The ever-innovative Umpqua Bank peddles this thing around community events and branch grand openings giving away free ice cream. Free frozen treats with zero emissions.

ING DIRECT (Canada) – Material Girl

ING hired acapella singing sensation Naya Marie to cover Madonna’s “Material Girl.” The one-woman performance is something you have to see. She does the bass line, beatbox, echo, background vocals and lead all by herself. It’s really amazing, and incredibly well produced. The message: It’s a material world out there, so save your money.

ING DIRECT – MADONNA ‘MATERIAL GIRL’ BY NAYA MARIE

Banco Sabadell – The Mobile Life

This two-minute video is one of the best representations of what banking in the modern age should look like from the consumer’s perspective — quite literally, it’s all shot from a first-person point of view. The bank is using the video as part of a broader campaign to position itself as a leader in remote- and mobile banking services. They’ve got everything covered: iPhones, iPads, remote deposits, mobile apps, ATM finder,

BANCO SABADELL – MOBILE BANKING LIFESTYLE VIDEO

Ubank – Bad Habits

UBank, the online bank from NAB in Australia, ran this ad campaign looking at people’s bad habits, like chewing on pens or doodling in meetings. UBank encourages its customers to replace a bad habit with something that is actually good for them — a savings habit. The campaign includes a 30-second TV spot, print ads and a Facebook contest.

UBANK – BAD HABITS

Michigan First Credit Union – Mariachi Band

The credit union had a fiesta in its drive-through with a live mariachi band that popped out of the bushes to surprise members.

MICHIGAN FIRST – MARIACHI BAND

Merchants Bank – Vermont Matters

This bank has been aligning its brand with all things local in Vermont for quite a few years now. in this installment of the image campaign, Merchants Bank created cool retro posters for its business banking customers. The posters convey a sense of legacy, history, ruggedness and (of course) local Vermont flavor.

Queensland Teachers’ Credit Union – Zest Over 50

The credit union designed a suite of products specifically for its 50+ members. They produced this point-of-sale, brochure and direct mail campaign that put a fairytale spin on approaching retirement. “Zest — The Wonderful World of Fifty Plus” is the theme wrapping a beautiful and unique series of illustrations.

Bank Audi – Go Out There

[Please note: If you live in the U.S., the ad agency that produced this spot, Leo Burnett Beirut, won't allow you to watch it. Too bad too, because it was kind of a cool ad. Thumbs down to censorship.] This one-minute long TV commercial tracks the life of an average 20-something as navigates his way through the world. The spot’s sound effects and choppy visual style deliberately evokes the 8-bit video games of yesteryear. “The Wheel of Life” soundtrack was written and composed exclusively for Bank Audi.

BANK AUDI – GO OUT THERE

Nebraska Credit Union League – Better Your Money Rickshaw

The league takes this charming green rickshaw around various community events offering people free rides while handing out koozies, shirts, buttons, brochures and other goodies to promote Nebraska’s credit unions.

NEBRASKA CU LEAGUE – BETTER YOUR MONEY RICKSHAW

ANZ – The Mentalist

One of Australia’s big four banks, ANZ launched this global branch campaign in July 2011. TV spots star The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane. Oddly, the Aussie celebrity uses his character’s American accent, a creative decision that has irritated thousands of Australians. Why hire an Aussie to push an Australian bank if he’s going to speak American?

In character, Jane reads people’s minds, he knows what people are thinking about banks: they want simplicity, they want their bank to be more human, more real, more creative, more innovative. You can see a couple more TV spots in the campaign here and here.

ANZ – PATRICK JANE FROM THE MENTALIST

ANZ – In a Perfect World

The campaign that The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane replaced had much more “life” to it. DDB New Zealand created a hilarious series of ads for a bank called ANZ. The message? Life is not perfect, but if you bank with us, it will suck less. It identifies with consumers, attacking their sore spots. There are a couple more spots in the series here: “Access” and “Home.”

ANZ BANK – TRAVEL HASSLES

Montgomery Bank & Trust – Pineapple Logo

Picking a pineapple for a logo wouldn’t be that unusual… for a bank in Hawaii. But Montgomery is in Georgia. They say they picked a pineapple because it symbolizes hospitality and warm welcome.

BB&T – Soap

Many years ago, BB&T used this premium soap arrangement as a promotional tool with high end customers. These days, it seems a bit ironic that a bank would be giving away soap. Even back then it was probably a little strange.

Standard Chartered – Cultural Differences

Like all international business banks, Standard Chartered struggles to articulate its advantages. One of the familiar themes you’ll see in global banking is cultural sensitivity, as conveyed in this ad by the various forms of headwear seen in different countries. Does it sound a little like the strategy HSBC uses?

Affinity Bank – Bizarre Outhouse Newspaper Ad

This ad is a disjointed wreck. A bank branch that’s an outhouse. Huh? People waiting in line. A dog chewing on a roll of toilet paper. Huh? A sign that says, “Welcome to the 21st century.” Another sign touts money market accounts at 1.4%. The body copy talks about mobile banking services? Huh? And aren’t newspaper ads a thing of the past? Especially when pushing mobile solutions?

Comerica Bank – Business Banking

These full-page magazine ads use large photos of anonymous business stereotypes: the older white male, the younger hipster, the no-nonsense CFO and the Indian techie. The ads look like testimonials, but no names or businesses are listed for any of the actors. Headlines ask questions like “Does your bank move as fast as business?” and “Whose business is your bank trying to grow, yours or theirs?” Other headlines offer more generic rhetoric: “Today’s CFO has to manage more than just money,” and “Understanding your business? Actually, there’s not an ‘app’ for that.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Financial institutions celebrated for their marketing excellence are most often the same ones that enjoy exceptional growth. Of the 14 credit unions whose projects are showcased below, they have collectively averaged 22.8% asset growth and a 15.2% increase in membership since 2007. One credit union, Dupaco, has seen it assets shoot up 94.3% in four years while adding 21.4% to its membership. That’s a credit union that not only get marketing, they clearly grasp member profitability as well.

Mountain America – Word Magnets

This brilliantly simple table-top display for investment services uses magnetic poetry to engage the credit union members in a fun way. If it included a call-to-action or takeaway, it would be perfect. This marketing savvy credit union has added over 91,000 new members in four years, or 35%. (Diamond Award)

Velocity Credit Union – BankSchmank.com

This microsite has an edgy URL and funny videos. It’s a good example of bank-bashing done right. The microsite includes a link to Velocity’s online switch kit. (Diamond Award)

Western Sun FCU – $100 Bills

This small credit union in Oklahoma may be walking a legal tightrope with the US Treasury, but since they aren’t reproducing entire $100 bills, then maybe they are in the clear? It really doesn’t matter what they printed on the insides of these nifty little marketing tricks. People probably read the whole message no matter what. (Merit Award)

Bethpage – Freestanding Floor Display for Auto Loans”

When was the last time you produced branch merchandising like this? If more financial institutions thought like retailers, we’d see more life-size displays like this one for Bethpage. The credit union has its two spokeswomen — “Beth” and “Paige” — popping out of a sunroof to promote auto refinancing. Note the Bethpage logo chromed in the car’s grill. Nice touch. (Merit Award)

Arizona State Credit Union – The Great Getaway Giveaway

This direct mail piece is cleverly disguised as a piece of luggage. It opens with a flap-fold to reveal the offer and sweepstakes details. (Merit Award)

Linn Area Credit Union – We Are Family

Real members like Candy Mitchell tell their story, drawing correlations between the importance of family and the credit union’s small, hometown atmosphere. People like Mrs. Mitchell make ideal spokespeople; they are authentic and believable — two things financial institutions typically struggle with. The credit union’s TV series won the CUNA competition’s top award in 2011. This scrappy little credit union has grown from $150 million in assets in 2007 to almost $250 million today.

LINN AREA CREDIT UNION – CANDY MITCHELL
A member testimonial that feels both genuine and credible.

BECU – “Move It or Lose It”

This multi-billion dollar credit union won a Merit Award for its spot on switching. They’ve used their toe-tapping rock music and signature visual style since at least 2009. BECU also won a Diamond Award for “Dream,” and another Merit Award for “Lower It.” Since 2007, BECU has grown by more than 150,000 new members.

BECU – MOVE IT OR LOSE IT
A spot that engages both visually and aurally, with a message that drives at people’s bottom line.

Orange County’s Credit Union – Mobile Banking Merchandising

To catch consumers’ attention these days, retail merchandising needs to be exciting and multi-dimensional. This table-top display from Orange County’s Credit Union proves that it takes more creativity than budget to make an engaging, on-message display. (Diamond Award)

Community First – Owner’s Manual

To augment its on-boarding process, this credit union created an attractive welcome kit with unusual print pieces and bright colors. (Diamond Award)

FivePoint Credit Union – Little Yellow T-Shirt

Direct mail isn’t dead. You just need to use a little creativity. Here’s a tip: Do anything you can to avoid sending plain 9×6 postcards or standard 8.5×11 letters. Always try to add a little pizzazz, a touch of flair to your direct mail pieces. The translucent envelope, tangy yellow color and odd shaped enclosure in this example undoubtedly increased response rates. (Merit Award)

Arizona State Credit Union – “Freebut”

A print ad mocks banks who pretend they offer “free” checking. It won a Merit Award for this $1.2 billion credit union.

STCU – My Life. My Money.

