So how could we get these customers’ attention and help them rethink the role mobile banking could play in their lives? We introduced the undoubtedly unique (not to mention poised and charismatic!) Llama, adding some unexpected fun to the Bank of America Mobile Banking app. Why The Llama? Because llamas are known to be intelligent, trustworthy and charming, obviously. We hoped that The Llama’s engaging and dry sense of humor would cast a new light on mobile banking while also highlighting the value that customers would get from having more direct and flexible control over their money.

Beginning in the first half of 2016, we introduced The Llama in two phases. During the spring, we began the introduction of The Llama with display and video in paid and owned digital/social channels. As summer came around, we added national broadcast and high-impact social media placements. Using video across platforms as the strongest awareness-driving format, we drove consideration and adoption through placements in mobile, digital, social and point-of-sale environments. Bank of America’s relationship with Major League Baseball provided an outstanding opportunity to reach an engaged fan base with highly shareable content. Partnering with Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, we were able to push the envelope of what has been done in the financial services category.

After three consecutive years of decline in Bank of America Mobile Banking app users, we saw a 22% increase in net new active users compared to the same time period in the previous year. Users logged in over 530 million times, nearly 50% more than they did in the same period the previous year. In August, we saw the most log-ins of any single month with 331 million log-ins. Mobile deposits rose by 28% year-over-year and mobile bill payments went up 30%. By introducing and developing The Llama, we drove a 4.2-point lift in brand favorability and 5.1-point lift in intent to download the app on Facebook; 7.4-point increase in brand favorability on Twitter; and 4.8-point lift in brand awareness on Snapchat.