“You never know,” Timothy said. “Bob Dole was a pitchman for American Express.”
“He also did that Viagra spot,” Kate said.
“I think Orman’s already linked up with a firm,” Sade said.
“Still leaves Ramsey,” Timothy said. ” Or that Howard guy. The one with the radio show. All right, that’s a possibility. Len, what have you got?”
Leonard stood. “All right, people, prepare to lose your socks.”
“Just read it,” Sade said.
“BankOne. One heckuva bank.”
Everyone looked at him dully.
“Are you freaking joking?” Parker said, tossing a crumpled paper at Leonard’s face.
Leonard dodged the paper, then said, “Think about it, morons. Behind its simplicity is brilliance.”
“Behind its simplicity is a simpleton,” Parker said.
“Wow. I think Lenny just called himself brilliant,” Chloe said.
“And you called my idea a joke?” Sade said. “Did you even try?”
Leonard turned red. “You people are whack. They wanted something colloquial. That’s the way normal people speak.”
“What do you know about normal people?” Kate said.
“All right, enough,” Timothy said. “Back off.” He looked at Leonard. “Is that all you got?”
Leonard sat down. “Yes.”
Timothy turned to me. “I know it’s your first day, but did you come up with anything?”
“I did,” I said, slowly standing. “Bank advertising is tough, because banks aren’t sexy. They’re not even cool. Personally, I don’t want to be sold my bank. I don’t even want to think about it. I just want it to be something I don’t have to think about. Something I can count on. Rock-solid.”
“We will rock you . . .” Leonard blurted out.
Everyone ignored him.
“Prudential’s already got the Rock of Gibralter,” Parker said.
“I’m not saying I want to use a rock,” I said. “I’m saying that people just want something solid—especially today. So what do people say when they want to express certainty?”
Everyone just looked at me.
“Bank on it,” I said.
Everyone was quiet a moment. Then Timothy said, “I like it.”
“Bank on it,” Kate said, nodding.
“How will that apply to the customer specifics that our research pulled?” Chloe asked. “Personal touch, solid assets, no hidden fees . . .”
“It fits with all of them,” I said. “We can cut right to whatever we’re selling with the new tagline. Low fees? At BankOne you can bank on it. Friendly service? You can bank on it.”
Sade smiled. “That works.”
“I had this other idea too,” I said. “We could use a word play on ‘BankOne’ and ‘one bank,’ like ‘Only one bank offers low fees and high service, BankOne. You can bank on it.’ ”
Now Timothy was nodding.
I continued. “I liked Parker’s idea of using celebrity credibility, but I don’t think it needs to be a financial celebrity, just someone who sounds authoritative. I’m thinking we could have Jason Robards voice our tag, the way CNN uses James Earl Jones.”
“Robards is a Chicagoan,” Chloe said.
“What do you think?” Timothy asked the group.
Everyone was quiet, then Parker said, “I love it. We’re commandeering an idiom. It’s like the McDonald’s ‘i’m loving it’ campaign.”
“It also has graphic capabilities,” I said. “We can pull the ‘bank on’ from the BankOne logo. So, whenever the logo is shown, the tagline is implied.”
“Awesome,” Kate said.
“Chloe? We still haven’t heard your idea.”
“I like this one better,” she said.
“Len?”
Leonard was still pouting over his rejection. “Where’d you get that idea?” he asked.
“Honestly,” I said, “I dreamt it.”
“Dream on,” Chloe said.
“That’s getting paid in your sleep,” Parker said.
“All right, Len, assuming that was a ‘yes,’ we’re unanimous. Bank on it. Let’s get to work. Chloe, Parker, get me some storyboards and radio scripts. Len and Kate, let’s get some preliminary art, in-house usage and style sheets. J.J. and I will put together print. We’ve got nineteen hours. Go, people.” Then he added in Potts’s low, gruff voice, “Wow me.”
After everyone but Timothy and I had filed out of the room, Timothy said, “Your brother was right.”
“About what?” I asked.
“He said you were good under pressure.”