American Express Global Commercial Services

American Express Global Commercial Services (AGCS) faced increasing competition from fintech startups like Brex and Divvy, which emphasized agility and new technology.AGCS wanted to revamp its communications to better connect with its large-scale global clients in the B2B space. Their existing messaging was heavily feature-focused, and they needed a new approach that would resonate more deeply with decision-makers at large corporations.

Leading a team at Sullivan, I was tasked with developing a customer journey, positioning, and campaign that would help AGCS reclaim its territory in the large-market business space. The goal was to shift the focus from card features to how AGCS could empower businesses while differentiating the brand from newer competitors.

We began by stepping back and understanding the customer journey, rather than simply enhancing existing communications. Through extensive research, we found that deciding on a financial management partner is a complex, high-stakes decision involving many stakeholders. Switching providers is often a long, drawn-out process, meaning a single touchpoint wouldn’t drive change. We realized that AGCS's size, experience, and global reach were key differentiators against nimble but smaller competitors.

From this insight, we developed the campaign "Built for Your Big Business," which highlighted AGCS’s unmatched expertise in serving large businesses over the years. The campaign emphasized customer benefits over features, leveraging AGCS’ history and confidence in the space. We extended the campaign across key touchpoints, including sales decks, email campaigns, banners, and more, ensuring frequent and consistent communication.

The "Built for Your Big Business" campaign provided AGCS with a cohesive, customer-focused messaging strategy. It resonated strongly with their target audience, driving more engagement from the digital work than any previous campaign. This reframing of its positioning helped AGCS reclaim its territory in the large market space with renewed confidence and modern relevance.

Client: American Express Global Commercial Services

Role: Sullivan, Brand Strategy Director

Project: Customer Journey, Campaign Strategy and Brief, Creative Execution with Creative Team