ATLANTA, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- One year after the Super Bowl ad that launched the onUp movement, which recently surpassed 1.3 million participants, SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE: STI) unveiled the next phase of its marketing campaign inspiring Americans to take control of their finances. Titled "Confidence Starts Here," the ads challenge traditional bank advertising. Rather than promoting products, the campaign celebrates what it feels like when someone achieves financial confidence.

"We reached out last year to help people who were suffocating under the weight of financial stress, and we struck a chord that resonated with many Americans," said Susan Somersille Johnson, SunTrust chief marketing officer. "Our research found that 75 percent of Americans are financially stressed and about 50 percent do not have $2,000 saved for an emergency. We also found that across all income levels, people who are financially confident report being three times more satisfied with their lives. We want to continue motivating people by showing the impact that small steps in the right direction can make."

"Confidence Starts Here" is a fully integrated campaign that includes two national TV commercials:


    --  Confidence King features a professional roller skater expressing
        confidence with a spontaneous roller disco routine on a busy city
        street. Skating is a celebration of his self-assurance brought on by the
        power of financial confidence. The ad launches in March and will run
        throughout the year.
    --  The second ad, Sounds of Confidence, was filmed in the infield at
        SunTrust Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves. The scene showcases a
        grounds crewmember stepping up to the microphone and launching into a
        rock star performance that points to the power of financial confidence
        to propel people to achieve their dreams. The ad will begin airing in
        April.

The campaign is a call-to-action, encouraging Americans to talk openly about money and take steps toward achieving their financial goals. Consumers are directed to onUp.com which provides free financial resources, including savings calculators, budgeting tools and tips with financial advice. onUp.com is available to everyone, not only SunTrust clients.

"The campaign advances our company's purpose of Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being," said Johnson. "Most people are surprised by how simple, predictable patterns can help them make real progress toward their financial goals, regardless of how much money they make."

"Confidence Starts Here" was created by New York-based agency StrawberryFrog, known for its history of supporting purpose-driven companies. The ad was directed by critically-acclaimed filmmaker Fredrik Bond, creator of the recent Apple iPhone 7 ads and winner of the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix Award for his Heineken ad.

"The imaginative use of confidence to motivate change is both persuasive and inspirational, two driving forces of an effective campaign," said Scott Goodson, founder of StrawberryFrog.

To learn more about the movement, visit onUp.com.

About SunTrust Banks, Inc.
 SunTrust Banks, Inc. is a purpose-driven company dedicated to Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being for the people, businesses, and communities it serves. Headquartered in Atlanta, SunTrust operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states, along with 24-hour digital access. Certain business lines serve consumer, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients nationally. As of December 31, 2016, SunTrust had total assets of $205 billion and total deposits of $160 billion. The company provides deposit, credit, trust, investment, mortgage, asset management, securities brokerage, and capital market services. SunTrust leads onUp, a national movement inspiring Americans to build financial confidence. Join the movement at onUp.com.

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SOURCE SunTrust Banks, Inc.