With financial scams rife and large volumes of unsolicited advice online, it can be difficult for consumers to know who or what to trust. The Financial Conduct Authority is striving to protect consumers' finances with a new Firm Checker tool and marketing campaign titled, ‘Check if it’s real, before you seal the deal’.

The absurdist campaign, created by  M+C Saatchi, enlists the help of a seal named Emil to slap sense into consumers. The campaign uses shock and humour to remind consumers to pause and do some research before they go on to make risky financial decisions. 

Seven-foot-tall seal, Emil, is the star of a hero campaign film directed by Thomas Ormonde at ProdCo. Emil pops up in everyday situations, presenting himself to consumers seconds away from making risky financial decisions. 

Emil's looming physical presence causes people to stop before he slaps them with his fin to make sure they do their checks before committing any money. The spot is paired with a bespoke music track designed to build tension, combining eerie and romantic tones.

The memorable film sees Emil the Seal act as a visual reminder to consumers to stop and check whether a financial firm is legitimate before they seal any deal. 

“Scams impact people across the UK every single day – so this campaign needed real impact. Quite literally. So, what better way to give people a wake-up call than a seven-foot seal, showing up to remind people to check if a company is real, before they seal the deal? All with the help of the new Firm Checker,” explains Guy Bradbury, Creative Partner at M+C Saatchi UK.

The seal is an animatronic build designed, sculpted and engineered as a physical creation rather than using CGI. It is made from fibreglass and rubber and stands at seven feet tall.

Raising awareness of scams, the campaign drives awareness of the FCA’s financial tool, a practical checking tool to use when investing or borrowing. 

Puncturing the silence around scams with a seven-foot seal, the memorable campaign drives meaningful action to help consumers protect against scams.