An attractive, well-designed kit of parts for this $1.5 billion dollar credit union’s youth marketing program. STCU has seen aggressive growth in the last four years, with assets up almost 60% and new members up by 32%. (Diamond Award)

Dupaco – Internal Marketing Campaign

Dupaco Community Credit Union wraps its internal marketing to staff around the mantra “Know. Show. Grow.” This kit outlines the training cycle new employees can anticipate in their first 90 days. Since 2007, this credit union’s assets nearly doubled to just shy of $1 billion and membership has grown 21.4%. (Diamond Award)

Teachers Credit Union – School Year Planner

Many credit unions seem to have forgotten how to market to their SEGs. But this credit union went out of their way to produce elaborate planning kits for its members — mostly teachers. They even created a sheet of stickers teachers could use with students: “Nice work,” “Great job,” “A+,” etc. (Diamond Award)

Grow Financial – Bugg Club

The kit of materials for this $1.7 billion credit union’s youth program was honored with a Merit Award. It’s got a cute theme and a cute title.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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ING DIRECT Italy developed this series of interactive human billboards to demonstrate the bank’s success hinged largely on customers’ word of mouth referrals. Real people were attached to billboards, posters on walls and ads on buses, striking up dialogue with passersby. In Italy, ING replaces its iconic orange ball for a pumpkin. (May 2010)

ING DIRECT – HUMAN BUS AD

Watch a guy attached to an ING bus ad chat it up with people in cars, on bikes, on foot and even passengers inside the bus. (48 seconds)

TC Bank – Dream Rangers

Based on a real story, a group of old men decide to revisit their motorcycling youth after one of their own passes away. Nearly two million people have watched this 3-minute epic, which goes to show you that folks will give banks their time if they have a compelling story to tell.

TC BANK – DREAM RANGERS

Bank marketing doesn’t usually make you cry…unless it’s really bad. But this will probably make you squirt a tear or two because it’s that good.

FirstBank – Glow-in-the-Dark Billboard

Travelers returning to Denver after a day in the mountains saw this glow-in-the-dark billboard advertising FirstBank’s 24/7 phone support. The 14‘ x 48‘ billboard uses electro-luminescent vinyl (EL) to glow in two colors, a cool green and the bank’s signature orange. Created by TDA_Boulder. (Winter 2010)

Bankia – Brand Video

You don’t need to speak Spanish to find this bank’s video about its brand interesting and well-produced, although you have to wonder who it was made for. Some 30,000 people have already watched it.

BANKIA- BRAND VIDEO

ING Bank – Transparent Ad

ING takes the idea of transparency literally in this ad for its German banking arm. They printed this semi-transparent ad over the top of confusing stock quotes. Loosely translated it says, “ING DiBa and You – when you’re looking for transparency.” The tagline “Die Bank und Du” (pronounced “Dee bank unt doo”) means “The Bank and You.” (September 2010)

AXA Bank – Giant QR Code

Belgian bank AXA used thousands of paint cans to create a giant QR code for this billboard. Everyone who scanned the code was taken to a mobile site where they could find out about the “Triple Advantage” home renovation loan. You can watch a short video showing how they did it here. (Fall 2010)

AXA BANK – GIANT QR CODE

Barclays – Bike Lanes

In a rare marketing partnership between government and a big bank, Barclays Cycle Superhighways are new bike lanes from London’s outskirts into the city’s center. Two lanes have been launched, with another two coming in summer 2011 and the remaining eight by 2015. There’s a thorough video description of the project here. (Summer 2010)

First Community Credit Union – Freezing Dummy

This billboard teased people with a new image for the credit union. It appeared as if a worker installing the billboard was freezing in weather that dipped as low as -40° below, when really it was just a mannequin dressed up in reflective garb. The copy reads, “We’re rolling out a new image (keep watching).” (January 2011)

BankWest – Happy Banking Store Renovations

You don’t often see a bank running TV spots about their intentions to remodel its branches. BankWest serves Western Australia (WA) — that’s the left side, opposite Sydney — with over 100 locations. There’s another spot about the bank’s renovations here. (Early 2011)

BANKWEST – HAPPY RENOVATIONS

The announcer says, “We’re on a mission to spread happier banking right across our home state. To start with, we’re improving all our WA stores.” A talking sun chimes in, “People are happier when things are brighter.” A talking teddy bear has more modest desires, “People are also happier when the coffee’s hot.” When one branch has been remodeled, a BankWest’s spokesman says, “One down, 100 to go.”

BofA – Hispanic Food Truck

The Financial Brand published this BofA ad once before, but quickly pulled it down after wondering if it was a Photoshopped prank. Nope. It’s for real. From the advertiser’s perspective, it could be seen as “a mobile banking ad honoring the Hispanic audience and embracing diversity.” Or it could be sending a message that “Mexicans are working-class nobodies who line up at taco trucks.” Either way, the guy in the ad doesn’t look too happy, and neither are many other Hispanic Americans in Southern California where the ads ran.

For contrast, a different version of this ad featuring a blonde Caucasian woman reads, “I can bank while I wait for my agent to call.” She’s just loafing around, looking beautiful and waiting for that next big movie contract, while the Hispanic dude has to queue up for a machaca burrito? You could call it “demographic lifestage marketing,” but others have called it racist. (2010)

Bank of the West – A Big Deal Out of Fine Print

In an effort to differentiate its brand voice from other financial institutions, Bank of the West decided to call attention to its disclosures — the “fine print” which other banks try to tuck and hide. “Bank of the West would like to talk to you right up front about our asterisk,” starts one radio spot. The campaign targets potential customers ages 25-45 who have recently changed jobs, moved, or married, since they are the most likely to switch banks. Agency: Heat SF. (February 2011)

Summit Credit Union – Haunted Hustle Money Tree

Summit Credit Union joined the ranks of other banks and credit unions to use “money trees” as a guerilla stunt. The Haunted Hustle is an annual run held around Halloween. (October 2010)

SUMMIT CREDIT UNION – MONEY TREE

A short video that nicely captures people’s surprise and delight at finding a tree loaded with free money.

The Adams National Bank – Abigail

Adams National Bank was named after Abigail Adams — a quirky, unique lady, who was married to John Adams, the nation’s second President. The bank’s agency, Bra!nwave, used Abigail, a prim and proper Victorian spokeswoman, to connote the bank’s conservative approach in an attention-getting style.

Camden National Bank – Everyone Needs an Anchor

Camden National’s identity has included the image of an anchor for more than 100 years, an image suggesting the bank’s coastal Maine heritage. Research conducted by Camden’s agency, Kemp Goldberg, found the metaphor of an anchor aligned with people’s perceptions of the bank — a source of support and stability. The campaign features real Mainers, and used the theme line “Everyone needs an anchor.” There’s a TV spot here. (February 2011)

Fidelity Bank – LifeDesign

What is LifeDesign? According to the bank, they developed “this proprietary process that Financial Designers utilize to understand your specific financial circumstances and develop a custom solution that will assist you in achieving the financial goals and dreams of yourself or your business.”

“We are quite excited about this new campaign which conveys the essence of our unique LifeDesign approach,” Ed Manzi, Chairman/CEO of Fidelity Bank, said in a press release. “The messages are ones that echo what our employees communicate to our clients every day – we are here to listen and find the best financial solutions for them.” (Fall 2010)

HSBC – Good Luck Figuring These Ads Out

These ads are a far cry from HSBC’s advertising glory days as “The World’s Local Bank.” Did you know that 80% of life on earth is in the ocean? And that Sweden is the world’s most charitable nation? Wow… And FYI – HSBC helps the world reach its potential.

RakBank – Cashback Bugs

A strangely compelling yet bizarre commercial starring animated bugs. The plot is a little hard to follow, but the music is infectiously toe-tapping. The message: You get 5% cash back on purchases with RakBank Titanium credit cards.

RAKBANK – CASHBACK BUGS

An animated caterpillar (?) spies a female, but strikes out because he’s an unfashionable loser. A few purchases later, he’s sporting enough bling to capture her attention. But he flies away.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Australia’s Ad Standards Board has cleared this commercial featuring gay male partners (business or personal) who moan about late payments and clients’ typical excuses. Gay rights activists complained that the ad used “gay stereotypes.” Hello…? Advertisers have been using stereotypes forever; that’s what advertisers (and comedians) do, whether it be “blue collar workers,” “soccer moms” or “pierced-and-tattooed slacker delivery guys.” Regulators ruled that “the men are presented in a manner which, although somewhat stereotypically effeminate, focuses on their frustrations as business owners and is not negative.”

WESTPAC – CHEQUE’S IN THE MAIL

Two gay men (presumably clothiers) wryly mock the tired, lame excuses commonly heard by businesspeople when they are getting jerked around over payment.

Continental Bank – Lame ‘Duck’ Ad

This ad is pretty bad. On the left side, someone hands an umbrella to a business man with a question mark above his head. A flock of birds flies in from the right. The copy reads, “We try to get to you with solutions before you realize you need them. By being prepared and informed, we’ve got you covered no matter what’s on the horizon.” The slogan says “Anticipating the needs of business.” The ad agency’s art director may love this kind ad, but the concept is so complicated, the execution is so subtle, and the copy is so small that the message simply isn’t getting across. “We try to give you an umbrella before birds poop on you.” Great, thanks.

Halifax Bank – Maybe the UK’s Most Hated Campaign

Halifax Bank’s ad campaign is set in a fictional radio station dubbed Halifax FM. Ads star the bank’s employees broadcasting musically-enhanced messages to customers in a pop radio morning show parody. The spots try to be amusing and lighthearted, but they just seem to grate people’s nerves. For instance, there are some 226,000 results for “I hate Halifax adverts” on Google. The uproar may have cost the ad agency its relationship with Halifax. Take a look for yourself and see what you think.

HALIFAX BANK – ISA ISA BABY
This spot uses “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice to make its point.

HALIFAX BANK – HIGH FIVE
A parody of morning radio, with lots of high fives to Spandau Ballet’s “Gold.”

