Offering sponsorships to creatives should be a piece of cake for a bank. However, we chose a different path - we set out to teach them how to fish instead of feeding them! We decided to finally offer empowerment to the renegades of the financial system, those whom banks were avoiding as clients because of the high risks – due to their almost inexistent business know-how and lack of material guarantees. A bet that could bring significant loss, but also invaluable gain!

We decided to launch the biggest platform in Romania to support creative businesses and the creative minds behind them! We generated an integrated framework supporting long term development of businesses in creative areas (inspiration - know-how - financial support – engaging potential clients) and we enhanced their potential of contributing to the growth of Romanian economy.

Thus, the Creative Minds Platform by UniCredit Bank Romania was born!

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

- foster conversation with the authorities and working alongside them to support CCIs

EMPOWERMENT&BUILDING NEW SKILLS

- we designed a multi-stakeholder mentorship program, where reputable professionals shared their REAL LIFE/NO TEXTBOOK insights in an alternative school – The Creative Minds Academy

MARKET INTEL – GENERATE DATA

- conduct our own research – The Creative Minds Barometer – to analyse the status, needs and barriers encountered by Romanian creative entrepreneurs. The result? Creative entrepreneurs need financial and entrepreneurial education (70% of creative entrepreneurs polled). We developed capacity building programs, new banking products and programs to help grow the market.

BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR THE CCI sector

- defied the risks – developed the Creative Pack, a banking product designed for creative industries – a first for Romanian banking system!

- created a market for creative businesses of Bucharest through a one-day event (29th of November) – Creative Wednesday/Miercurea Mintilor Creative.

• T1: Media Outputs

80 million Impressions

8,5 million Reach (almost half of Romania’s population)

Over 2 million Romanians (the equivalent of Romania’s Capital - Bucharest’s population) found out about Creative Wednesday and the power of creative businesses.

100% positive tone of voice

92% of articles mention brand

• T2: Target Audience Outcomes

2 Deputy Ministers – Economy and Culture – launched the Creative Minds Platform

UniCredit, as THE BANK for Creative Minds, was invited to join the Ministry of Economy’s task-force “CCI’s - Finance&Entrepreneurship” set to elaborate the Creative Romania project guidelines.

The Whitepaper for Activating the Economic Potential of Cultural&Creative Sectors in Romania, (to be released) by the Romanian Ministry of Culture, took in consideration some of the conclusions (chapters regarding financial and entrepreneurial education) revealed in the UCB research, The Creative Minds Barometer.

The Creative Minds Academy

200 Creative Minds empowered to achieve true entrepreneurial potential through the Creative Minds Academy

15 high profile UCB professionals, including 5 members of the board – CEO, Deputy CEO, CFO, President of the Supervisory Board and Head of Retail offered their support as mentors

20 other corporate professionals and successful creative minds entrepreneurs joined as well

• T3: Business Outcomes

Creative Wednesday

150 entrepreneurs opened their gates for Creative Wednesday

The Creative Pack

- 50% of the total number of banking packages sold by UCB from Jan'17-Jan'18

- Over 5000 creative minds that would otherwise have hardly any option for custom-made financial solutions benefited from the Creative Pack