09/16/2019

New ‘Made Ready’ Brand Platform Highlights Citizens Bank Commitment to Enabling Every Unique Journey

Partnership with Eclectic Artist and Musician Questlove To Underscore Power of Being Ready for What’s Next

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Citizens Bank today launched its new brand platform, “Made Ready,” which recognizes that while lifestyles and work alike become increasingly more complex and dynamic, the company remains well positioned to continue its commitment to helping customers, colleagues, communities, and shareholders be prepared for their own unique journeys.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190916005503/en/

“The way our customers live their lives and define success has changed, and the relatively straight path they used to travel has become more like climbing a jungle gym,” said Beth Johnson, chief marketing officer at Citizens Bank. “Our Made Ready platform highlights how we celebrate and support the steps that make every journey unique.”

“Made Ready” underscores how Citizens is linking action and purpose by helping customers and clients reach their potential through convenient, simple and personalized offerings that enable their own distinctive experiences.

The platform launched today across a range of mass media including television, online, social media, radio, podcasts and streaming providers such as Spotify, as well as distinct regional advertising and sponsored local events. Outdoor advertising will appear at major transit hubs within Citizen’s local footprint, such as Boston’s South and Back Bay Stations, and Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station.

Added Johnson: “This platform is all about taking the best of Citizens – the trust we’ve established, the relationships we’ve built, and the community roots we’ve grown – and marrying it with personalized insights powered by our advanced data and analytics that help put us in a position to help people in every step of their journey.”

“Made Ready” for Music launch brings the platform to life

One individual who embodies the spirit of “Made Ready” is Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, an eclectic artist who has built a multidimensional career around his unique interests and non-linear journey. He’s partnering with Citizens to create an original song by The Roots to bring the spirit of the “Made Ready” brand platform to life. Questlove will debut it at Made Ready for Music presented by Citizens Bank, an exclusive live event at his alma mater, the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts on September 27th.

"Made Ready speaks to me because I think I'm the living embodiment of it. I'm a person who has walked a path of preparation, education and knowledge," said Questlove. "I utilized these talents, these gifts and this education to bring me to the place where I am now in my life."

The performance will be recorded by audience members with smart glasses styled to match Questlove’s signature eyewear. The footage, along with crowdsourced video that will be solicited in a social media campaign asking how consumers are Made Ready for their life’s journey, will be compiled into a music video. The video will be released this fall and promoted through a new media partnership with Vulture on a custom digital hub which will highlight Questlove’s own non-linear journey and how he’s made ready for whatever comes next, as depicted in Citizens’ new Made Ready platform.

Creative for the Made Ready platform was developed by Ogilvy; media planning and buying for the campaign was led by Mediacom. To learn more about the new platform and related assets, visit https://www.citizensbank.com/madeready.

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $162.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2019. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions.

Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 2,900 ATMs and approximately 1,100 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not-for-profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services, including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest rate products, and asset finance. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

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Rory Sheehan

781 655 3931

[email protected]

Source: Citizens Financial Group, Inc.