HALIFAX BANK – REWARD HORN
Would you rather have the annoying gong? Or the annoying tuba?

First National Bank – Bessie the Volkswagen Bus

This 1961 Volkswagen is the official bus of First National Bank of Central Alabama. According to Bessie’s Facebook page, her mission it to “use my unique abilities and characteristics for promoting the best bank in Alabama.” It’s a clever and unexpected way to connote a range of brand characteristics: austerity, stability, durability, frugality, thriftiness, etc. The bank comes across as small, friendly and approachable. Note: a credit union in Utah has also used a stretched VW bug limo as part of its marketing mix (although it was tie-dyed).

MidWest America FCU – Zamboni

If you know what a Zamboni is, you’ll probably think this unconventional advertising “vehicle” is fan-tastic.

President’s Choice Financial – Fee Protest

President’s Choice Financial staged quasi-protests with signage and employee apparel bearing the message, “Stop paying bank fees.” The campaign included TV, print, online, in-store and out-of-home components, making it the largest run by the financial institution in 12 years. President’s Choice has some ties to CIBC, but it is independently owned and operated by Canadian food giant Loblaw (hence the shopping carts in the photo). They are direct competitors of ING DIRECT.

Chase – Homepage QR Code

Here’s a first. QR codes are supposed to be used in offline media, like print and outdoor…right? Not so. Netbanker spotted this QR code on Chase’s homepage. The banner ad promotes the bank’s new Android mobile banking app. Android smart phone users could scan the ad’s QR code to download the app. The idea of pointing your phone at your computer to take a picture seems somehow strange though.

Barclays – Christmas QR Code

The retail banking sector continues to toy around with QR codes. For Christmas 2010, Barclays stuck a large QR code in the shape of a snowflake in the windows of its branches. Scan the QR code with your smart phone and it decoded to “Happy Christmas from all of us at Barclays.” However, the blue-on-blue treatment didn’t have enough contrast to work for some phone’s code readers.

BBVA – Facebook Friend Request

Visible Banking spotted this large banner on a BBVA branch in Austin, inviting passersby to become friends on Facebook. The copy reads, “Welcome to Austin, Facebook! Friend Request: We’d like to be your bank.”

TFCU – Choose Your Style of Banking

TFCU has two websites to choose from, each with a totally different look but containing the same information. The choice is between the “corporate look” and the “Gen-Y look.” The Gen-Y site is a bright, colorful veneer applied to the corporate website. Using CSS, a financial institution could theoretically have unlimited “reskinned” versions of its website — one for each strategic target audience and/or promotion.

ING DIRECT – More Bang for the Buck

The amusing turn-of-phrase on this billboard for the Orange Savings Account helps reinforce ING DIRECT’s brand focus on thrift and value.

Crocker Bank – Jingle Leads to Carpenters Hit

Remember that famous 70s song, “We’ve Only Just Begun?” Well, The Carpenters didn’t write it. Crocker Bank had an ad campaign designed to appeal to young newlywed couples, so they hired lyricist Paul Williams to write a song conveying the start of a new life in marriage. The Carpenters saw the Crocker spot on TV, called Williams, and had him turn the 30-second jingle into a full song. The rest, as they say, is history.

CROCKER BANK – WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN (1970)
How many times has a bank’s jingle spawned a #1 pop hit? Probably just this once.

ASB – Yellow Art

These print ads for ASB’s “Creating Futures” campaign gave up-and-coming artists, designers, typographers and illustrators the opportunity to get mass media exposure by “interpreting ASB’s manifesto.” The New Zealand bank used the style of adverting shown below until late 2010, replacing the approach with its “Hello” campaign.

Frost Bank – Texas BBQ

Frost Bank has never pretended to be anything but Texan. Their brand and its advertising are steeped in Texas culture. This TV spot shows Frost bankers arguing about the “right way” to BBQ — a holy tradition in Texas. The message: Frost’s staff are Texans first, bankers second. You can see a couple more good examples of Frost’s uniquely Texan ads here and here.

FROST BANK – TEXAS BBQ

“Pork is not BBQ,” argues one banker. “I’m assuming everyone cooks it with the fat side up,” says another. Another banker disagrees, “Fat side down.”

PNC – Virtual World for Virtual Wallet

This campaign for PNC uses 3D illustration and animates everyday objects to celebrate features of the bank’s online personal financial management tool “Virtual Wallet.” You can see two other spots in the series here and here.

PNC – VIRTUAL WALLET WISH LIST

Animated everyday objects float around to help tell the story of PNC’s online personal financial management tool “Virtual Wallet.”

Security Service FCU – Website Redesign

The credit union’s new homepage design sports a clean and completely visual interface. It was developed by the web design team at Catapult Systems.

Westpac – VIP Banking

To celebrate the grand opening of a new “VIP Banking” location in Sydney, Westpac created these large posters for bus stop shelters near the branch. Ultra-luxury items including a yacht, limo and private jet are bent at 90° to convey the message that “VIP Banking” is right around the corner.

Delta Community Credit Union – Fuzzy Dice

A hip-hop soundtrack plays underneath an announcer who says, “It’s a big, big country, so you need wheels. No matter who you are or where you work, you can find low rates and easy terms. Qualify soon, and we’ll throw in a free pair of fuzzy dice. That’s how we roll.”

DELTA COMMUNITY CU – FUZZY DICE
A 30-second rate ad for auto loans. “That’s how we roll.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Visa – Salt & Pinkie

Visa uses finger puppets with bling to parody 80’s pop sensation Salt-n-Pepa in this wild TV spot. It’s hard to believe this is a real spot from the plastics giant.

VISA – SALT & PINKIE
Push it real good.

AXA – Bringing Print Ads to Life with iAds

To support the launch of its new iPhone app, European insurance giant AXA produced a series of print ads that spring to life when you lay your iPhone on them. Ads in newspapers and magazines show photos of bizarre car accidents, except part of the photo is missing. You have to place your iPhone on the ad to discover what happened. Watch the video below to see how it works. It’s a cool idea.

AXA – INTERACTIVE PRINT AD
A one-minute video explaining how the interactive print ads come to life with iPhones.

Standard Chartered – The Journey

“The Journey” is Standard Chartered Bank’s quarterly online wealthy management magazine. It is slick, with its 3D revolving interface — very cool. It’s one of the most interesting online publications you’ve seen from a financial institution.

Barlcays – Rollercoaster Extreme Game for iPhones/iPads

Barclays is following up the success of their Barclaycard Waterslide Extreme game (which was downloaded some 12 million times) with Rollercoaster Extreme, available free for both iPhones and iPads. In Rollercoaster Extreme, the character rides through four New York environments, avoiding the obstacles and racing against the clock. The four all time top scorers will be sent on a trip to Las Vegas for the Rollercoaster Extreme game playoffs in January 2011 for the chance to win £50,000. This is at least the third really cool game Barclays has released recently, clearly indicating the bank’s strategy to target young, tech savvy consumers through interactive video games. Have you seen 53 Sage Street? If not, you need to check it out now. Agencies: Fishlabs, Dare (both UK).

BARCLAYS – ROLLERCOASTER EXTREME
Watch this video overview and you’ll have to admit: It looks fun.

Chemical Bank – U-Pick ‘Em Loans

This makeshift series of billboards on the side of the road in a farmer’s field is exactly what great outdoor advertising is all about: environmental context.

CHEMICAL BANK – MAKING OF U-PICK BILLBOARDS
This short video shows how the guerilla-style campaign came together.

PSCU – Watermelon vs. Grape

If you want to make a unique ad in the financial space, you have to dump actors and all those images of people. That’s what Public Service Credit Union did in this fresh and clever TV spot. They used a watermelon as a metaphor for a “big bank” that’s about to crush the “little guy,” a puny grape. Credit unions should take note: This is how you sell “the CU difference,” not by telling people about abstract concepts like “people helping people” — you show them.

PSCU – WATERMELON VS. GRAPE

“The big banks have been rolling over the little guy for far too long. But what can one little guy do? Well if that one little guy joins a bunch of other little guys, they can make a big difference. And if every little guy joined a credit union, the big banks wouldn’t be so big anymore, now would they?”

Central 1 – What Is a Credit Union

A series of one-minute videos from Central 1, a trade group for credit unions in British Columbia, explain what credit unions are, what a credit union can do for you, and what credit unions do for the community. The stop-motion cinematography is both distinctive and visually engaging. It’s somewhere between the style of Rudolph’s Christmas story and the zaniness of MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch. Views: 1,394.

CENTRAL 1 – WHAT IS A CREDIT UNION
What do cows have to do with credit unions (or the rest of the campaign)? Who knows.

Goldman Sachs – Gorgeous Recruitment Ads

While the Goldman may not have the foggiest idea how to improve its brand reputation with ads, the investment behemoth definitely knows how to put together a killer recruitment campaign. The bank knows the only way it’s going to stay on top is by attracting the brightest minds in finance, and manages its brand with job seekers and college grads accordingly. Agency: Clark Moss.

Meritrust – Lifestyle Collage

The Financial Brand continues to be impressed with the number of credit unions who are able to professionally execute TV spots with a stream-of-consciousness collage. (You can see how a Georgia credit union executed this same approach here.)

MERITRUST – “SHAWN & ANDREA”
You can see two other spots here and here.

Fifth Third – Shirts or Skins

If you’re a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals, you’ll probably like this spot. If you don’t like looking at fat, shirtless guys, you might not. The ad promotes “Bengals Checking.” The account features a debit card with a badass Bengals design. Agency: Olson.

FIFTH THIRD – ARE YOU A BENGALS FAN?
There’s another spot starring a grandma.

