With the films demonstrating Absa’s proficient use of social media, the brand is now exploring this channel further in an effort to reach a younger target audience. This is not only evident in its recent ReadytoWork and MegaU campaigns, but also in The Pensioners, which pursues the bank’s new light-hearted communication approach.
Entertaining with a fun script, whimsical voiceover and visuals that promise to leave viewers smiling from ear to ear, The Pensioners highlights three Barclays Nairobi retirees who, instead of putting their feet up, are still actively contributing to society.
John Bonzo, a retired Barclays Kenya telephone exchange operator, Ann Mwai, a retired Barclays Kenya secretary and Dave Mwangi, a retired Barclays Kenya project manager, continue to do meaningful work in their communities, ensuring their legacies live on long after they have retired.
“This is Prosper as viewers have never seen it before,” says Colleen Jackson, GM: Brand at Barclays Africa. “The Pensioners is quirky and somewhat retro in style and reflects our 2016 Prosper film strategy of creating content that is different to other films, that appeals to fresh new audiences and that elicits different emotional responses. It’s a delight, but you have to see it for yourself.”
Like The girl who rewrote her future and Building a better life, The Pensioners is aligned to the bank’s shared growth commitment. Through shared growth, Absa endeavours to grow the communities in which it operates, while growing its business as well. The key focus areas are those that will hopefully alleviate some of the most pressing societal challenges our continent faces, including education and skills, enterprise development and financial inclusion.
Fuelled by its Prosper philosophy, Absa launched a series of compelling films in 2014, authentic and honest in their narrative, depicting the power of people to realise their dreams and prosper – when enabled by partners, such as Absa and Barclays Africa, with the means to make this happen. In just over two years, there have been over four million views of 11 films.
These heart-warming stories of real people’s lives struck a chord with the public: more than 732,566 views of 10-year-old Afiya’s story alone, followed by 444,706 and 418,718 views respectively of the uplifting personal stories of Gaynor Young and English Premier League player, Victor Wanyama.
Since being posted on 19 July 2016, the remarkable story of Sinanziwe Ndlovu, The girl who rewrote her future, has already garnered more than 785,921 views while the inspiring story of single mom, Deliwe Tibane, has netted 818,155 views since the beginning of July 2016.
The films have resonated with people from across the African continent with online users as far afield as Botswana, Ghana, Zambia and Kenya responding to the pieces.
“The content is real; it is unscripted and undirected. Every film is a beautifully crafted true story that brings our Prosper ideology to life. The films are not about our products – they are simply aspirational stories that we can all relate to in some way,” concludes Jackson.
Watch The Pensioners below:
