Janalakshmi Financial Services works in the area of Micro Finance. They used to disburse loans in cash. This was easy and accessible for their customers who belonged to the bottom of the pyramid. They now wanted to move the customers to using plastic money instead.  

The customers found this change intimidating and unfamiliar. To visit an ATM withdraw money etc. was a huge shift. Since several of them couldn’t read or write the process of withdrawing money was complex. The error ratios due to a wrong pin, attempts at withdrawing more than what was available, lack of understanding the usage charges were very high. Could we create a communication intervention that combated all this?

The central creative idea was ‘Kal Ki Chaabi’ i.e. the key to tomorrow. It embodied the idea that the move to plastic money was the key to their entrepreneurial future. It would open doors to a new orbit of financial flexibility and access. It also explained the idea that just like they had a key that let them access the money that they had earlier stored in hundis at home the card was an equivalent that let them access their money in the bank through the ATM. It also informed them that just like they wouldn’t share their key with anyone they must safeguard their ATM pin.

We created a charming animated short film starring a typical customer and her struggles to move to plastic money.  She is helped along her journey by a flying, genie like character that personified the ‘Kal Ki Chaabi’ idea. It also had a clear screen capture that led people from screen to screen to guide them about how they should withdraw money from the ATM.

We also created a prop ATM to be placed at centres that customers could use to practice using the ATM before using the actual one. The staffs were also provided with a flipchart with which they could explain the whole concept.

The creative landed very well and was used across the country at various centers and the film and various collateral found resonance with the audience. It played a key role in the absorption and ease of use of cards among the customers.