American Express
(Concept… that almost made it)
One of the most prevalent issues that members of the LGBTQ+ community face is that they are unable to display same-sex affection in public without fear of discrimination or abuse. So let’s use Amex’s long-standing brand icon to celebrate the simplest public display of affection that struggles with representation outside of heteronormative instances – a kiss.
The Amex Centurion is a perfect symbol for this – it's iconic, powerful, and embodies strength and security. With the line ‘Proudly Accepted', we're not only addressing the public’s perception of card acceptance, but also that Amex is an inclusive brand prepared to stand up for underrepresented communities.
Not only will Amex be addressing the issue of normalising same-sex displays of affection, but will simultaneously drive spend in these venues that proudly accept it.
Role: Art Director / Designer
Window decals will be given to merchants that openly welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community, while street posters bring our striking visual to life.
The street posters lead the public to a simple landing page that helps tell the story of support for the LGBTQ+ community and allows merchants to become a part of the initiative.
A merchant pack might involve branded items including a bill presenter featuring our manifesto…
A series of bag seal stickers…
And tissue paper printed with the iconic visual.
We’ll even feature the visual on elevator decals at Amex HQ, so that all staff members recognise what the brand stands for.
The Centurion Kiss is a powerful symbol which signifies that Amex supports a more welcoming, inclusive environment for all. It will encourage members of the community to go out proudly, spend at these venues and, in turn, support local businesses.
Resultant, organic, user-generated content will give our message reach, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, and send merchants the message that when they display the Centurion Kiss, they can expect more spend.
Amex will be establishing its place with this audience and leverage their distinctive brand asset to spread our message of acceptance all around Australia.
Whilst this iteration of the idea didn’t come to fruition, hints of this work can be seen in Amex’s POS pieces which read ‘Proudly accepting Amex’.