We created a content platform called “We Are All Made To Grow” with a mission to inspire potential in people and communities through storytelling.  We launched the platform with an animated fable called “The Seed and The Moon.” The film communicates Umpqua Bank’s belief in everyone’s potential for growth. Directed by acclaimed Sundance director and TED fellow Kibwe Tavares, the film follows the journey of a seed that struggles to grow in a dark, lifeless city. Inspired by the light of the moon, the seed ultimately grows to a colossal size and transforms the city for the better.

The story opens with a tree, the only greenery in a dismal urban environment pulled from its roots to make way for more city construction. As the tree falls, a seed is torn away and is carried by the wind through the hostile concrete jungle of the city until it tumbles into a dark crack in an alleyway. The seed’s survival in this unfriendly environment seems impossible until the moonlight shines through the darkness and clouds to inspire the seed.

The director and his team used a variety of software to meet the challenge of the film’s hero being an ever-growing tree. Time-lapse techniques played a significant role to show the moments of incredible growth, which transform the seedling into a colossal tree while bringing life and positivity to the city in the process.

With exceptional response on social media and in the press, Umpqua was able to access direct dialogue with their audience around a piece of inspirational, empowering content. To date the film has over 2 million views, and has increased brand affinity by 10% and consideration intent by 5%.

There is no more dreary voice than that of the financial services industry. Rather than nag, scold, patronize or coo, Umpqua Bank is committed to telling stories of unique human potential and experience through every medium possible. The Seed & the Moon is a captivating animated fable that follows a seedling as it unwittingly transforms a soulless city into a thriving community, eagerly growing toward the light of the moon. Made in collaboration with globally-lauded film and music talent, the short inspires and empowers viewers of every age with an unprecedented authenticity within and beyond its category.

While some of our projects under the Made To Grow umbrella are geared toward young parents, entrepreneurs, millennials, or retirees, this particular piece was addressed toward the child in all of us regardless of age or income. It was important for Umpqua to have shareable, entertaining video content that expressed their core values, and was suitable for consumption by families and kids as well as small business owners, college students and CEOs.

Umpqua's roots as a community bank were being obfuscated by their rapid growth of brick and mortar stores on the west coast, and their creative strategies and marketing team were called upon to create cultural content that expressed their core brand values of human potential, community and agency. Their objectives with this piece of content were increased brand awareness and affinity, and increased cultural connectivity with their audience.