Singing his woes from Rikrok’s perspective, a young customer finds his bank account cleared out, after responding to a ‘Dear Customer’ email requesting account information, an email that appeared to be coming from the bank itself. The older bank manager matter-of-factly declares: "It wasn't me" and rolls off to rap, in typical Jamaican voice and diction, how hackers are always prowling on unsuspecting individuals. The lyrics blatantly list out the fundamental do’s and don’ts of online banking for the benefit of the young customer and also the viewer.
Cultural / Context information for the jury
More than half the adult population in the UAE fell victim to cyber-crime last year. The country’s strong economy and diversity of residents made it an obvious target for cyber-criminals. To complicate the situation further, the rapid rise of online shopping across the Emirates has also put many consumers in the sights of scammers. Tackling this issue was of foremost importance not just for the bank but also the national police and Government.
Tell the jury about the choice of music track.
In all fairness, this was a case where the song led to the idea. With a few tweaks to the lyrics, the song pretty much answered the brief to the T. There was no option 2. The jury is still out on why the song ‘It wasn’t me” became such a cultural sensation at the time of its release. The fact that it still regularly features in playlists at nightclubs and parties around the world is even more mind-boggling. For us, it was an absolute watershed moment to get the client and Shaggy’s sign off on our parody. From millennials to gen-z, this track has them all singing along.