Belgian bank creates first ever three-sided coin.

To convince more people to bank sustainably, the Belgian bank ‘vdk bank’ challenges Belgians to triple their thinking: by choosing returns for themselves, their community, and the planet. Symbol for this way of thinking? A three-sided coin.

Vdk bank is somewhat of an outsider in the Belgian banking landscape. The ethical, sustainable bank is not only Belgium's oldest bank, but it has also traditionally prioritized reinvesting money in social and sustainable projects. "Sustainability has become a catch-all term," says Jesse Vanophalvens, creative director at Bonka Circus, the agency that created the campaign. "Everyone claims to be sustainable. Even those who are not. So, we set out to find a distinctive way to tell the sustainable-ethical story. With the credo 'Triple your thinking', we want to convince Belgians to choose returns for themselves, their community, and the planet.”

To translate this triple way of thinking into a remarkable awareness-campaign, a powerful metaphor was sought. Enter: the three-sided coin. Copywriter Barbara Dzikanowice: "They often say that money has two sides. Heads versus tails, bull versus bear, profit versus loss. We asked ourselves: what if money had three sides? With the third side representing the impact your money can have on society and the planet.

The coin plays a central role in all campaign deliverables (out of home, social, print ads, online video...) However, it did not stop at a metaphor. Thanks to a collaboration between several craftsmen, the coin was actually produced.

3D studio ppuntt converted the coin's design into 3D designs. Based on these designs, CNC milling experts Wimba and Frecon made the molds of the coin. These molds went to a gold- and silversmith, who polished them, gilded them in a gold bath and added the sides. Art director Johan Van Oeckel: “To give one of world's first designed and most iconic objects a redesign, was a fascinating challenge.”

Counterfeiting

Producing a coin, isn't that counterfeiting? Not in this case. Permission was granted by the National Bank of Belgium and the European Central Bank. Giovanni Van de Velde, mint master of The Royal Belgian Mint, explains: "The result really resembles an actual euro coin, but differs just enough from it because of the 3D shape. Since the coin is a symbolic object with no payment value, and because we think it’s a fascinating project, we gave our approval. The European Commission even requested a copy of the coin for internal trainings on copyright."

Impact

All 350 employees of vdk bank received a coin at the kick-off of the campaign. The coin is being used as a ‘talking device’ in customer conversations and comes with a booklet further explaining the campaign and the bank's vision on sustainable and ethical banking.

Leen Van den Neste, CEO of vdk bank, is thrilled with the result: "A bank is more than a neutral service provider like an internet supplier or parcel service. Through the companies and projects we invest in, and the loans we grant, we help determine the future. This campaign succeeds in communicating that in a simple yet powerful way."

This making-of video shows the production process in more detail:

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