Will Power? HSBC and David Buenos Aires Battle Cybercrime

The way things are going, you could wind up with nothing to leave behind.

This sad state of affairs becomes clear as a reading of the will plays out in droll, unsettling fashion to warn viewers about the costly implications of cybercrime.

Instead of loved ones gaining assets, shady entities like FreeOnlineMovies and CryptoGuru (plus public network Airport_Guest) add the dearly departed’s usernames, banking passwords, browsing history and cash.

Of course, it’s all metaphorical. The “beneficiaries” in the room represent various miscreant types, and the bequests illustrate valuable stuff that victims stand to lose. David Buenos Aires developed the campaign for financial services giant HSBC.

Best bits: The lawyer reads a string of phone numbers—all of which belong to the same perp, who aw-shucks explains that he employs different SIM cards to run his scams. And the ladies from SinglesLookingToMingle wind up with camera and microphone access. (One of the other baddies says he’s a “huge fan” of their work.)

Such broad farce, served up here in understated tones, might resonate with the audience better than scare tactics. It delivers the same message as HSBC’s bank heist epic from 2023, but without the potentially triggering imagery.

“With our previous campaign, we learned that cybercrime evolves constantly and is a problem that needs to be addressed, not only in Argentina but worldwide,” says David CCO Nicolás Vara. “It is a very serious issue that affects the lives of millions of people, and we strongly believe it must be part of the public agenda.”

Indeed, per HSBC, Argentina suffered 1.2 million attempted cyber-attacks last year, with folks tricked into sharing confidential data and spending money for absolutely no return. That problem’s expected to worsen in 2024.

“Humor is a good way to massively introduce a problem, which is often addressed technically and distantly, generating a lack of interest in the public,” says Ignacio Flotta, also an agency CCO.

Directed in slick TV-movie style by Augusto Gimenez Zapiola and Ale Rey, the initiative breaks across cable, cinemas and digital channels next week.

CREDITS

David Buenos Aires
Campaign: Succession
Client: HSBC Argentina
Partner & Global CCO: Pancho Cassis
Global COO: Sylvia Panico
CCO: Nicolas Vara, Ignacio Flotta
Head of Production: Jimena Oliva
Regional MD: Emanuel Abeijon
Head of Account: Justina Lioy Lupis
Account Director: Sofía Perticaro
Global PR Director: Sandra Azedo

Client Approval: María Julia Lois, Maximiliano Pais, Verónica Groppa

Production Company: argentinacine
Director: Augusto Gimenez Zapiola & Ale Rey
General Producer: Nano Tidone
Executive Producer: Sandra Sbarra & Diego Gonzalez
Producer: German Escande
Director of Photography: Leandro Filloy
Art Director: Vera Español
Costume Designer: Abril Bellati
AD: Pitu Petrucci
Post production Coordinator: Aldo Ferrari, Miranda Schwartz
Editor: Joaquin Pellarollo
Music Production: Bigote