ING DIRECT – Touch the Ball

ING DIRECT’s signature orange corporate “ball” comes to life in a series of fictional interventions. The ball becomes a metaphorical financial elixir, as one person hands the ball to someone else who desperately needs to make their financial life easier. “Here…touch the ball.” You can see two other spots in the series here and here.

ING DIRECT – “INTERVIEW”
This one involves a toilet flush sound effect.
There just isn’t enough bathroom humor in bank ads.

MB Financial – Pink is the New Red

The banks pays tribute to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by temporarily retheming its signature “Red Checking” high-interest microsite and wrapping a pink ribbon around its logo.

Barclays – Turning the Corner

The body copy in these attractive ads make a sharp right turn to support the clichéd headline. Between the type size and typesetting, they aren’t the easiest to read, but they are pretty and different. The copy reads: “It’s important to remain upbeat in a downturn. It’s a chance to re-evaluate, reinvigorate and even thrive. At Barclays Corporate, we’re helping thousands of businesses prepare for a brighter future.” Agency: BBH London.

National Bank NZ – Going Places

An uplifting and empowering TV spot with a limerick about going places — a triumphant celebration of doing what you want. There’s a nice subsite too.

NATIONAL BANK NZ – “GOING PLACES”

Western & Southern Financial – Strength

The announcer withstands attacks from a sumo wrestler, a charging elephant and a wrecking ball while telling viewers how strong the bank is. He cites the bank’s AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s. But hey, wait a second… Aren’t those the same bozos that rated mortgage-backed turds AAA+?

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL – ‘STRENGTH’

“After all the financial world has faced, we still earned a AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s.” Great…so that makes them a little less safe than a credit default swap?

Community Bank – Look, It’s a Home Equity Ad!

Recently, it seemed home equity promotions were nearing extinction. This beast was once commonly found in the pages of newspapers across the country… You know, back when there were newspapers and people actually had equity in their homes? Very rare these days.

Washington Federal – Old vs. New Logo

The bank says the new logo reflects its core values. “Same colors but a more direct statement. It says who we are and reflects our core values in the tag line,” a spokeswoman told the Albany Democrat Herald. “We’re a neighbor-to-neighbor operation. And we’re invested in all our communities.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Rabo Plus – Sex Appeal

World-renowned ad agency Ogilvy came up with this racy spot for RaboPlus (now RaboDirect) and their 8% term deposit back in 2007. The Australian Advertising Standards Authority rejected a complaint accusing the bank of using sex in a gratuitous manner. Australian law prohibits advertisers from portraying people in such a way as to use sex appeal simply to draw attention to an unrelated product.

RABOPLUS – MY NUMBERS CHANGED

Ummm, what does a gorgeous woman getting dressed have to do with an 8% term deposit?

Pacific Service Credit Union – Postcard PURLs

This postcard campaign utilized PURLs (Personalized URLs) — custom, personalized websites unique to each addressee, such as www.SarahCeccin.goPSCU.com as shown in the example. The design style is decidedly unstuffy.

PACIFIC SERVICE CREDIT UNION – PURLS
The credit union offered a $50 iTunes gift card with new checking accounts.

Umpqua Bank – Welcome Gift

To promote the grand opening of its latest branch, Umpqua Bank sent a street team out to deliver small plants to people’s doorsteps. The lead message on the note: “It’s not every day that you get something nice from a bank.” This was accompanied by an invitation to the branch “to say hello, pickup a free bag of Umpqua Blend coffee and bank like you live.”

UMPQUA BANK – WELCOME GIFT

The houseplant delivered to houses announcing Umpqua’s newest location. The little round card stuck in dirt includes a map to the branch. The plastic plant marker includes the contact info of the business where the plant was purchased.

FirstBank – Kiddy Treadmill

TDA Advertising & Design came up with this clever airport ad. A round, plexiglass poster with the headline, “Tire your kids out so they sleep on the plane,” rotates 360°. Kid-sized handprints appear three-and-a-half feet above the floor. Above them, the instructions, “Have children place hand here.” The signboard makes one revolution every 30 seconds. The advertising is intended to “amuse and befriend” traveling parents, the agency said. It’s a great example of how consideration should always be made for the media and context in which an ad run.

1STBANK – AIRPORT KIDDY TREADMILL

Eaton Family Credit Union – Credit Unions by the Numbers

Credit unions bicker all the time about what a national campaign might look like in their industry. It’s a red herring. This simple video captures much of what credit unions could be communicating in a collective, cohesive, coordinated nationwide campaign, and does so in a mere 51 seconds. The data presented here is much more compelling and relevant to consumers than the oft-recited touchy-feely themes preached by the movement’s more devout clerics. This is what you call “bottom-line marketing.”

EATON CREDIT UNION – CREDIT UNIONS BY THE NUMBERS

Eaton Family didn’t make this video, but it sure makes an effective, logical case to join a credit union — any credit union. Would it be better with a different soundtrack?

People’s Trust Credit Union – Flash Annual Report

The credit union made an online, interactive, animated cartoon of its 2009 annual report. More people would read annual reports if they were like this (i.e., less dull). For dry financial data, this Flash-based presentation is about as fun as it gets…that is, without undermining the institution’s message or sense of professionalism.

PEOPLE’S TRUST – FLASH ANNUAL REPORT

Key members of the credit union’s senior leadership have been turned into cartoon characters in this interactive annual report. There’s also a cool bonus feature: The website and all of its animations are fully scalable.

Commonwealth Bank – We Return Phone Calls

The Australian banking giant adopted a distinctive story-telling concept along with a new style of black-and-white imagery earlier in 2010. In its latest TV spots, the bank promises to call its customers back (which has some Aussies rolling their eyes with a sour “whoopty doo”), and then takes a stab at humor with a talking dog. It seems like Commonwealth has yet to strike the right chord in its relationship with an American ad agency. Via: The Saatchi Daily Banking Blog.

COMMONWEALTH BANK – CALL YOU BACK

One blogger asks, “Is this what it’s come to? Have banks gotten so arrogant in their lack of service that just returning a phone call when promised is something that separates you as different?”

La Capitol – New Brand Look

Third Degree Advertising developed this new brand identity for La Capitol FCU (pronounced “lah CAP-ah-tul”) in Louisiana, using the tagline “Together We Thrive” (which, coincidentally, is the same slogan recently chosen by another credit union). The new look is comfortingly traditional. The website doesn’t look like it’s got its makeover yet though.

LA CAPITOL – NEW BRAND IDENTITY

LA CAPITOL – BRAND VIDEO
Third Degree created this brand video, and a condensed it into a :30 version for TV.

Umpqua Bank – Sale

Umpqua Bank, perhaps the most retail savvy financial institution in North America, has been pushing its summer sale hard in an aggressive online media campaign. Banner ads appear on nearly every major news and finance website when viewed by people within its geographical region. Keep your eyes on this Oregon-based bank; they are always one to watch.

UMPQUA BANK – SALE

When was the last time your financial institution had a sale? What’s the sale for? Who cares? Consumers will click on anything if they think they’ll get a bargain.

Chase – Picture Perfect Wedding

Chase exploits the stereotypical, white, suburban “dream wedding” in this Flash-based ad for overnight checks. Using only still images, the ad tells the “story” of a daughter who phones her parents because she’s found the perfect place to get married. Only one hitch: she needs a check tomorrow.

Because there isn’t any dialogue, you have to read a script delivered in subtitles. “Mom, it’s perfect, but if they don’t have a deposit by tomorrow, we’ll lose it!” Ack! What to do??? Dad suggests using the overnight check service that Chase offers. That’s what he did when he spaced the mortgage payment last month… The execution feels dated, like a full-color anachronism from the 1950s. “Gee pops, ain’t everything just swell?” “Sure is junior. Now let’s go see Mr. Jenkins about helping him paint his house.”

CHASE – PICTURE PERFECT WEDDING

A soothing guitar melody loops for a full almost two minutes while you watch a filmstrip-style slideshow of a “typical American family” arranging the picture-perfect wedding. If you think it’s a little cheesy, you’re not alone.

BNP Paribas – People know BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas used this series of outdoor posters when it launched its first large-scale advertising campaign in the U.S., starting in the New York metropolitan area. The ads were placed in Times Square and in Grand Central Station on newsstands, bus shelters and phone kiosks. They also appeared in trains and railway stops in upstate New York and Connecticut.

BNP PARIBAS – PEOPLE KNOW BNP PARIBAS

These transit ads are supposed to generate awareness, but are they any more effective than simply running the bank’s logo with a giant “hi” for a headline?

CommonWealth Central Credit Union – Giant Deal

The typography for this baseball-themed campaign is beautiful. The credit union’s tie-in with the San Jose Giants helped generate over $5 million in auto loans back in 2009. The promo won an award from the Marketing Association of Credit Unions.

COMMONWEALTH CENTRAL CREDIT UNION – GIANT DEAL

BofA – Superlative Baseball

Watch this 30-second spot touting BofA’s sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball and you’ll swear America’s national pastime is better than Mother Teresa, Ghandi and the cure for cancer. It’s sappy, maybe even pandering.

BofA – BASEBALL

The script reads, “For well over a century now, baseball has been helping bond parents and children, unite communities, close generation gaps, overcome language barriers, seal friendships, patch up differences, instill civic pride. Bank of America is a proud sponsor of our national pastime, and the opportunities it provides to bring us all closer together.”

Citi – Outdoor & Transit Ads for Rewards Points

A collection of outdoor and transit advertising for Citi’s “Rewards Points” credit cards.

CITI – REWARDS OUTDOOR & TRANSIT ADS

CITI – REWARDS POINTS MICROSITE

3rd Federal – Beer Scene Testimonial

You’d think a financial marketer — thirsty for fun and creativity — would be able to do more with “beer” as a concept. Testimonials are always nice, but this execution is drab and unimaginative. What’s working in the ad? The name, the logo, the monster mug of beer, and the tat on a bald dude. What’s not working? Pretty much everything else, particularly the haphazard layout, awful typesetting and hackneyed message.

