Zelle 2023
OOH & National Campaign
Role: Creative Director in collaboration with core agency partner
Year: 2023
Photographer: Justin Bettman
Agency: Pereira O’Dell
Pereira O'Dell Creative Director: Jason Apaliski
Pereira O'Dell Senior Art Director: Robyn Frost
Pereira O'Dell Executive Producers: Darbi Fretwell + Jamie Shuster
Overview
As Associate Creative Director, I co-led the creative direction for Zelle’s 2023 National Campaign—an insight-driven, fully integrated effort spanning OOH, digital, social, and product surfaces. The campaign aimed to reframe Zelle not just as a utility, but as a trusted tool for everyday connection—emphasizing the Joy of Zelle in life’s joyful moments. It was built in-house with the support of agency partners and activated across 2,500+ bank partner channels nationwide.
Role & Collaboration
I served as the internal creative lead and strategic partner to Zelle’s marketing leadership, guiding the campaign from initial concept through production and delivery. My role was both high-level and hands-on: directing casting, wardrobe, and set styling; reviewing storyboards and scripts; refining music selections; and shaping brand storytelling with nuance and precision.
A key part of my creative process was leveraging AI tools to rapidly generate conceptual mockups early in development. These visual prototypes helped us test and validate ideas with target audiences, allowing for data-driven refinements before we reached production. This not only accelerated our workflow but also sharpened the creative strategy with real audience insight.
I played a central role in bringing our sets to life—translating abstract creative ideas into fully-realized, immersive environments. From selecting the wallpaper patterns to curating the smallest props, I ensured each set was a living, breathing extension of our brand.
Acting as the connective tissue between internal stakeholders and our external agency, I translated business strategy and consumer insight into cohesive creative execution. One unexpected highlight: when Italian lyrics were proposed for a commercial track, I used my fluency to refine the language and ensure the cultural tone was emotionally accurate and on-brand. From vision to rollout, I championed our audience and upheld the integrity of Zelle’s brand voice every step of the way.
Creative Brief / Strategy
The campaign was built around a simple but powerful idea: “Joie de Zelle”—celebrating the everyday joy of connection and shared experiences. Whether it’s splitting the cost of ice cream with friends or sending money after brunch, Zelle helps make life’s little celebrations feel effortless. Our goal was to shift perceptions of Zelle from purely functional to emotionally resonant—less about transactions, more about togetherness.The core audience was the “Connected Conductor”: primarily Gen X and older Millennials who already use Zelle, but could be encouraged to integrate it more seamlessly into their daily lives. This campaign reminded them that Zelle isn’t just for big-ticket transfers—it’s a joyful part of life’s small, shared moments. With storytelling rooted in warmth and relatability, we aimed to create a deeper emotional connection with this audience and expand their everyday usage.
Creative Process & Execution
We began with an insight-driven creative brief, and used AI-generated mockups to rapidly explore tone, narrative scenarios, and visual direction. These early concepts helped us test with our target audience and validate key storylines before entering production—ensuring our final direction was both emotionally resonant and strategically sound.As the internal creative lead, I played a central role in bringing the agency’s concepts to life—particularly around set design and on-brand storytelling. From curating wallpaper patterns and prop styling to defining color palettes and wardrobe, I ensured that every detail served the campaign’s narrative and aligned with our brand expression. Because our campaign leaned heavily on stylized environments to convey emotion, this level of hands-on art direction was critical.We produced an integrated suite of assets spanning broadcast, digital, OOH, social, and product surfaces. I helped guide creative continuity across all these touchpoints, translating our “Joie de Zelle” narrative into cohesive visual language—one that felt vibrant, human, and unmistakably Zelle.
Results & Impact
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Accelerated Growth & Engagement
In the first half of 2024 alone, Zelle reached 143 million enrolled users and facilitated 1.7 billion transactions, representing a 28% year-over-year increase in volume and $481 billion in peer-to-peer payments.
By year-end, the platform surpassed 151 million active users and processed over $1 trillion—a record-breaking milestone.
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Brand Perception & Usage Shift
The campaign helped reposition Zelle from a utility tool to an emotionally resonant brand—making it top-of-mind for everyday, joyful transactions. Internal and partner feedback highlighted increased campaign recall and usage in lighter, consumer-centric contexts (e.g. social or “splitting the check” moments).
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Network Adoption & Financial Institution Engagement
The rollout supported marketing across 2,500+ partner banks and credit unions, amplifying brand reach and reinforcing Zelle’s position as an essential tool for community banking—vital for rural and regional institutions competing with national players.
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Strategic Value & Trust
During a period when peer-to-peer networks faced heightened scrutiny over fraud and compliance, the campaign reinforced Zelle’s brand values around ease, trust, and security. This bolstered broader consumer education efforts and contributed to ongoing partnerships with institutions like the Better Business Bureau and the National Council on Aging.
This campaign gave Zelle a human voice and visual warmth we hadn’t seen before. It helped our partners show how Zelle fits into real, joyful moments—not just bills and obligations. That emotional clarity drove deeper engagement across the board.
— Senior Marketing Partner, Zelle
What I Learned
This campaign was a masterclass in balancing creative vision with stakeholder alignment and regulatory precision. I deepened my skills as a translator between strategy and storytelling—advocating for bold ideas while ensuring every decision was audience-centered and brand-safe.I also embraced new tools and workflows, incorporating AI to prototype conceptual mockups for early audience testing. It pushed our thinking, generated sharper insights, and ultimately led to smarter creative decisions. Most importantly, I was reminded that joy is powerful—especially when it’s authentic, thoughtful, and grounded in real life.
