Pulse
The need
Pulse is a debit card services company challenged with going up against big, well-established competitors like Mastercard and Visa who dominate the credit and debit world and are trusted by banks. Pulse needed a way to differentiate its benefits in a compelling way that stacks up against large, well-established and entrenched competitors.
The thinking
To create a persona and craft a message platform with our visuals and copy, we chose to hyper-highlight the main benefit, which was more flexibility and simplicity than the big competitors. We realized what set them apart was straight-forward contracts with no crazy terms and conditions, reasonable fees and the same level of protection as the big guys. We highlighted the straightforward, know-what-you-get relationship that Pulse could offer and appealed to small banks and businesses, who know more than anyone that every penny counts.
The idea
No matter if it was a brochure, direct mailer or animation, we chose to use clever but plain-spoken, progressive, and engaging language to create a more human, more accessible and friendly voice. This drew attention to the advantage Pulse offers over the other major players in the marketplace. We kept things small and simple but highlighted their high security—such as the new (at the time) chip security debit cards. We enticed people that it was simple and cost-effective to make the switch and still gave customers the security they craved.
Chip Cards
A Tale of Two Banks