3RD FEDERAL – BEER SCENE TESTIMONIAL
If the bank was a person, you probably wouldn’t be interested in chewing the fat over a brew.

InTouch Credit Union – Women Testimonials

In a new round of: 30 TV spots developed to introduce the general public to InTouch Credit Union, members and employees do the speaking. The new spots let members share their stories about getting small business financing despite a tough economy. Both spots star smart, attractive women who seem to have their lives together. Great casting. Agency: CultureLab.

INTOUCH CREDIT UNION – TESTIMONIALS

If you’re going to go the safe route and run testimonials, this is a much better way to execute them than 3rd Federal did (above).

Velocity Credit Union – Loan Billboards

This series of award-winning outdoor ads suggests the credit union has a loan for just about anything, even plastic surgery.

VELOCITY CREDIT UNION – LOAN BILLBOARDS

Always good to keep billboards simple. There’s a rule of thumb that says you should limit all the words on a billboard to no more than 14. And don’t forget to count your name and slogan. If you have to read it, it counts as a word.

Educators Credit Union – Walk This Way

Sock puppets star in this homemade music video set to Aerosmith’s hit “Walk This Way.” The big question is “Why???” Well, it has something to do with a MacBook giveaway. Aerosmith, socks and a sweepstakes, you ask? Why not…?

EDUCATORS CREDIT UNION – WALK THIS WAY
Surely this can’t be legal, can it? Copyright laws have to be broken somehow here.

Michigan First Credit Union – Parrot Funk

“Does your bank have a dancing parrot?” asks Michigan First in this 30-second video. It may be different, but how relevant is it? What do you think? Cheesy gimmick or a cute way to communicate the credit union’s personality?

MICHIGAN FIRST CREDIT UNION – PARROT FUNK

Watch this parrot bust a few moves (ala Napolean Dynamite) to a techno soundtrack. It’s been viewed 866 times on YouTube. Did it ever air on TV?

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Caixa – Fixed But It Moves

What a visually clever way to convey the bump-rate concept. (If it doesn’t work for you, try blurring your eyes.) The copy says, “It’s fixed but it moves. Double Effect Deposit. A fixed rate of interest that goes up if interest rates do.” Agency: TBWA Spain.

Santander Bank – Hair Conditioner

You’ve never seen a car more hairy or furry than the one driven by the bald guy in this spot for “very personal loans.” Very personal indeed.

SANTANDER BANK – HAIR CONDITIONER

Chase Manhattan – Free Samples

This promotional giveaway, circa 1962, includes an actual penny. It proves that the idea of handing out “free samples from the vault” has been around for a while. A reader of The Financial Brand is selling the actual printed piece from his private collection. If you’re interested, send an email to The Financial Brand and we’ll put you in touch.

1stBank – Cloning

This commercial dates back to 2009, but it’s so unusual, it’s worth sharing now. A spokesman holding a two-headed sheep promises customers fifty uncloned dollars when they get a checking account. Who knew the cloning of dollars had gotten that ba-aa-aa-ad…? Agency: TDA Advertising & Design.

1STBANK – “CLONING”

“At 1stBank, we do not clone, nor endorse the cloning of U.S. currency. It would be against international law and a breach of banking ethics. The $50 you receive upon opening a free checking account is real money and has not been duplicated in a covert genetics laboratory. So at your earliest convenience, go to 1stBank or visit us online, and get $50 that has never been cloned.”

Citadel – Lewis

A nerdly Citadel representative named Lewis answers customers’ questions that arrive via pneumatic tubes.

CITADEL – “PRIZE GOURD”

CITADEL – “HOLY MACARONI”

CITADEL – “A TO Z”

Fifth Third – Millionaires Take the Bus

This bus shelter display — similar to a 3M display for security glass — is made of real coins. The headline: “Millionaires take the bus.” The copy: “Taking mass transit versus driving saves roughly $5,000 per year. If those savings are invested over a typical 450-year career, you’ll retire a million dollars wealthier.” Agency: OLSON.

Connex Credit Union – Unbank Emergency Help Center

A promotional microsite used to support the credit union’s marketing slogan, “Unbank With Us.” All the links redirect back to the main Connex website. Note: The microsite’s URL expires September 2010. Hopefully they won’t let what happened to TIAA-CREF happen to them.

Union Planters Bank – Knockouts

The image of a car is knocked out of concrete, a sailboat from water and a home from grass. “The only thing missing is the loan.” Agency: Kristof Creative.

Northwest Georgia Credit Union – Unbanking. Unbelievable.

Spots like this remind us that it is possible to produce a quality TV commercial without hiring a cast of thousands or blowing a huge pile of cash. You don’t have to go to Pixar to use special effects and video graphics; they are accessible to just about everyone these days. The only real limitation anymore is your imagination.

NORTHWEST GEORGIA CREDIT UNION – UNBANKING. UNBELIEVABLE.

“From hard hat wearers to do-it-all homemakers. To say you work hard is an Understatement. So why are you playing games with a financial institution that doesn’t work ashard for you? Get Unstuck with a not-for-profit credit union that helps folks and families like yours to hang on what you’ve already hard-earned. Unbank with Northwest Georgia Credit Union. Where the difference is unmistakable. Northwest Georgia Credit Union. Unbanking. Unbelievable.”

Central Community Credit Union – Low-Budget Theater Ads

A series of short movie theater ads created to increase brand awareness among young adults. They prove that you can create a compelling, 15-second message on a budget of virtually nothing. The hands seen in the spots are those of the ads’ copywriter Shawna Harch and art director Jamie Chabot.

CENTRAL COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION – LOCATION
Watch two other good examples of low-budgets spots — “History” and “Loans” — in addition to this one.

Fifth Third – Break the Chain

A huge outdoor display for mobile banking. The message: “Break [the pen] chain.” Agency: OLSON.

PNC – If Your Money Could Talk

If your money could talk, it wouldn’t let you buy milk from a convenience store, it wouldn’t take the day off, it wouldn’t get suckered by low intro rates, and it would take more than $50 to convince it to switch banks. Agency: Kristof Creative.

1stBank – Date, On-Hold, Pills & Save

A couple are on their first date. She lets the guy know immediately that she is going to be a creepy stalker. The spot pushes mobile alerts: “Know about trouble before it happens.” You have to think about it a little to figure out how the creative execution connects with the message in each of these four spots. The other three spots in the series are equally surreal. 1stBank’s “Cloning” spot from 2009 (above) is better. Agency: TDA Advertising & Design.

1STBANK – DATE
A guy’s date warns him about her creepiness. If you like this one, check out “On-Hold,” “Pills” and “Save.”

Citi – Stable/Future

Citi has used its little red umbrella as a clever visual “bridge” linking two concepts for a few years now. But executions in years past were markedly more enjoyable than this somber and straightforward message. This is just boring. In fact, it’s so dull, it would only feel appropriate running in late 2008. Source: Cashcow.in.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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TD Bank – Sign Spinner

If you must hire human billboards, at least hire someone like this guy. He’s pretty good, and fun to watch.

TD BANK – SIGN SPINNER

Commonwealth Bank – Community Grants

This is one of the more interesting narrative techniques you’ll see in bank advertising, even if it’s a little hard to tell what Commonwealth wants you to know. The ad is for the bank’s Staff Community Fund, something supported by donations from current and retired bank staff used to help youth programs. Each year the bank give grants of up to $10,000 to organizations, and will give a total of $550,000 in 2010. Ironically, the spot (about taking care of Australian organizations) was produced by an American ad agency. The campaign runs until the end of the year, and includes print, outdoor and a 3D cinema ads. It sounds like the campaign letting people how much the bank gives away might cost more than the actual money the bank gives away.

COMMONWEALTH BANK – COMMUNITY GRANTS

Harborstone Credit Union – Bank is a Four-Letter Word

A bank-bashing billboard with the look and feel of a D.A.R.E. anti-drug campaign, encouraging people to “Choose the unbank.”

Star Choice Credit Union – Bank Breakup

A double-sided postcard inviting recipients to break up with their big bank.

Al Rajhi Bank – Counter-Recession Campaign

A biting — albiet artistically illustrated — assault at one’s competitors. Source: Eric Chia.

SCE Federal Credit Union – Join Us

This is a weird ad. It doesn’t promote any product or service, just the concept of joining, even though membership is worthless on its own. The woman featured in this ad doesn’t look very upset considering she is supposedly complaining about banking. And it isn’t immediately clear how the body copy pays off the headline: “When you join SCE, you become part owner of a financial institution owned by you and your neighbors.” So I become part owner of something I own? Also note the use of two slogans, “People Powered Banking,” and “Your Financial Choice in the Community.” It’s ads like these that lead finance departments to question marketing’s efficacy. There’s nothing that can be tracked.

PeoplesBank – Member, Human Race

An billboard from 1976. Good copy in bank ads is a rare thing.

Home Federal Bank – Capital

Holy cow! This bank has 34.6% capital. Some experts in bank finance would say that is about as silly as reckless mortgage lending. Despite having a singular focus for the first two-thirds of the ad — capital, capital, capital — someone still couldn’t resist squeezing in a secondary message about branch locations…along with a complete list of all 15 branches.

Chase Manhattan Bank – Beekeeper’s Nest Egg

The “nest egg” meme has been exploited by financial marketers since at least 1966 when this ad ran.

Isbank – Police Car Billboard

This billboard promoting online banking for Isbank in Islamabad has a life-size cutout of a police car sitting under the headline, “Pay traffic tickets on time without waiting in line.” Source: The Cool Hunter.

