Building on its “Live more, Bank less” brand promise, DBS launched Season 3 of Sparks, its award-winning web series. The new season entrenches the bank’s purpose to make banking joyful and help its customers and the community to live more fulfilled. At the same time, it demonstrates how DBS is a different kind of bank for this post pandemic era and best workplace for a better world. Viewers will learn more about what it’s like working at DBS that is more like a technology company, less like a conventional bank, along with its agile startup culture that promotes innovation and collaboration, resulting in transformative digital solutions that delight customers.
Breaking boundaries: New ways of working in financial institutions
Launched in 2016, Sparks has stood the test of time even with evolving digital consumption patterns and remains successful in driving innovative content marketing and story-telling. From conveying the true meaning of banking and challenging the perception that banking is only about transactions, to addressing pressing social and environmental sustainability issues in previous seasons, Sparks continues to be inspired by real-life stories of how banking impacts lives and businesses. Across the region, the 19 episodes of Sparks Season 1 and 2 have garnered over 736 million video views to date.
To complement Season 3, DBS has launched “Behind the Spark” showcase videos, offering yet another channel for viewers to gain greater insights into working at DBS where employees can pursue their passions, fulfil their purpose and empower others. The videos feature interviews with the bank’s employees on their experience working at DBS and their journeys in delivering impactful digital solutions to meet customer needs.
Karen Ngui, Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, DBS, said, ”At DBS, what we do as a bank has always been defined by our purpose. We strongly believe in building a brand with conscience, and so constantly emphasise the importance of story-doing, demonstrating how we walk the talk to convey our authenticity to our audiences.”
Despite being at the forefront of change, breaking boundaries through innovation and reimagining banking, “DBS is firmly retaining the human touch in our branding and marketing and remains connected to real customer needs,” Ngui added.
“We are focused on building great customer experiences and fostering long-term relationships. This has been the aim of Sparks and how we create content to ignite conversations and meaningful experiences, while speaking to customers in a relatable manner. And in Season 3, we further engage our audiences by bringing them behind the scenes to what it’s really like working at DBS,” she said.
Agrocorp International (Agrocorp), is one of the companies that inspired the first two episodes of Sparks Season 3 which are about an end-to-end cross-border blockchain trade platform that DBS developed with other partners for a commodity supply chain network, comprising farmers, exporters, traders and end-customers. The solution provides the supply chain network with greater efficiency, cost savings and transparency via a one-stop platform.
Mr Vishal Vijay, Head of Business Development at Agrocorp, said, “We’re absolutely delighted that we are one of the companies that have inspired the early episodes of Sparks Season 3, setting the tone for innovation and transformation, and showcasing API implementation with a blockchain platform, a first for the commodities industry. We hope the stories will help more companies discover the convenience and seamless benefits of digitalisation.”
Adrian Pang, award-winning actor and artistic director of Singaporean theatre company Pangdemonium, returns as “Chester Teo”, a no-nonsense DBS banker who cares deeply about his team and clients. Together with Team DBS, his character embodies the grit, gumption and sense of purpose that DBS brings to banking. Adrian has more than 25 years of experience performing on both stage and screen in Singapore and the UK. Most recently, he was recognised by Tatler as one of Asia’s Most Influential SG in 2021.
“I’m privileged to have partnered DBS since Season 1 of Sparks in 2016. It’s been an enriching experience over the years learning about how there’s so much more to banking through the character of Chester Teo. It’s really about impacting lives and businesses. Season 3 will feature working at DBS, there’ll be new characters and the whole digital innovation theme, with more humour topping it off. It’ll be fun!”, said Pang.
Jamie Xia continues to play a leading role as “Claire Lee” and will take on more mentoring responsibilities for new members of Team DBS. Aanchal Wadhwani (“Riya”) and Arifin Putra (“Hendra Susanto”) will also return in Season 3.
Recognising up and coming talent, DBS welcomes new characters to Sparks – Andrew Marko as “Rex Tan”, Chew Wei Shan as “Alethia Wong” and Kasimir Poh Cieslak as “Dylan Evans”.
Sparks Season 3 episodes 1 and 2 were filmed at DBS Asia X, the bank’s innovation space located at the Sandcrawler Building in Fusionopolis in Singapore.
