A young girl trying to master a handstand is at the heart of Erste Group’s latest campaign. The choice of a seemingly small childhood goal serves the purpose of its global platform Believe in Yourself: to show how self-confidence becomes meaningful through what we are willing to attempt and how long we persevere. The bank connects this idea with planning for the financial future, which also requires a first step, patience and a willingness to continue after setbacks.
The creative concept was developed by 180heartbeats + Jung v Matt, and the ad follows the girl’s repeated attempts until she manages to perform a handstand on her own. Much of the story is devoted to the practice and falls that precede success. This gives the platform’s message a concrete action through which the audience can follow the young protagonist’s perseverance.
An important role in this storytelling belongs to I Am What I Am by Jerry Herman, from the Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles. Alongside the story of learning a new skill, its lyrics emphasise self-confidence and the courage to follow one’s own path. The music thus helps communicate the brand’s message, together with scenes in which the girl gradually achieves her goal.
For Erste, the connection with finance rests on the approach to long-term goals. The campaign encourages people to actively shape their own financial future, drawing on a familiar experience: deciding to achieve something is only the beginning, while progress takes time and consistency.
The ad was originally created for Erste Bank Polska and is now running in Austria for Erste Bank und Sparkasse and in the Czech Republic for Česká spořitelna. In developing and adapting it for these markets, 180heartbeats + Jung v Matt collaborated with agencies Jung von Matt Donau and VML. Expansion to at least two additional markets is planned for 2027. The ad was directed by French duo Michel + Nico, while production was handled by Graffiti Films and LUNAPARK collective. Music rights licensing for the Austrian and Czech markets was managed by SZUM.
