Online shopping should be simple, but the reality can be overwhelming with endless options, promo codes and the fear of missing out on a better deal. Consumers aren’t just looking for more. They want clarity, confidence and a smart way to shop. Enter Citi Shop SM, which automatically searches for savings at 5,000+ online merchants for our cardmembers.
Launching a new browser extension in a crowded market with heavyweight competitors was no small challenge. Citi Shop had to break through and shift perceptions, positioning Citi as not just banking and credit cards, but as part of the shopping experience. To help accomplish that, and ultimately encourage downloads, our video had some heavy lifting to do — we needed to educate viewers about the benefits, help them understand how to use it and drive home the key core value that is saving money.
Can I click it? Yes, you can.
With that infectious hook—our reimagining of A Tribe Called Quest’s classic rap, “Can I Kick It?”—we turned the Citi Shop browser extension from a newcomer into a must-have tool for online shoppers. Rather than relying on a blockbuster production, we strategically leveraged music’s intrinsic ability to capture attention and drive recall-- transforming a functional product into something engaging and culturally resonant.
At the heart of our approach was relatability. We positioned the hero as an everyday shopper navigating a seamless shopping experience, reinforcing how the browser extension integrates effortlessly into real-life moments. As he prepares for a camping trip, his purchases—a tent, flashlight and other camping essentials – intentionally reflected practical, non-luxury items, ensuring broad relevance and underscoring the browser extension’s utility across a range of shopping needs. We deliberately incorporated the user interface into the storytelling allowing viewers to experience its functionality firsthand. We punctuated each purchase with audio and visual cues illustrating how the savings added up. By seamlessly blending the product’s desktop and mobile UI into the action, we demonstrated its ease of use, adaptability and ability to surface savings in a natural and intuitive way.
To further elevate engagement, we leaned into real entertainment value with our hero’s confident and playful energy paired with rapping to our playful twist on a familiar earworm. By adapting the lyrics, we showcased how you can save with practically just a click, while naturally highlighting product benefits. Thanks to our adaptation “Can I Click It?”, the joy of the experience shines through, making saving feel fun and effortless. Using a recognizable tune allowed us to cut through the expected — bringing a refreshing sense of realism and sparking a bit of FOMO — and ultimately motivating Citi customers to dive into the savings fun themselves.
The paid media campaign leveraged high-impact and video tactics across key partners that aligned with our target audience’s online behaviors (e.g., where they like to shop, get their news, etc.) And the creative proved successful, driving lifts in messaging association (+3.6 ppts), offer association (+2.7 ppts) and preference (+2.6 ppts). The :30 video spot in particular outperformed benchmarks, turning Citi Shop from an underdog into an attention-grabbing player—and making cardmembers eager to click it, too.
