CSOB - CHAMELEON

The biggest project in my life? Rebranding CSOB, one of the market's top banks. Since 2020, I've been part of a team crafting fun campaigns in our reptile universe. We pitched the idea, sold it to the board, and keep making reptilian tales—as often as our budget permits.

Creating an effective brand asset

Leon the chameleon: a hardworking brand asset. In recent tracking, our mascot outperformed the logo for CSOB recognition. The concept's commercial value? Six EFFIE awards in three years.

If picture is worth a thousand words, a metaphor is worth a thousand pictures

We chose metaphor as our creative engine. Take DuoProfit, a combo of savings and investment accounts. Savings accounts? Boring and safe, with minimal customization. But pair it with investments, and you can do whatever you want with your money. For our dog-loving Czech customers, what better way to showcase this than financial pet training?

We had AI before it was cool

CSOB developed Kate, their AI assistant, well before ChatGPT took over. Kate's in the bank app, ready for every smartphone user. An assistant that answers questions and handles requests? Cool. Add voice control, and you've got a 24/7 helper. For most Czechs, this level of service is usually a vacation-only luxury.

Using technology is natural for us

How would aliens see us? Our chameleon, though not a space invader, could be similar observer. After years of Smart app promo, we ditched the feature lists. Our aim? Show that managing your life (including finances) via mobile phone isn't innovative—it's natural. We tapped into Attenborough's A Life on Our Planet success, 'borrowing' his narration style to grab attention.

Don’t fix what’s not broken… okay maybe sometime do

From day one, our reptile was the brand. He explained everything, but hit an emotional ceiling. Time for change. First, we shifted positioning. CSOB's advantage? A one-stop finance shop. But competitors caught up due to overall market consolidation. We pivoted from focus on products benefits to focusing on our overall customer oriented approach.

The best bank for the average Czech customer? One you don't notice. Frictionless. We aimed higher: proactive solutions became our North Star. After bank products portfolio adjusting, we were ready to spread the word. Communication evolved too. Product-oriented benefits out, people-oriented benefits in. We'd rationally prove our proactivity pledge later with following product based campaigns. Now we had an opportunity to show how the world would look if everyone shared the same life perspective as we do, trying to meet each other halfway.