SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – May 22, 2018 – This graduation season, roughly 3.9 million Americans will strut across a stage at a college or university with a diploma in hand. Once they come off that stage, though, many will join over 44 million Americans with student debt, totaling $1.5 trillion. It’s no surprise, then, that graduating from debt can feel just as momentous as graduating from school.
In a video released today on YouTube, SoFi made that moment of relief from student debt a grand occasion for one Midwestern woman. The company surprised Candice, a SoFi member who had refinanced her student debt, with an epic surprise “debt graduation” ceremony with friends, family, and some unconventional surprises planned by the company, together with production and entertainment studio GenPop.
“We hear from our members that the day they pay off their student loans is a proud, but anticlimactic one because it’s hardly recognized,” said Joanne Bradford, chief marketing officer of SoFi. “At SoFi, we celebrate our members and their triumph over student loan debt so they can always remember their incredible achievement.”
The video shows Candice, who thought she was being flown in to Malibu, CA for a SoFi community member event, as she goes from being greeted by a marching band, seeing her friends and family who had been secretly flown in, taking in a special dance squad by celebrity choreographer Richy Jackson (Lady Gaga, Meghan Trainor), her own private graduation ceremony with Instagram-famous dog Jiffpom, to finally taking off in a hot air balloon.
“I loved collaborating with the team at SoFi to bring this film to life,” said Ben Conrad, director at GenPop. “With our background in shareable content paired with viral production knowledge, the GenPop team was able to work with SoFi to craft a film that sparks a real brand connection and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.”
Candice took on student loan debt to attend law school. By refinancing her student loans with SoFi, she was able to pay off the loans in two years.
“I’ve never had any company treat me like a rock star,” said member Candice. “I hoped for a SoFi sweatshirt and instead got the most epic surprise.”
You can watch the full video and learn more about the campaign here.
About SoFi
SoFi is a new kind of finance company taking a radical approach to lending, wealth management and insurance. From unprecedented products and tools to faster service and open conversations, we’re all about helping our members get ahead and find success. Whether they’re looking to buy a home, save money on student loans, ascend in their careers, or invest in the future, the SoFi community works to empower our members to accomplish the goals they set and achieve financial greatness as a result. For more information, visit SoFi.com.
About GenPop
At General Population we know that a story can be told in many ways. Whether it be through an experience, technology, or a film, or all of the above. Our goal with everything is to reach a wide audience and build strategies that maintain the integrity of the message while breaking into the mainstream. We are always just in front of the next big thing, through millions of views, groundbreaking films, new technologies, working with a wide range of influencers and brands, including Samsung, Dove, Gymkhana, and Beyoncé. We embrace a constantly evolving medium and welcome the opportunities to communicate in new ways.
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