Citizens Bank – Happy Together

15 business banking customers sing the Turtle’s 1967 hit single “Happy Together” in a karaoke montage supporting this 2008 Citizens campaign.

CITIZENS BANK – HAPPY TOGETHER

Allegiance Credit Union – Bringing Sexy Bank

We’ve seen music videos pitting banks vs. credit unions before, but not quite this way.

ALLEGIANCE CREDIT UNION – BRINGING SEXY BACK

Lloyds TSB – LGBT Marketing

It’s subtle, but the two people in this bank advert are guys…and they are a couple (gasp!). This massive target audience is almost always ignored by financial institutions. The last line of the ad says, “Lloyds TSB is pleased to help our LGBT customers with their savings needs.” Note: The artwork is an illustration. It probably would have been a lot more controversial if it had been a photo.

Ally Bank – Ice Cream

Another installment in the ever-popular Ally Bank TV ad series. In this one, Ally attacks bank promotional incentives: “Even kids know it’s wrong to treat new friends better than old friends.” It isn’t as funny as others. Ally seems to have forgotten that the kids’ reactions are funnier than the situations/messages themselves.

ALLY BANK – ICE CREAM

Farmers First Bank & Trust – Almanac

For its 125th anniversary Farmers First Bank & Trust produced an Almanac, and an Annual Report, both of which borrowed elements of the visual style of farmers’ almanacs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Almanac recounting the Bank’s timeline and history from 1885 to present was written in collaboration with the Bank’s resident historian,Tade J. Powell. You can see interactive page-flip versions of it here and here. Agency: Sundin.

Deutsche Bank – iPad Ready

One of the first financial institutions in the world to tout an iPad-specific application in its marketing.

BECU – Switch Now or Pay Later

The headline in this ad spotted on the back of an in-flight magazine uses a slight turn of phrase to strike fear in readers. The subhead says, “Join BECU today, get a better deal from now on.”

Seasons FCU – Vehicle Wrap

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Financial institutions pick some predictable characters to reflect a fairly standard range of personality attributes — friendliness, strength, wisdom, etc. Dogs and lions are the most common creatures chosen for bank mascots, however other animals like eagles, owls, tigers and bears are used as well. There are a few exotic — even mythical — creatures used as bank mascots, including a whale, dolphin, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and a dragon. Some banks create costumes out of their logos, while plenty of others choose the hackneyed piggybank concept.

Does your financial institution need a mascot? Doubtful. If you’re extremely active in the community and sponsor a lot of events every year, then perhaps a mascot character could help you maximize your investment. But be careful with the design process. Put a lot of thought into what will best represent your organization and its values. And whatever you do, don’t cut any corners. Most financial institutions with a mascot are already at risk of looking pretty hokey and stupid… a cheap suit is sure to cinch the wrong image in consumers’ minds (as the last costume in this article does).

RBC – Leo the Lion

PNC Bank – Linky

US Bank – Captain Shield

Bendigo Bank – Piggy

Key Bank – Key

Chase – Chase the Dog

Harris Bank – Hubert the Lion

ABSA Bank – Piggy Bank

Ulster Bank – Henry the Hippo

St. George Bank – Happy Dragon

Commerce Bank – Mr. C

Metro Bank – Metro Man

Bank Atlantic – 7

Maybank – Yippie

Nittany Bank – Nookie Monster

County Bank – Buck

Piedmont Community Bank – PC Bear

Butterfield Bank – Vern

Waukesha State Bank – Friendly the Eagle

Nadra Bank – Whale

Wells Fargo – Jack the Dog

In gold rush days, Wells Fargo agents sometimes had dogs to help guard Wells Fargo treasure.
This dates back 143 years, accompanied by the motto, “Alert & Faithful.”

Andhra Bank – Dolle the Dolphin (India)

DiBa Bank – Otto the Rhinoceros

Unknown Bank – Lion Suit

Norwest – Barney the Snowman

Citizen’s Bank – Logo

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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BRAND BOARDS
These were used at the conceptual stage in presentations to capture the essence and idea of the brand.

‘Loans Worth More’

With an objective to increase Fort Worth’s home and auto loan portfolio in the first quarter of 2009, Third Degree developed a targeted direct mail campaign, paired with a loan-oriented microsite (LoansWorthMore.org).

LOANSWORTHMORE.ORG MICROSITE

Carefree Checking

Fort Worth Community has a long-term awareness campaign to help boost checking accounts, but without a hook like a high-yield interest rate, differentiation isn’t easy. However, Fort Worth found when they compared their fees to competitors like Chase, Bank of America and Navy Federal, they were a better value. Fort Worth positions their product as simple, absolutely free, with no fees and coupled with a “people-over-profits” branding message. Campaign elements include a microsite, carefreechecking.org, on-hold messaging, print, direct mail, outdoor, drive-thru banners, online ads, standees, HTML email and more.

LOANSWORTHMORE.ORG MICROSITE

‘Holiday Fast Cash’

In 2009, Fort Worth wanted to take a holiday loan promotion they had been doing for ten years and update it to fit their new brand. The Holiday Fast Cash loan is a personal/signature loan up to $15,000 at 7.9% for 12 months. The Holiday Fast Cash product was focused on current members who were most likely to get loans for their holiday shopping. Third Degree developed a “wind up” theme using imagery of wind-up toys, and messaging that played upon the urgency of the holidays. Deliverables included three versions of direct mail, outdoor boards, drive-thru banners, teller counter posters, newspaper ads, statement stuffers, standees and online advertising.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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ANZ – “Perfect World”

In a perfect world everything would revolve around you. Sadly, it doesn’t. ANZ does a good job depicting the contrasts between one’s idyllic fantasies and the way things really work. These spots are funny — mostly because they strike a chord of truth — but the segues into the bank’s offers are a little tenuous. Fun to watch anyway, and good name awareness.

ANZ – PERFECT LIFE

ANZ – PERFECT HOUSE

ANZ – PERFECT TRAVEL

Wells Fargo – ATM interface overhaul

Wells Fargo hired Pentagram in the fall of 2005 to begin work on a new user interface for their ATMs. The bank wanted a more graceful presentation flow rather — not a choppy screen-to-screen feel — with an overall more elegant appearance. There are a lot more screenshots here.

Public Service Credit Union – “Money Shot”

Cue the 70s porn music. An unattractive, out-of-shape, overweight banker strips down to bath himself in your money. Type superimposed on the screen says, “What are the big banks really doing with your money?” Presumably, this one-minute video never actually made it on TV and only aired in the living rooms of those who helped produce it. Is it anything but creepy?

PUBLIC SERVICE CU – “MONEY SHOT”

Alfa Bank – “Holiday Overtime”

In this TV spot, a boss addresses the office. “Who wants to work during the holidays?” he asks. Silence. He asks again. Finally a young man volunteers. “You are going to a 3-day workshop in Paris…with my translator Tanya.” (Spoiler: Tanya is gorgeous). The announcer says, “Alfa Bank, Honestly Beneficial.” Thanks to Mykola Chumak at Identity Group for the translation.

ALFA BANK – “HOLIDAY OVERTIME”

Mango Money – P2P Payments Website

Both the name and website are a breath of fresh air in the usually stuffy financial space. Mango Money enables person-to-person payments through mobile phones using a prepaid Mastercard.

BBVA Compass – “Banking Solutions for You

BBVA took Compass Bank over a year or two ago. This is the first ad the Spanish parent company has run for its new U.S. acquisition. It’s for a popular Compass Bank product, “Build-to-Order Free Checking,” that BBVA has retained. The spot uses a montage to accurately capture the hectic financial lives we have today.

BBVA COMPASS – “HOW DO YOU BANK”

China – Sponsored Money

If you’re a bank, what could be cooler than having your logo printed right on the money? China not only puts logos for banks like HSBC and Standard Chartered on their money, they use illustrations of banks’ Chinese headquarters on the bills! Thanks to Mykola Chumak at Identity Group for the tip.

OnPoint Community Credit Union – “The Jogger”

A woman sees her favorite house is for sale, so she breaks out her iPhone and calls “Michael” at OnPoint who is ready to make it happen. “I can be there in 10 minutes,” she says. You can see another spot in the series here. Agency: Weber Marketing Group.

ONPOINT – “THE JOGGER”

ASB – Bigger Term Deposits

Very seldom do financial institutions explore typographic metaphors. Here’s a rather simply one where a long, somewhat rambling block of copy slowly grows larger in type size to convey the concept that ASB’s term deposits “get bigger.” Source: Saatchi Daily Banking Blog.

BofA – “We Listened.”

For the last 18 months, it seems BofA has been staying one step ahead of Congress. Rather than wait for legislative reforms to take effect, the bank is making it look like it’s responding to people’s frustrations. It’s probably about as close as any bank will come to saying it’s sorry.

SA – “Long Driveway”

A family packs into their car for the long drive ahead…down their super-long driveway. The message: “Get more home for your money with SA.”

WESTPAC – SUE ANNE

Westpac – Branch Managers Are Back

This Australian bank is showcasing the independence, empowerment and flexibility of its 600 branch managers in a series of TV spots. The production technique is about as Spartan as you can get, matching the frank tone of the spots.

WESTPAC – SUE ANNE

Bethpage FCU – Meet Beth & Paige

When your financial institution is based in- and serves only the area of Bethpage, New York, you work with it. In this TV spot, the $3.6 billion credit union introduces two “employees” named Beth and Paige. The pair serve a third woman, Mary, a professional dog walker who needs a bigger backyard. Agency: Austin + Williams.

BETHPAGE FCU – “BETH & PAIGE”

Mission FCU – “My Mission: Life To Its Fullest”

The credit union held a TV commercial contest and among the entries was this professional looking spot. It’s better than many of the TV commercials other credit unions typically produce and air themselves.

