determine where customers are, especially where they are getting their content from. One opportunity American Express has seized is marketing the benefits of its customer care team, redirecting customers from looking to YouTube or TikTok for answering questions about the wide array of products and services the brand offers.
“15 Stories”
The award-winning campaign “15 Stories” started as a way for American Express to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Small Business Saturday and drive foot traffic and business to small businesses.
The campaign consisted of 15 stories from small business owners that American Express has helped through the Small Business Saturday movement. OnBrand sourced these business owners from across the country, conducting interviews, organizing editorial shoots, and gathering testimonials to showcase how they have grown over the years. The key was finding the emotional and authentic components that would resonate with audiences and showcasing how American Express is making a difference in communities across the country.
Achieving success with the campaign required smart strategic thinking. Reanna lists A/B testing as a measurement method OnBrand employed often during the campaign, using results to discover new insights and fine tune content and processes. In the end, “15 Stories” generated over 100 million media impressions, but its most meaningful impact can be seen in the increased foot traffic small businesses and the communities they are located in.
In gratitude to Reanna, the FCS donated $1,000 to the children’s charity of her choice: Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose mission is to “provide essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare.”
— reported by Juliet McAlee, FCS Admin/Comms Coordinator
Ticket sales are now closed. Please contact Juliet McAlee, FCS Administrative & Communications Coordinator, at [email protected] for inquiries.
On June 25, the FCS will stage a Cocktails with Content reception at the New York Yacht Club, spotlighting the winner of the B2B Best in Show trophy at this year’s FCS Portfolio Gala: American Express.
Amex was honored for its “15 Stories” campaign, launched to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Small Business Saturday on November 30, 2024. Developed by Amex’s internal agency, OnBrand, in collaboration with Taylor Made Agency, the integrated campaign spotlights 15 small business owners from across the country, sharing their stories and the power of community support.
Our guest speaker will be Reanna Gross, Vice President, Head of OnBrand, the in-house creative center of excellence for American Express. Reanna will be interviewed by FCS Board Director Katherine Divney, Chief Revenue Officer – Finance at Dotdash Meredith.
We invite you to join us for this “summer social” — a great event to connect with new and old friends — and to learn about one of the most storied marketing successes in our industry.
