Hasta La Creative!

With “If I Only Had a Heart” from The Wizard of Oz serving as an ironic soundtrack, New York agency DeVito/Verdi and bi-coastal/Cape Town-based production company Backyard introduce us to a handful of heartless bankers who can’t help but show off their Broadway chops for NEFCU.

In case you didn’t know, NEFCU is a Northeastern credit union aiming to distinguish itself from proper banks with a dose of theatricality caricaturing the archetypal greedy finance guy.

Regarding the spot, DeVito/Verdi creative director Wayne Winfield says:

“There is power in clichés and stereotypes. Initially, we were looking for variations of the smug, silver-haired, well-fed banker (in other words, someone who looked as if he didn’t have a heart). Then, of course, there was the issue of being able to sing and dance. It was something of a fine line: We didn’t want polished performers, but at the same time they had be able to carry a tune and move in a way that looked natural and elicited a smile.”

We’d be glad to make the extra effort if a trip to the bank were this entertaining.

Agency: DeVito/Verdi

Creative Director: Wayne Winfield

Agency Producer: Karen Tomlin

Account Supervisor: Andy Brief

Vice President of Marketing & Community Relations: Valerie Garguilo

Senior Marketing Coordinator: Trish Graffingino

Production Company: Backyard

Director: Greg Bell

Director of Photography: Kris Kachikis

President/Partner: Blair Stribley

Managing Director/Partner: Chris Zander

VP/Executive Producer: Kris Mathur

Head of Production: Emily Malito

Line Producer: Candace Tomarken

Production Designer: Justin Trask

Editorial: PS 260

Managing Partner: Zarina Mak

Lead Editor: Dustin Stephens

Music Production: Duotone Audio Group

Executive Producer: David Leinheardt

Producer: Lissa Farquhar

Creative Director/Composer: Brian Deming

Composer: Brad Fischer

Music Supervisor: Karen Miller, The Albert Company