MasterCard Launches Priceless Advertising Campaign Targeting Small Business Market

The ad will first appear on NBCs June 17, 2004, coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament. It will later run on networks such as CBS, Fox and CNN. The 30-second commercial is part of MasterCards award-winning Priceless campaign. The "What It Takes" television spot focuses on how it takes a person with truly special and unique qualities -- from patience and dedication to a sense of humor -- to handle the day-to-day challenges of running a small business. Recognizing small business owners are stretched for time and lack the resources of large corporations, the MasterCard ad captures real-life small business moments such as working odd hours and dealing with faulty office equipment. MasterCards "What It Takes" commercial salutes people in business for themselves, while also demonstrating why MasterCard business cards are the most effective way to pay for all the things a small business needs. A corresponding print ad is slated to break later this summer in publications such as Fortune, New York Times Magazine, TIME and The Wall Street Journal. The creative used in the print versions will follow the "What It Takes" theme leveraged in the new television commercial. Both the television and print ads are designed to build awareness of MasterCards suite of solutions created specifically for small business owners. To address the needs of this target market, MasterCard developed MasterCard Working for Small Business, a comprehensive global program that provides small businesses with payment cards, online tools and other resources that deliver financial control, data management, analysis and reporting, along with rewards and benefits. Creative for the "What It Takes" campaign was developed by McCann-Erickson of New York: Creative Director, Joyce King-Thomas; Copywriter, Larry Platt; Art Director, David Fox; and Producer, Julie Andariese.