DBS SPARKS Case-study

Sparks, first launched in 2016 and rolled out across DBS’ key markets, is a first-of-its-kind web-series featuring a set of young, enterprising bankers and inspired by true stories of how their very own, go beyond.

Surmounting challenges faced by customers, business clients and communities alike with a personable and inventive touch, these bankers embody the “Live more, Bank Less” spirit, enabling them to live life to the fullest.

2 years and 8 episodes in, it was DBS Bank India’s turn to launch Sparks locally. Given the low awareness of DBS in India, the overt nature of branding and the quintessentially Asian content values, would Sparks be able to generate the success of its innovative predecessor, the “Chilli Paneer” series in 2014-15? Here too, the team at DBS took yet another inventive approach.

Subsequently, a multimedia campaign through OOH, in-cinema and digital, bolstered by series-related and contextual (cashing in on the FIFA rage, for instance) content, joining millennial conversations, content and media innovations, etc. broke.

The results have sparked a very keen interest in the brand, with YouTube reporting nearly 973.9% lift in keyword searches, boding well for its awareness in India. And it looks like it will bode well for the kids too – DBS is taking its first step in turning this vision in “Sparks” into a reality by lighting a playground in Mumbra, transforming the lives of over 6,000 children in an area much neglected, but teeming with sporting talent. Stay tuned to DBS Bank India’s social media handles and join the mission. Meanwhile, the stats tell the story so far:

• Total views garnered across trailers and the 2 episodes: 28.7 million
  Total engagements garnered on social (likes, shares, comments): 1.03 million
• Total views and engagements garnered from Sachin’s handles: 3.3 million views and 663k engagement
• Total views on the episodes alone: 6.6 million
• Average cost per view for episodes across platform: 0.57 INR!
• Average watch time per episode: 5:06 minutes (over 50% of episode 9) and 5:25 minutes (36% of episode 10)
• Retention rate: On average, 40% of those who have watched 25% of either episode (DBS’ internal qualifier for quality views) have gone on to complete them.