First Interstate Bank introduces no nonsense campaign

Agency TDA Boulder has unveiled No Nonsense Banking, its debut campaign for new client First Interstate Bank. 

The rolling launch runs through the end of the year, and spans across 10 states. This marks the independent agency’s first work for the Billings, Montana headquarter-based bank, which is the primary subsidiary of First Interstate BancSystem, Inc.

The work is built around a simple idea: people don’t have patience for nonsense, and neither does First Interstate Bank. Rather than reinventing banking, the creative positions the brand as bringing banking back to the basics: straight answers, human relationships, and tools that work.

The campaign includes audio, CTV, digital display, high-impact rich media, out-of-home, social, and search. The creative is anchored by the hero spot, Every Step, with accompanying spots Actor, Handshake, and Keys carrying the same point of view.

Every Step opens on a couple experiencing life’s biggest moments (marriage proposal, first child, learning to drive, and packing up for college), capturing meaningful moments with one odd addition: their banker is actually really there, experiencing those moments with them. The unexpected inclusion calls out the cliché that banks love to be with you every step of the way, even in life’s most intimate moments. The spot lands on the twist: First Interstate isn’t promising to be there for every step; just the ones that matter, with a straight answer and a real person on the other end.

The media mix extends to out-of-home in places most major banks skip entirely. TDA Boulder’s Middle of Nowhere boards show up in towns that might feel remote to some but are exactly where First Interstate has long done business, with headlines including “The only B.S. out here comes from cattle,” “Because banking should be out in the open,” and “Out here, nonsense doesn’t last long.”

“Banking should be straightforward. People deserve clear answers, real relationships, and a partner they can count on. This campaign brings that belief to life. TDA Boulder captured who we are in a way that’s transparent and relatable,” stated Jim Reuter, First Interstate’s President and CEO.

“At a time when many things have become rather complicated, it is refreshing to have a bank that aspires to simplicity. No nonsense banking is just that,” stated Jonathan Schoenberg, ECD & Co-Owner, TDA Boulder.