HSBC Bank — People Wisdom TVC Scripts
Before the economic crash of 2009, I had started work on writing a series of "People Wisdom" TV commercials, this is the final scripts before production was cut due to the crisis.
HSBC-GLOBAL — The Words TVC
We open on a family with a young male toddler are having a meal at a table. The environment is light and bright and everyone is a having a great time. The father, interacting with his child, holds up a toy gun…
DAD: Hey fella, what’s this?
TODDLER: Banana
SUPER: This is not a banana.
The mother looks at the father disapprovingly, shaking her head she takes the gun and puts it out of sight, and holds up a wild-eyed dog puppet
MOM: And what is thiiiis?
TODDLER: (excitedly) Puppy!
SUPER: This is teaching values.
The parents, both excited that the child got one right, decide to try again, this time mom points to dad and asks;
MOTHER: …and what is that?
TODDLER: Daddy!
SUPER: This is a child’s love.
The parents both cheer, the baby is getting excited, and because the child is so obviously clever, the mom, wanting the same reaction, goes [pointing at herself],
MOTHER: What's this?
TODDLER: Boobie!
The father grins wide and rubs the little tykes head, obviously he has the father’s values.
SUPER: This is father's little man.
The screen turns to white and then the voiceover says: The more you look at the world, the more you recognize people’s different values.
The HSBC logo appears with the endline “the world’s local bank” This is replaced by a web address which reads, www.hsbc.com/peoplewisdom
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HSBC-GLOBAL — The Gift TVC
We open on a humble rural house in a village north of Bangkok. The opening shot is through the front door, where in the background we see an elderly grandmother in a chair watching TV. Birthday decorations are being put up by an older gentleman, some other women are setting up tables of food on the patio and a traditional band is warming up. The mother is standing at the front entryway, talking to boys, young twins about 17-19 years old, sitting on their scooters. She hands them each a wad of cash, and tells them with sternness:
MOM: Buy grandma something that benefits the whole family.
A voiceover says: This is not a challenge.
The two boys give each other a competitive look. They get on their scooters, and at the bottom of the driveway, go in separate directions.
A voiceover says: This is rivalry.
CUT TO SIDE-BY-SIDE FRAMES: The boys are hurrying through various marketplaces, looking for the perfect gift.
CLOSE IN TO RIGHT FRAME: One of the twins is haggling with a livestock dealer, and you see him finally taking possession of a large goat. He looks satisfied with himself. He has a look of triumph on his face.
A voiceover says: This is not defeat.
CUT: He walks up the driveway however, and the patio is deserted, but everything is laid out for a feast! Looking panicked, he calls out, but no one answers. Leaving the goat behind, he runs into the house fearing the worst as he hears excited yelling.
Into the main quarters, he sees the whole group crowded around Yhi’s chair. He is visibly distraught, and pushes his way past people to get to the centre… Only to find grandma in her chair, playing a Playstation, and scoring well!
A voiceover says: This is victory.
CUT TO: The other twin, sitting on the floor in front of her chair, looks up and smiles knowingly as he nods acknowledgement to his brother.
Grandma scores some final victory, and everyone turns to see him.
The screen turns to white and then the voiceover says:
The more you look at the world, the more you recognize people’s different values.
CLOSE UP ON THE GOAT: The goat bleats for attention, as if to say, hey, what about me?
The HSBC logo appears with the endline "the world's local bank" This is replaced by a web address which reads, www.hsbc.com/peoplewisdom
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HSBC-GLOBAL — Piano TVC
We open on a small museum in Europe, quiet and dusty, light streaming in, you can see that it is late afternoon.
A bored security guard is lazily walking his rounds, and notices a young woman admiring an antique piano surrounded by a velvet rope. A sign on the top of the piano says Mozart, or Beethoven or some such, the piano of a musical genius.
VO: This is not a piano.
The guard, curious, stands next to the girl, he never quite understands what people see in it. The girl looks up to him, a bit hopeful, and, going into her purse, pulls out a bill and offers it to him.
VO: This is a tempting opportunity.
GIRL: Do you think I could play it? (she says or indicates)
The guard, refusing the bribe, nonchalantly opens the velvet rope and indicates she can.
The girl sits at the piano, there is tension… is she any good?
The girl then plays a beautiful sonata, the guard looks on, nodding slight approval.
She finishes up, and is obviously happy.
VO: This is not pride.
GIRL: I bet many great pianists come and want to play this piano.
GUARD: (shaking his head ‘no.’) None thought they were worthy...
VO: This is confidence
The screen turns to white and then the voiceover says:
The more you look at the world, the more you recognize people’s different values.
The HSBC logo appears with the endline "the world's local bank" This is replaced by a web address which reads, www.hsbc.com/peoplewisdom
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HSBC-GLOBAL — Beach TVC
We open on a softly rolling hillside sloping down onto a Swedish beach. It is a clear but obviously chilly day outside and we see our protagonist, lugging a beach chair, umbrella and cooler, somewhat clumsily down to the beach, his hands are full.
He walks past a pair of Japanese sports tourists, fishing from the shore.
VO: This is not bad timing.
He starts to set up the beach chairs and goes through the elaborate ritual of preparing his set up and finishing, satisfied that everything is ok, takes off his sweat suit to reveal brief swim trunks.
VO: This is anticipation.
The Japanese fishermen look at each other with puzzled expressions. They look at the Swede basking in the sunlight, who waves at them nonchalantly.
Non-plussed, they shrug their shoulders at each other, indicating ‘why not?’
VO: This is not absurdity
CUT: Next we see the three of them running down to the beach, the Japanese guys stripping off their winter wear (down to white underwear) and the three dive into the crashing waves.
VO: This is summer in Sweden, the nicest day of the year.
The screen turns to white and then the voiceover says:
The more you look at the world, the more you recognize people’s different values.
The HSBC logo appears with the endline “the world’s local bank” This is replaced by a web address which reads, www.hsbc.com/peoplewisdom
