Are Piggy Banks Dead?
Piggy banks are an international symbol for “savings.” They have been
used as fun, friendly creative devices by financial marketers for years.
If piggy banks weren’t dead at the outset of the economic meltdown, they were probably on their way. With the relative value of loose change dropping in the eyes of today’s youth, it looked like it might be time to say goodbye to good old Mr. Piggy Bank.
Then the recession hit.
Now you have to wonder if piggy banks won’t come off life support. Deflation combined with a renewed focus on thrift will could give new hope for this venerable but weary financial icon. It could be a “Recession Resurrection,” kind of like layaway, which has also made a comeback recently.
Financial institutions can’t “own” piggy banks as a brand symbol. It’s impossible. Piggy banks are “public domain.” But that hasn’t stopped financial institutions from milking piggy banks to death in their marketing.
It sure seems like you see piggy banks everywhere in the financial industry. Take these examples:
- HSBC’s piggy bank represents “fat money”
- Two bankers in suits are real pigs
- BNZ’s herd of 3D-animated piggy banks
- One of Natwest’s many utilizations of piggy banks
- The Italians have their reliably bizarre slant on piggy banks
- Piggy banks are even popular in India
- And then there are all the other industries using piggy banks, like Toyota
Maybe it’s time to stop exploiting the coin bank cliche, regardless of whether or not piggy banks remain relevant through a recession. Perhaps the ubiquity of piggy banks precludes their use? Maybe they’re just harmless creative representations fit for any financial marketer?
What do you think?
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First time we EVER used a piggy bank was for how broken they are.
Check it:
http://www.elfcu.org/index.php?src=forms&ref=Fireyourbank
Piggy banks are dead to me. I’m sick of seeing them in every stock photo search I do for “financial growth” or “planning” or “retirement.” While I respect the fact that they are a symbol of saving or over spending, there are just too many of them out there. Little pink cuties, sure. But they are being really overworked right now. Let’s give them a rest.
Don’t forget Smarty Pig – the entire busy is based around a piggy bank! Classic example of trying to ‘own’ the piggy bank as a brand symbol.
@LB – Why are piggy banks always pink? BNZ is the only ones brave enough to experiment with different colors?
@Kate – Good one.