A mountain top view. A close-up of a hand-rolled pastry. These images, while almost pedestrian on Instagram, are hardly what you’d expect out of a finance brand.
But that’s exactly what American Express’ presence on the platform is all about: An effort to connect with an experience rather than a product. “Instagram is really about engaging — it’s so powerful because it’s so visual,” said Mark Arnold, a branding consultant who specializes in financial services companies.
With Instagram, finance companies are focusing on content that generates interaction, since peddling products outright can easily be shut out by users who may not want to see advertising on the platform.
More in Marketing
YouTube’s upmarket TV push still runs on mid-funnel DNA
YouTube is balancing wanting to be premium TV, the short-form powerhouse and a creator economy engine all at once.
Digiday ranks the best and worst Super Bowl 2026 ads
Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to reflect on the best and worst commercials from Super Bowl 2026.
In the age of AI content, The Super Bowl felt old-fashioned
The Super Bowl is one of the last places where brands are reminded that cultural likeness is easy but shared experience is earned.