MISSION FCU – “LIFE TO THE FULLEST”

Saxo Bank – “Taking the Lead”

The European bank is playing up its sponsorship of a cycling team in a new online social media promo. They are giving away 25,000 inflatable “victory hands,” and one lucky winner will get a VIP trip to watch the Tour de France. In addition to a microsite, the effort includes YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

FirstBank – Bank lobby billboards

Dimensional 14×48 billboards hold aloft bank lobby trappings like a wood-paneled desk and chair, a velvet rope and stanchions, a potted ficus tree, and a framed reproduction of scenic mountainscape, all giant-sized. The campaign, breaking concurrently with an overhaul of FirstBank’s online browser interface, invites viewers to “Enjoy the bank lobby, even if you bank online.” Agency: TDA Advertising & Design.

Satander – Lo-tech advertising

If you’re going to take the trouble to hire street teams and deploy non-traditional ad mediums like human billboards and moped advertising, why be so boring? “Hey mister, we’ve got better banking and great offers. Here, do you want a brochure?”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Activo Bank – “Simplifica”

You don’t have to speak Porteguese in order to find this spot promoting Activo bank’s branch hours funny.

ACTIVO BANK – SIMPLIFICA

Activo Bank – Flash Mob

Forty dancers “spontaneously” assemble, then perform an “impromptu” six-minute routine in the middle of a mall for Activo Bank. It’s fun, and the dancers do a good job engaging the audience, but it feels like a jazzercize class in a few spots.

ACTIVO BANK – FLASH MOB

Tesco Bank – Careers Microsite

In an economy this cruddy, you probably don’t need to go to these lengths to attract and recruit top talent. But you look really cool and classy when you do. Tip of the hat Chris Skinner at the Finanser for finding this site.

Unknown Asian Bank – Mobile Banking ATM Wrap

Now this is a fun, cool way to let people know you’re offering mobile banking.

Community America Credit Union – “Community Americans”

Here’s an interesting way to present a testimonial-style message. Members get on stage and talk about their lives while a collage of animated footage about their lives plays on the screen behind them. You can see also the spots from “Kent” and “Jen.” The acting is really good (one can assume they are paid actors).

ACTIVO BANK – COMMUNITY AMERICANS

Citizens Bank – Lawn Seed & Fertilizer

This has to be one of the more unusual “line extensions” for any brand in the history of the financial industry. Citizens owns the naming rights for the Philadelphia Phillies ballpark, who is retailing the lawn seed and fertilizer on behalf of the bank. Fertilizer? It sounds a little like buying a bag of poop from a bank.

Barclays – “Musical Pounds”

If you like Ricky Gervais, then you’ll probably like this spot too. It’s not Ricky, but it is random, offbeat British humor. Spoiler alert: a pile of cash gets up and performs a musical number on stage.

BARCLAYS – MUSICAL POUNDS

Arizona State Credit Union – “Broke”

“Broke. It’s the new poor.” Depressing, if not true. The credit union said they received very good results in attracting new student banking relationships. The ad’s offer? A free parking pass, something Paul Stull, EVP/Marketing at Arizona State Credit Union, describes as “pure gold” on college campuses. The ad is CUNA Diamond Winner.

Chase Bank – “Save”

“Save is the new spend.” The financial industry is coining new metaphors to define the tectonic economic “paradigm shift” almost as fast as the Treasury is minting new dollars.

Truliant Credit Union – “OMG”

Ryan Shell at Truliant made a pair of TV spots for his $1.3 billion credit union. The spots show that you don’t have to have a big budget to create visual interest. Computer graphics are used to animate and rotate the spots’ scripts. You can see the second spot here.

TRULIANT – OMG

Union First Market Bank – “In Love”

A Union First customer talks about her bank as if it were the greatest boyfriend she’s ever had. The actress blushes in a sofa as she delivers lines like, “It makes me feel cherished, like they want me,” and “This time, I’m in love.” It might evoke memories of those General Foods International Coffee ads (“Share the Moments of Your Life”) from yesteryear. If you’re one of those people who scoffs every time a financial marketer uses “love” and “bank” in the same sentence then get ready to roll your eyes. Another spot announcing the merger between Union and First Market banks is completely different — very retro, and much more credible. The campaign was coordinated by Boisseau Partners, which had previously been Union Bank & Trust’s marketing firm.

UNION FIRST MARKET BANK – IN LOVE

UNION FIRST MARKET BANK – MERGER ANNOUNCEMENT

IDB Bank – “Four Letter Word”

The banking industry’s rotten image is often fodder for financial marketers. Here’s another bank tapping into consumers’ anti-bank venom. They also marry bank hatred with “love” (there’s that word again), suggesting in the body copy that a financial love affair awaits: “Imagine a bank you’ll actually love — where truly personal service helps you and your company grow.” The URL: www.IDoBankingBetter.com. Agency: Barker DZP.

America First FCU – “Banker Confessional”

Bankers step into a sidewalk confessional booth to admit they prefer banking at America First FCU. You can see additional executions of the campaign in more TV spots here, here, here and here.

AMERICA FIRST FCU – BANKER CONFESSIONAL

Tech CU – “First Bank of Greed”

In this retro spot, a herd of cows replace bank customers and a sinister butcher plays the role of teller. “When you walk into your bank, do you feel like a piece of meat?” the announcer asks. The butcher (we’ll call him the “Teller of Seville”) sharpens his knife, sizing up the herd to see who he’ll slaughter first. It’s funny, but dark. Okay…it’s mostly funny.

TECH CU – FIRST BANK OF GREED

BECU – “Local People”

For the last 7-8 years, this multi-billion dollar credit union in Seattle has consistently celebrated local people and their unique personalities in its branding. The bus wrap shown below adds a whole new dimension to the campaign — literally. It’s a little hard to see in these photos, but the entire bus is wrapped in a mosaic of member-submitted photos. You can get a sense of how BECU typically uses a collage of people’s faces in the print ad.

BECU – “Move It Or Lose It”

BECU distances itself from banks on Wall Street in this 30-second spot. The call to action: “It’s your money. Move it or lose it…one nickel, dime or hidden fee at a time.” BECU works with a local photographer and a local television production company to feature real members in the credit union’s advertising. Their spots are filmed in various places throughout the Puget Sound region, and even the music we use in the spots was created and recorded by Northwest musicians.

BECU – MOVE IT OR LOSE IT

Co-operative Bank – “Good With Money”

A nine-minute video chronicling the bank’s “ethical banking” policies.

CO-OPERATIVE BANK – GOOD WITH MONEY

KeyPoint Credit Union – “Net Worth”

Raoust + Partners created this campaign emphasizing the value KeyPoint provides its members in the form of increased wealth and net worth. The approach uses a creative visual X/Y graph illustrates to suggest growth and an increasing bottom line.

Xceed Financial FCU – Direct Mail

McGraw Hill FCU – Brand Identity

A brand identity redesign.

Discovery FCU – Auto Loans Bus Wrap

Clever use of the medium.

Woodstone FCU – Bus Back

Not the first time The Financial Brand has seen this approach.

IBM Southeast Employees Credit Union – Movie Posters

MDG Advertising created this direct mail campaign that turns the credit union’s products and services into movie parodies. The agency will be turning each of these pieces into TV spots, starting with “Dream Car.”

IBM SOUTHEAST EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION – MOVIE POSTERS

Cornerstone Community FCU – Brand Identity

Cornerstone rolled out a new logo, part of a marketing campaign to promote its four Niagara County branches. In addition to the green and white logo, the campaign includes a new tagline, “You rate better here.” The credit union said its new logo is meant to raise the bank’s profile in Western New York.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Garanti Bank

Garanti is the third largest private bank in Turkey. Garanti asked i-am associates to enhance its brand communications, physical environments and visual merchandising. If a bank in an Islamic country like Turkey can develop a fresh brand image, so can you.

SpareBank 1

SpareBank 1 is Norway’s third largest bank. It was launched in 1996, and completed this image rebrand in 2006. While the bank does have a few accent colors in its brand color palette, the corporate blue and red colors are predominate, helping create a universal link between brand pieces. Also note the red dimensional logo element. The days when you could get away with a flat, one-dimensional logo are over. These days, it helps to have a logo that works in 3D space, and (even better) one that can be dynamically animated for web or TV.

New Alliance Bank

NewAlliance Bank is a regional banking and financial services company headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the third largest bank in Connecticut and fourth largest in New England. They partnered with Adams & Knight for this image makeover. Does anyone else notice the similarities between this brand and regional banking powerhouse PNC (the orange color, the triangular logo)?

NEW ALLIANCE BANK – “EVERY SQUARE FOOT”
This 30-second TV spot uses digital graphics to spice up a rather conservative creative solution. The bank’s CEO, Peyton Patterson, narrates.

CU of Ohio

The Credit Union of Ohio hired Roust + Partners to help them reach Ohio State University students. A microsite, MoneyGrowsOnBuckeyes.com, is the centerpiece of the effort. Retail merchandising included posters, teller windows, bookmarks and printed paper coffee cups for the coffee café outside the new branch. A transit and point-of-sale campaign promoted financial literacy seminars. At times, the brand taps into the bitter rivalry between the University of Ohio and the University of Michigan.

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New India Bank

The new brand identity i-am associates created for New India Bank is both ultra modern and corporate. The branch design radiates warmth and simple accessibility. ‘i-am’ was asked to look at every aspect of the business including brand image and culture. The branch is compact but bright, lively, colorful and energetic. Note: The first thing you should do if you want to create a retail branch experience is get rid of those fluorescent lights. Lighting makes all the difference. The high ceilings also help keep a rather small branch from feeling too cramped.

