Ad of the Day: Comparison is the thief of joy in Scotiabank’s uplifting spot

The short film follows a range of characters who are each connected by a feeling of wanting something another person has, be it a car, fancy food or a first-class plane ride. Ultimately, the ad comes full circle to remind the viewer that “there’s more to life than more.”

“Our research shows us that Canadians are spending a record amount of time worrying about their finances, from paying for day-to-day expenses to paying off debt and saving for emergencies,” said John Rocco, vice-president, global brand management at Scotiabank.

”Our relationship with money is highly emotional. In the current economic environment, the future may feel daunting to some and that’s why we’ve evolved our ’You’re Richer Than You Think’ platform to more accurately reflect the behavior we’re seeing across Canada and to show how Scotiabank can be there when our clients need us. We believe our responsibility as a bank is to give our clients the financial confidence, advice and tools they need to navigate their personal financial situations – whatever those may be.”

Throughout the year, the ad will be shown in cinemas in Canada, online and on TV.

“The interconnected nature of the film – with each scene leading to the next and the next and the next – presented some tricky technical challenges, particularly because we decided very early on not to lean on any camera tricks like a whip pan to preserve the single, compelling story,” added Brendon Scullion, creative director at Rethink.

“There’s a language to the camera work that is incredibly subtle but powerful,” said Max Bingham, creative director at Rethink. “Our amazing director, Ian Schwartz, and the director of photography used a consistent zoom throughout the spot to create that feeling of being on the outside and always trying to catch up – with the cinematography complementing the intention of the story.”

• How Rethink created a dystopian nightmare for Canadian bank Tangerine