Financial services

Article • WARC Category Intelligence, March 2019

Global strategies, campaign updates and trends in the banking category.

Case Study • Bitop Das Gupta, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Shortlisted, 2020

Banking brand United Commercial Bank used video, on-ground activity and OOH to launch a platform that enabled farmers in Bangladesh to sell excess produce at a fair rate to retail chain Shwapno.

How banks can rebuild trust by focusing on consumer financial wellbeing

Article • Low Lai Chow, Event Reports, APAC Financial Services Webcast Week, May 2020

Forrester, the research firm, surveyed consumers in various Asian markets to understand their financial needs and attitudes towards brands in this sector.

J.P. Morgan Private Bank relies on substance of intellectual capital to deliver luxury-marketing message

Article • Geoffrey Precourt, WARC Exclusive, July 2020

J.P Morgan Private Bank, a financial-services provider focused on high-net-worth individuals, has built a marketing strategy that reflects the distinct character of this cohort.

Asia banks on domestic tourism as international travel uncertainty continues

News • 23/07/2020

With international travel yet to resume any semblance of pre-COVID-19 normalcy, governments across Asia are launching support programmes and marketing campaigns, in a bid to make up for revenue shortfalls via domestic tourism.

European Investment Bank: Monster Under The Bed podcast series

Case Study • SABRE Awards, In2 EMEA, Best in Audio: Podcasts + Music, Gold, 2020

The European Investment Bank, a non-profit bank belonging to the European Union, launched a podcast series to fight myths and fears for public and private projects across Europe.

How HSBC balances global and local brand needs

News • 09/07/2020

HSBC, the financial-services provider, has aimed to strike a balance of global consistency and local flexibility in its branding strategy after launching a refreshed positioning two years ago.

How HSBC pursued a global rebranding program – and responded to a pandemic

Article • Geoffrey Precourt, Event Reports, Lions Live, June 2020

HSBC, the financial-services provider, undertook a rebranding exercise that aimed to reflect its internal culture of being a diverse, international organization, while remaining locally relevant.

Emirates NBD: Inspire What's Next

Case Study • Tahaab Rais, Tala Arakji, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Bronze, 2020

Private bank Emirates NBD grew brand favourability and sales with an awareness campaign in the United Arab Emirates.

RAKBANK: She Can Play

Case Study • Mohit Lodha, Kevin Pinto, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Entrant, 2020

Banking brand RAKBANK used a three-part social media strategy, She Can Play, to spark a conversation about girls playing football to build buzz and talkability and improve brand perception in the United Arab Emirates.

Emirates NBD: Phil & Mahfouz

Case Study • Tala Arakji, Inaan Budhiraja, Tahaab Rais, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Entrant, 2020

Through innovative use of social media, Emirates NBD grabbed the attention of millennials in the UAE to start a conversation on savings and attract new customers.

Emirates NBD: Every Step Counts

Case Study • Tahaab Rais, Tala Arakji, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Silver, 2020

Emirates NBD, a leading UAE bank, launched a reward-based initiative to help people improve both their financial and their physical health.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB): Art Gap

Case Study • Remie Abdo, WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, Gold, 2020

Multinational banking company Standard Chartered Bank used a social media approach backed by an art exhibition to raise awareness of the gender pay gap and the bank's commitment to gender equality in the United Arab Emirates.

Doconomy: DO – Black

Case Study • SABRE Awards, Gold, EMEA, 2020

Doconomy, a Swedish fintech company, launched a credit card with a carbon-emission spending limit to help consumers reduce their carbon footprint.

Santander: The Invisible Look

Case Study • SABRE Awards, Gold, EMEA, 2020

Santander, a banking brand, warned young people in the UK about the dangers of online fraud by showing fake makeup tutorials from influencers that revealed their bare faces to show that shopping on a fraudulent website can leave you empty handed.

HSBC: Navigator 2019

Case Study • SABRE Awards, Diamond, EMEA, 2020

HSBC, a banking brand, developed a strategic global campaign that leveraged Kantar research to drive behaviour change among target audiences through multiple channels.

What's working in financial services

Article • WARC Category Intelligence, July 2020

Global strategies, campaign updates and trends in the financial services category.

Ally: Moguls in the Making

Case Study • AME Awards, Silver, 2020

Ally Bank, a banking brand, increased diversity in its workforce in the US by partnering with celebrity Big Sean to create a competition at historically black colleges and universities that offered winners an internship at the bank.

HomeEquity Bank: #PauseToRemember

Case Study • AME Awards, Gold, 2020

The Royal Canadian Legion, a Canadian organisation that supports military veterans, got top video game streamers worldwide to #PauseToRemember the country's veterans with a moment of silence on Remembrance Day.

COVID-19 is the wake up call traditional financial brands need

Opinion • Anna Soisalo, May 2020

Traditional financial services brands were struggling to compete with fintech specialists long before Covid-19.

How retail banks can evolve communications during COVID-19

Article • Fiona Blades, WARC COVID-19 Series, May 2020

During COVID-19, consumers are looking for reassurance and humanity from their banks.

Financial services brands need to walk a tightrope of trust in the chaos of COVID-19

Article • David Atkins, WARC COVID-19 Series, May 2020

Wunderman Thompson’s David Atkins argues that financial services brands could be a large part of the solution amidst the COVID-19 upheaval, but the challenge of trust must first be met.

ANZ Banking Group Ltd: ANZ retail shareholder campaign

Case Study • Jemma Wight, Sue-Ellen Atherton, Andrew Cornell, WARC Awards, Entrant, Effective Content Strategy, 2020

Banking and financial services company ANZ created a content marketing strategy centred on a newsletter encompassing articles, videos and podcasts to communicate with its global retail investor base.

Barclays Private Bank: Smarter Giving

Case Study • Emilie Uzan, Alice Pike, WARC Awards, Entrant, Effective Use of Brand Purpose, 2020

Barclays Private Bank devised a philanthropic campaign to help increase donations from high net worth individuals to the charity sector in the UK and Europe.

RBC Diversity & Inclusion: Speak Up for Inclusion

Case Study • Michael Brathwaite, Daisy Qin, Karlina Bear, WARC Awards, Entrant, Effective Use of Brand Purpose, 2020

Financial institution Royal Bank of Canada developed a video-led campaign to highlight the importance of inclusion and effect positive change in its markets worldwide.