Where Thanks Meet

Creative idea

When we arrive somewhere new, we learn a few local words to feel a little less like strangers. One of the first is “thank you.” A simple word that can mean more than we think. After buying a local specialty or enjoying a memorable experience, a traveller thanks the person who made it possible. The person on the other side says it for the payment. And they share a third reason to be grateful: Mastercard makes paying abroad simple, fast and secure, allowing both to enjoy the moment without interruption. “Where Thanks Meet” turns this insight into three posters that also teach travellers a useful local expression. Each features the word “thank you” in the local language, accompanied by its pronunciation and English translation. Building on Mastercard’s established visual language of overlapping circles, we discover a new intersection: gratitude. One circle reveals what the traveller is thankful for, the other what the local is thankful for. Where they meet, the words reveal what both can thank Mastercard for. The brand’s unmistakable symbol becomes a way to read the hidden meanings of a universal human gesture. Placed at airports in the featured destinations, the posters could welcome travellers with a word they can immediately put to use. But the potential of the creative concept doesn’t end there. Every country offers its own language, experiences and ways of expressing gratitude, creating endless opportunities to expand the series. From local markets to extraordinary adventures, the settings and expressions may change, but the shared intersection remains.

Agency: Wiktor Leo Burnett, Bratislava
Authors: Dávid Sontág