Built Here, For Here

One of the biggest differentiators between Wintrust and larger, out-of-town competitors is it focuses solely on the Chicagoland area. While other banks try to service the entire country or globe, it makes an effort to truly understand the needs of the communities located here.

So, when my team was tasked with developing a series of brand defining television commercials, I felt it was critical to highlight ourselves in a way that only a company built for here can. Anyone with a Getty account can download helicopter shots of Chicago’s skyline. To visually distinguish ourselves, we sourced freelance street photographers from social media to ensure our imagery came from the perspective of someone who really knows what it’s like to live here.

We also needed to find a voice to match. Chicago is a hardworking city. It was important we find someone who truly embodied that feeling. On my way into the office one day, I listened to a podcast interview with Malcolm London, a Chicago-born poet, musician, and activist. His voice was a great fit for the tone these spots sought to achieve.

The scripts and photo/video editing were then done collaboratively. Ultimately, we created three spots entirely in-house that really incapsulated the brand elevating positioning we we were looking for. “We’re built here, for here. Can your bank say the same?”