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Creating new pathways to demand for a 175-year-old industry leader
American Express' brand has historically been perceived as inaccessible for many small businesses. However, with the pool of small and medium enterprises growing rapidly and facing increasingly tough challenges, AMEX felt a responsibility to step in and better serve them. We helped them tap into what these entrepreneurs need and value most, and created multiple innovation concepts that offer a small taste of what it means to be an American Express member.
American Express’ premium halo contributes to the misperception that they are a brand that only serves established, larger businesses. The challenge was to help AMEX convert skeptics by offering real value for free, while eventually converting them to a long-term relationship.
Our research uncovered the needs of small business owners as we explored their attitudes toward the “freemium” model.
One of the freemium concepts we developed was focused on giving SMBs a 30,000 foot snapshot of their business.
This freemium concept was based on a rotating suite of services aimed at giving small businesses an invite-only taste of what AMX offers.
