How do you define Fendou?
Who uses credit card in China? We not only helped issue 10 million cards, but raised their national pride.
The Challenge
When the Industry and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Mastercard teamed up to launch a new credit card called “Fendou”, they knew that getting sign-ups for it was going to be tough because First of all, mobile payments have become ubiquitous in China. Secondly，“Fendou” (or 奋斗 in simplified Chinese) means to fight or strive. It’s a term most people who grew up in China are familiar with because “Fendou” has been instilled in them since childhood.
The Solution
We use “Fendou” as a rallying call for people to keep their eye on the prize. We turned “Fendou” into a sentiment that produced groundswell of positivity.
Fendou: Secret to 10 Million Cards
Our goal was to position the “Fendou” card as a “badge of honour” held by those that know that real gratification is never instant, but always earned. Our strategy was to make our audiences feel part of a community of determined individuals who are focused on their goals, and inspire each other with personal stories of achievement, success and happiness. There are three phases in our campaign. In the first phase, we ignite the enthusiasm by choosing Lang Ping as the spokesperson and produced a short video on Lang Ping’s journey. Secondly, phase, we established connection with consumers by creating micro-film “Happiness struggles out” to illustrate more down-to-earth expressions of “Fendou”. In the last phase, we create phenomenal influence by creating real life micro-film “Goodnight girl” to make topic “Fendou” go viral.
Impact
The campaign touched nearly 700 million people. Within the first three months, 2 million cards were issued, and by the end of the one-year campaign, ICBC and Mastercard had issued 10 million cards as a result, breaking the historic record of the industry in China.