Innovations Federal Credit Union

Raoust + Partners developed Innovations Federal Credit Union’s new brand identity around tagline “Spark Change.” The brand campaign introduced a redesigned website at sparkingchange.com, with a more youthful look and tone. Campaign components include in the brand launch included TV, radio, billboard, print and two unusual websites, greatanotherstupidtoaster.com and doireallyneedanotherlollipop.com.

Tinker Federal Credit Union

TFCU partnered with Third Degree in 2004 to create a completely new brand look-and-feel. The “we get it” campaign was used to reintroduce the TFCU difference to those looking for a financial institution that really understood them, their motivations, how they felt about money and what they wanted from life. It’s a conservative, lifestyle-based look and feel.

TFCU – “COUCH”
In one of the new brand’s initial spots, a couch becomes a symbol for all the things people want to be doing when they are not worrying about their money. You can see a more recent spot here.

Bank of Scotland

Bank of Scotland tapped Young & Rubicam agency RKCR for the overhaul of this state-owned financial services brand. The refresh includes outdoor, print, radio and digital activity. Media planning and buying is by Mediaedge:cia. Archie Kane, Group Executive Director, said, “This is not about reinventing the Bank of Scotland brand, but allowing our customers to rediscover it.” The bank is also using the rebranding as an opportunity to drop “Halifax” from its old “Halifax Bank of Scotland” name. A television advertisement, voiced by Scottish actor Dougray Scott, features a young couple getting married, buying a home and starting a family, pointing out that “you never know where the next road will take you.” “This campaign will clearly and coherently communicate the Bank’s role in today’s modern and dynamic Scotland,” said Richard Exon at RKCR/Y&R.

BANK OF SCOTLAND – “WITH YOU ALL THE WAY”
This animated TV ad introduces the brand promise, “With You All The Way” (see also Wells Fargo’s “With You When”).

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Citi – “Kinda The Same Thing”

Someone snapped a photo of this transit ad from Citi. The bank can certainly benefit from a little lighthearted humor right now.

Three Rivers FCU – “Happy Dog”

This 30-second TV spot, made specifically to air during the 2010 Superbowl, involves a clever pairing between the soundtrack and visuals: a dog puts his head out of a car window and his gums flap in the wind to a victorious operetic performance. It’s fun to watch. Agency: Weber Marketing Group.

THREE RIVERS CREDIT UNION – “LUCKY DOG”

Keesler FCU – “Money Talks”

Keesler had the opportunity to teach financial education at Biloxi High School. To support the effort, agency Raoust + Partners created “Money Talks,” a Gen-Y style financial literacy program including a letter to parents, wearables, posters, pamphlets, and stickers.

St. George Bank – “Big Enough, Small Enough”

In this brand ad campaign for one of Australia’s larger financial instituions, St. George depicts itself as a “big bank,” something that has been out of vogue lately. The message: “Just because you’re big, doesn’t mean you have to act like it.”

ST. GEORGE BANK – “BIG ENOUGH, SMALL ENOUGH”

Bucks First FCU – “Violent & Awesome Commercial”

This Pennsylvania credit union teamed with internet sensations Rhett & Link (formerly of Alka Seltzer fame) to create an online commercial that must be seen to be to be believed. The video opens with a guy wearing a deer — err, make that a “buck” — costume getting hit by a car. The concientious motorists take the wounded buck to Bucks First FCU because they “treat bucks right.” Get it? The 90-second pun-o-rama has been viewed over 365,000 times with an average rating of 4.5 start (out of 5). Some observers in the financial industry have heralded the spot as an online marketing and social media triumph deluxe, while others have wondered if the video sends the right message about the credit union’s level of professionalism and financial acumen. What do you think?

BUCKS FIRST FCU – “VIOLENT & AWESOME COMMERCIAL”

Missouri Bank – Website

The first thing you should notice is how clean and refreshingly uncluttered the site is — markedly unbanklike. Then there is the interactive wall of testimonials with pictures and quotes from 75 different bank customers right on the homepage. This is one of the more interesting bank websites you’ll see.

Community Savings – “Piece of the Pie”

In Canada, it’s quite common for credit unions to give some of their profits back to members as “patronage dividends.” Promoting them the way Community Savings did prior to its merger with Servus is not common, however. The credit union boxed pies and printed messages on napkins encouraging everyone to “get their piece of the pie.” It’s a fresh take on what is arguably the hardest working pun in the financial industry.

ANZ – “Fraud Squad”

Australian Bank ANZ (pronounced “a-n-zed”) debuts a pair of spots about fraud, unauthorized online purchases and its “Fraud Money-Back Guarantee.” The spots portray the bank’s fictional Fraud Squad as a ridiculously zealous group with some wildly innovative (if not impractical) ideas for how to keep customers safe. The five-week campaign is supported by outdoor, online and ATM marketing. Agency: DDB Melbourne.

ANZ – FRAUD SQUAD “HELIUM GAS”

ANZ – FRAUD SQUAD “AIRBAG”

Department of Commerce FCU – “Auto Loans”

Agency Raoust + Partners turned what could have been just another boring auto loan product promotion into something visually interesting by drawing on car-related imagery. The checkered flag, chrome lettering and dashboard gauges are nice touches.

Golden 1 Credit Union – “No Bailouts.”

Many banks and credit unions have been quite comfortable — and arguably successful — celebrating a single point of differentiation: they are too small for bailouts. While the heyday of headlines like “Bailouts are for boats” and anti-jet banners has passed, there’s enough residual consumer resentment towards the financial industry that the bailout-bashing angle still has some traction.

Pinnacle Bank – “Move Your Money”

Like many community banks, Pinnacle wanted to make the most out of Huffington’s “Move Your Money” populist campaign, so they created this email marketing piece. The message isn’t promotional nor self-serving in any way. It simply invites people to check out the “Move Your Money” website and viral YouTube video. Lots of banks looked to capitalize on Huffington’s efforts, but not that many were willing to help promote like this.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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USAA – Lifestage Guides

This series of financial education guides for USAA from the Cartis Group are both beautiful and brilliant. These aren’t just brochures, these are large, multi-page guides (some are 24+ pages) offering comprehensive — and largely unbiased — advice. Books are organized by lifestages and life needs: getting married, saving for college, life insurance, etc. This is real financial education — selfless, thorough, informative and helpful.

First Direct – Microsoft Surface “Mortgage Offsetting”

HSBC’s First Direct in the U.K. uses Microsoft Surface technology to explain the benefits of “mortgage offsetting.” Design firm Splendid worked with media agency Mindshare to create an interactive touch-screen experience that allows users to directly interact with digital content, without the using a mouse or keyboard.

FIRST DIRECT – MS SURFACE ‘MORTGAGE OFFSETTING’

Pinnacle Bank – Brand Ads

These three ads for Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank were written by freelance advertising copywriter Holly Menges.

Langley FCU – “Whack-a-Fee”

Presumably inspired by the new arcade sensation, “Whack-a-Banker,” this game is so easy, you might think it’s a little stupid. But that’s probably the point.

Nevada Federal Credit Union – “We Don’t Suck”

Las Vegas columnist and glam blogger Emily Gimmel snapped a picture of this brash use of a colloquialism on a billboard off the Vegas Strip for Nevada Federal.

Cetelem – “Bingo Credit”

Cetelem, a unit of BNP Paribas Bank, parodies reckless creditors in a series of ads featuring the fictional-yet-funny “Bingo Credit.” The campaign kicks off with a TV spot where the fictional company’s spokesman takes you on a tour of the organization’s caution-to-the-wind philosophy. The message: “Credit should never be like this. Choose Centelem’s responsible loans.” In another spot, the spokesman gives a loan to a man on his death bed. There’s another semi-sexist spot pushing a loan for men who want to cosmetically remodel their wives.

CETELEM – “BINGO CREDIT”

Progress Bank – Brand Identity

A colorful design and a progressive image by Electrum Marketing.

Norway Savings Bank – “Colorful Solutions”

It’s not often you get to see so many different materials from a financial institution’s brand identity all collected in one place. This menagerie of colors was produced by Leslie Evan Design Associates.

MECU – Brand Identity

Design firm Simple I.D. came up with this casual and approachable look-and-feel featuring illustrations for Australian credit union mecu. Notice the use of lowercase letters and handwritten-style typography. Does the client know/care their agency calls them a “bank?”

First National Bank – “Praise Singer”

A native tribesman extols praises to the world at the top of his lungs. You will never see a spot with so much shouting that you will enjoy as much as this. It’s loud, but it feels good. You can see another similar spot here.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK – PRAISE SINGER

First National Bank – “Chin Up South Africa”

The South Africans, it seems, have a low self image and don’t feel prepared to host the 2010 World Cup. So FNB, a South African bank, tries to restore national pride with a TV spot where an Aussie gives a South Afrikaner an inspirational pep talk. It’s an honest and strangely captivating message for a bank-sponsored ad.

FNB – “CHIN UP SOUTH AFRICA”

First Atlantic Bank – Print Ads

These ads by Electrum Marketing clearly send a conservative-and-steady brand message.

American Bank – “Dolphins”

Talk about the indirect sell… This ad for American Bank from Pettus Advertising starts with the headline, “If you’re enthralled by the majesty of nature, we’re here for you.” The copy goes on to say, “The amazing wonders of the gulf coast are brought to life at the Texas State Aquarium. We are proud that this home for beauty and science call the Coastal Bend home. From wide-eyed children to learned professionals, nowhere is the joy of our world more inspiring…” Then the ad takes an abrupt detour to talk about into the bank’s culture. It’s a complete non sequitur. A better ad might have been, “American Bank…for people who like dolphins.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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