In this time of financial turmoil and tight credit, it might be easy to vilify credit card companies, especially one that caters to the landed classes. But I actually think that credit card companies have a very compelling story to tell: They help us strive. And AmEx has been better than most at telling that story. Take this new ad by Ogilvy for the company:
The card that you don't want to leave home without uses the inspirational stories of four familiar faces to explain that the American Express card helps people realize their dreams by giving them, Wizard of Oz-like, the one thing they needed (but were missing) to succeed. You could argue that other credit cards do this, too, perhaps better. Other credit cards don't tell this compelling story, though. In the post-advertising age, the brands that tell the best stories win.