A tedious route to instant money with Line BK

We have all been through those months when the comforting ping announcing the credit of your salary (or terribly delayed freelance or client payments) has finally showed up in our bank accounts. This nut, like many of you out there, has had to lean on an assortment of friends and family at various times to see out the lean periods. Lately, the lure of instant-cash apps (no more mountain of paperwork and judgemental look of bankers while applying for loans) has given some funds-starved friends a faster way to seek emergency infusions. 

Line BK, in Thailand, is one app that hopes to cash in on this thirst for money-at-your-fingertips; it wants to have a million loan customers in year one of its operations. However, while it wants to promote easy access to money—and apparently save friendships by reducing the need to hound your bestie for emergency cash—its latest campaign is anything but nifty. 

Instead, in a near five-minute piece of work by GREYnJ United, Line BK portrays a woman in need of some money approaching her "bestie", hoping to mooch some funds off of her. Instead, a tedious round of telepathy ensues between the duo, leaving both frustrated, to the point of tears. "Borrowing from bestie is hard. Best to borrow from Line BK. Easier," the video exhorts. 

At this point, Ad Nut's coffee has gone cold, and Ad Nut's mind has long wandered to more pleasant thoughts, such as the looming Christmas break. But, we're not done yet with this campaign, as the narration rambles on to a man in a too-tight white shirt extoling the virtues of the app and a freshly convinced consumer being sprayed with a pile of banknotes. Let us just say showering a woman with money may not be the most brand-aware thing to do, towards the end of a fraught 2020. 

Dodgy imagery aside, what really grates about this ad is how tedious the whole video is for a service/ app that promises speed and ease-of-use to consumers. If it is mere seconds to near-instant cash gratification, this plodding piece of work does little to promote that promise. 

Now, for a fresh cup of coffee to wake this creature up. 

CREDITS

Agency: GREYnJ United Bangkok
Chairman: Thor Santisiri
Chief Creative Officer: Jureeporn Thaidumrong
Chief Executive Officer: Kanaporn Hutcheson
Chief Operation Officer: Thipayachand Hasdin
Deputy Chief Creative Officer: Asawin Phanichwatana
Creative Director: Asawin Phanichwatana, Thanyaluck Pongacha, Jesse Wong
Creative Group Head: Thanapol Jiratadaporn
Senior Art Director: Vongjino Kedjariyanon, Nukool Khamlert
Copywriter: Jesse Wong, Natthinee Ruengves, Pat Deesawat,
Touchachapon Wuthikangamjorn
Art Director: Pheraphas Jongphatcharanan, Tammaporn Sanguanpak,
Tanitsara Wunpanich
General Manager: Kanokkorn Seehapan
Group Account Director: Kantharat Teerarojjanawong
Account Manager: Apinya Ditsamroeng
Associate Planning Director: Jongkoch Dusittanakarin
Project Management Director: Kanoksak Kanchanachutha
Agency Producer: Ruangkanjana Aiamrit
Senior Traffic Coordinator: Juthamas Tantated

Production Company: Happy Ending Film
Director: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit
Assistant Director: Pornpong Wongwatpong
Cinematographer: Niramon Ross
Film Producer: Pacharin Surawatanapongs
Film Art Director: Cai Lianjie
Casting Director: Pornthip Mutisom
Stylist: Kwanhatai Chittiwatana
Production Manager: Sasicha Kanjanumpa
Post Producer: Needa Ostapirat
Editor: Chaleamchon Natipat
Colorist: Kritsada Kaewmani
Flame Artist: Supphakorn Thungsin
Sound Mixer: Nopawat Likitwong

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.