American Express Canada is blazing a trail for financial brands in Canada by challenging its TikTok audience to embark on a Choose Your Own Adventure-style social media journey.

Employing the platform’s “Story Selection” product in a first for financial institutions in Canada, Amex is looking to tap into reported higher engagement and average watch times than are available elsewhere with a unique and “strategic” new effort in a bid to “build brand consideration among the next generation of prospects, including Gen Zs and Millennials,” says Lauren Dineen-Duarte, VP of communications for the brand.

Beginning with a seven-second video delivered in the familiar TikTok look and featuring audio popular on the platform – a measure that drives increased brand awareness – the campaign shows a couple enjoying a perfect day of travel in Lisbon, highlighting some of the travel and hotel benefits offered to members by Amex.

Users are then prompted to choose how they want the story to continue: exploring the hotel or the city itself. Depending on their selection, another video plays that acts as a call to action, driving viewers to the brand’s landing page. The goal is to leave “a lasting impression by providing one-of-a-kind content that is unique to the industry,” Dineen-Duarte explains.

“It leans into our reputation of being more of a lifestyle brand, with focus on Amex’s wide range of travel and dining benefits, showcasting them through the lens of a couple’s epic honeymoon,” she adds.

In addition to the TikTok push, the campaign will also launch an Instant Page on the platform starting June 1. The page pairs travel imagery and videos with tips for how to use Amex’s benefits to enhance vacations, all within the TikTok platform itself.

The campaign is the latest step in a social-heavy marketing strategy for the financial brand, which began with the launch of its “Member When” platform last June and continued with fresh work in November. While this effort doesn’t fall under the same platform, it does approach the consumer in similar ways – and focuses on a similar target demographic.

“TikTok is at the forefront of platforms taking innovation and brand storytelling to the next level, and collaborating with them is a strategic way to engage our target audience with an immersive showcase of our brand’s benefits,” Dineen-Duerte says. “The opportunity to invest in storytelling that drives such strong brand consideration results makes them an ideal partner.”

North Strategic and Notch Video led creative on the campaign. North Strategic also handled social development and PR, and UM handled media.