Welcoming what's next at Citi

At Citi, we are the sum of our people, our experiences, our clients and our communities. Over the coming weeks and months, you'll see all that vividly on display as you watch television, browse the web or spend time on social media. I'm proud that our new commerical is a true showcase of who we are, the values we believe in and the impact we aim to achieve in our communities and on society. Whether it's our ongoing work building our own inclusive culture, supporting the efforts of our innovative and transformative clients, our commitment to sustainable cities through initiatives like Citi Bike, or our support of girls' education around the world through Malala Fund, this work is a tangible demonstration of what Citi stands for. Citi Welcome What's Next is an accurate portrayal of the firm we are today: forward-looking, optimistic and prepared, in a world full of change and new challenges. Our tagline reflects the choice we all need to make: whether or not to embrace the future. To learn more about the real-world examples of our work portrayed in the video, I encourage you to visit Citi Progress Maker Stories.

When you watch, you may notice our new ad's distinctive soundtrack, which is inspired by our sonic identity. This marks a new facet of Citi's branding, an aural interpretation of the Citi brand that will be used company-wide to identify who we are via sound. Today, brands are built through immersive, intuitive experiences that engage emotions and all of the senses. Branded sound and music are powerful tools for creating emotional connections to what we do. With the support of colleagues from across the firm, we have developed a new Citi sonic identity, including a proprietary anthem, logo and tracks that will enhance our brand experience. You will notice Citi's sonic branding over the coming months as we continue to integrate it into many of our client touchpoints.

Citi's firm-wide commitment to diversity and inclusion is also embedded in our new commercial. Citi is proud to partner with the Association of National Advertisers on the #SeeHer initiative, to eliminate unconscious bias in advertising and media, through the accurate portrayal of girls and women. Living up to our #SeeHer commitment, you'll notice the prominence of female characters in the story's most important roles, and a female narrator telling Citi's brand story. Less visible is the fact that our sonic identity was composed by a female-led orchestra. Citi's commitment is more than an ad, and I'm most proud of our teams around the world who consistently apply these values as we work to enable growth and economic progress in the communities we serve.