People Are More Than Numbers in Bank's Anti-Dystopian Vision

Meridian channels 1984 (and other numerals, too)

We already live in a dystopian nightmare. So here’s another one, courtesy of Meridian Bank.

It’s all about reducing our daily existence to numbers. So, we get the old Orwellian dehumanizing routine, 40 years past 1984.

Naturally, Meridian’s different. Because banks are all about treating everyone as individuals, and numerals never enter their calculations.

That’s a cynical view, of course. Perhaps for some, it will dilute the impact of an otherwise outstanding short film developed by Elemental and Impossible Studios.

With muted hues and a droning (maddening?) soundtrack plus unsettling camera angles, director Dan French nails the ebb and flow of the not-so-brave new world we inhabit today. In the clip, our dismal existence is exaggerated. But just a bit. It’s still recognizable as 2024, without silly sci-fi distractions.

No names, please. Everyone’s identified by numbers. At one point, a banner reading “Marry me, Account #749332” trails behind a plane.

But it’s a commercial. So, naturally…

…they all bank happily ever after!

“The spot is a metaphor for the impersonal treatment some larger banks have with their customers, as a way to contrast the community spirit that’s central for the regional bank,” Elemental says.

French’s approach certainly excels in that regard. He rocks a strong narrative and sure style that work completely apart from Meridian’s pitch, while also driving home the brand proposition.

It’s just a shame that banks have to keep trying to convince us of their kind intentions.

In fact, dystopian ads are almost a category trope. Meridian follows the lead of Tangerine Bank, which used jumping through hoops as its main metaphor in an impressive campaign last year.