The Power of Squirrels

Caisse d'Epargne is returning to the spotlight from April 19th with a new campaign dedicated to its cooperative, regionally rooted model — more in tune than ever with the expectations of the French public.
At a time when the world is searching for direction, the cooperative model stands out as both relevant and reassuring, and is attracting growing interest among the French, as highlighted in a 2025 study conducted by the Fédération nationale des Caisses d'Epargne. When asked which values are most needed to build a better world, respondents most frequently cited (25% and above) values that define the cooperative model: equality, mutual support and solidarity, democracy, fairness, and social justice.
Building on its cooperative and regional structure, Caisse d'Epargne has chosen, for the first time, to launch a large-scale campaign showcasing this distinctive model. Being a Caisse d'Epargne customer means benefiting from a unique approach: the 15 regional Caisses d'Epargne operate close to their customers' needs, serving both their interests and the vitality of their local communities.
Six key strengths define this cooperative and regional model:
⦁ customers actively involved in the life of their bank, ensuring their interests are represented;
⦁ member-customers who are co-owners of their bank, with no external shareholders to remunerate;
⦁ decisions made locally;
⦁ tangible cooperative commitments formalised through the Contrat d'Utilité (Usefulness Charter);
⦁ savings reinvested locally to fund regional projects
⦁ and finally, member engagement recognised through the Caisse d’Epargne Members’ Club.
In short, this cooperative and regional model underpins Caisse d’Epargne’s brand promise: “to be useful to you.” A belief brought to life by the campaign, summed up in a simple idea: when you are a cooperative and regional bank, you are inherently more useful.
A distinctive, large-scale campaign
Created by the agency Altmann+Partners, the campaign includes a 40-second TV film and 20-second cut-downs, supported by outdoor and press executions featuring a manifesto that highlights the strengths of the Caisse d'Epargne model. The campaign is further amplified through social media and year-round institutional activations.
To creatively embody, in a simple and thought-provoking way, Caisse d'Epargne's distinctive promise — "when you are a cooperative and regional bank, you are necessarily more useful" — the campaign builds on the brand's executional territory — children's imagination — and adds a central idea designed to create impact, attribution and likability: it is the Caisse d'Epargne logo that sparks the particularly fertile and mischievous imagination of the child. The campaign calls upon the brand's historic emblem, the squirrel, to make this first expression of its model fully ownable. We thus discover squirrels that cooperate, exchange ideas, take part in decisions, and inaugurate projects that benefit the region. The film was entrusted to Adrien Armanet (Henry), delivering a surprising and joyful result, true to the spirit of Caisse d'Epargne.
The film has been airing since April 19th on TV and VOL, with a second wave scheduled for May 7th.