The Challenge
Citizens was returning for its second year supporting Queens Night Market, but awareness of the sponsorship was still low. Most attendees knew the market, but they didn’t know Citizens was the reason food stayed at $5 or $6 a plate. The brief was to change that, while being careful not to come across as corporate. QNM specifically wanted to avoid feeling “presented by a bank.” The sponsorship title said it plainly: Queens Night Market, with major support from Citizens.
The Insight
Queens Night Market isn’t just a food event. It’s 100+ independent vendors, international cuisine, local art, and live entertainment — all in one of the most culturally diverse places on earth. Citizens didn’t need to own the night. It just needed to show up as a genuine supporter of the community and culture that makes it possible. That’s a story worth telling.
What We Did
We made video assets for in-branch digital signage and social, built using footage from previous seasons and new content captured on-site. Organic and paid social posts highlighted individual QNM vendors, putting real faces and food at the center of the campaign. In-branch screens in NYC locations drove awareness of the sponsorship among existing customers. The creative leaned into the market’s own energy: diverse, affordable, and distinctly Queens.
The Result
A second-year sponsorship campaign that felt fresher than the first. Citizens showed up as a community partner, and not just a logo on a banner, which was exactly the point.
My Role: CW & Video Editor
Social
QNM Vendor Profiles - Organic Social
My Role: CW
QNM Vendor Profiles - Paid Social
My Role: CW
In-Branch Digital Signage (NYC)
Credits
CDs: Tony Gould, Matt Rockett & Ion Sokhos
AD/Designer: Andrew Ralston SmithCW: Andrew Ralston Smith
Video Editor: Katie Covino
Video Editor: Andrew Ralston Smith
