Bankwest taps into anti-bank sentiment with ‘Bank Less’ campaign
In a stark departure from traditional bank advertising – which tends to focus on friendly staff, community initiatives and how banks help people achieve their financial and personal goals – Bankwest has launched a campaign which acknowledges people’s ongoing frustrations with the institutions and why they’d rather ‘bank less’.
Created by Union, a WPP bespoke agency which services the Bankwest account, the campaign says Bankwest will give its customers “less hassle, less jargon and less bank stuff”.
The campaign is set to run across out of home, digital, print and social.
The out-of-home executions feature headlines including: “Because no one wants more bank in their life”, “Just the right amount of bank” and “Less BS. Yep, that’s right, less bank stuff”.
Bank Less is the second campaign created by Union, with the initial campaign attempting to recapture the ‘fun’ in Bankwest’s brand.
Paul Nagy, chief creative officer at Y&R, led the campaign for Union saying the brand platform is based on extensive consumer research to address the way Australians feel about banking.
“This is not a play-it-safe brand position for Bankwest. They could have flown under the radar but Bankwest recognises that this is what people want and deserve right now from banks,” he explained. “Consumers want their bank to do what it should do, seamlessly and without complication, and play the right role in their lives – by playing a smaller one.
“We’ve reflected that creatively by using some of the insights gained during our research in a fun and playful way, but also one that shows the brand to be more open and more transparent so that their customers can enjoy a simple, uncomplicated banking relationship.”
A Bank Less execution on a tram in Melbourne
Andrew Chanmugam, executive general manager at Bankwest customer experience, said the campaign reflected the philosophy of the business.
“Bank Less means less complexity and less frustration for customers; it’s about assisting customers when and where they need us, as simply and seamlessly as possible.
“Bank Less is deliberately designed to be cheeky and capture attention, but it’s also a statement of intent about the experience we want customers to have each and every time they interact with us.”
Bankwest is owned by Commonwealth Bank.
Credits:
- Client: Bankwest
- Agency: Union
- Creative credits:
- Paul Nagy – Chief Creative Officer
- Rob Martin Murphy – Executive Creative Director
- Derek Green – Executive Creative Director
- Andrew Hankin – Associate Creative Director
- Andy Cooke – Senior Art Director
- Paris Giannakis – Senior Art Director
- Marcus Tesoriero – Executive Creative Director
- Dean Hunt – Creative Director
- Nathan Teoh – Senior Art Director
- Tracey Kim – Illustrator and Animator
- Lauren Billingham – Producer
- Ewan Mitchell – Client Services Director
- Chelsea Wadsworth – Integrated Strategy Director
- Jo Gibb – Project Director
- Rebecca Grapiglia – Project Manager
- Animation House:
- Director – Buck
- Creative Director – Gareth O’Brien
- Executive Producer – Erica Ford
- Associate Creative Director – Lucas Brooking
- Art Director – Luke Saunders
- Producer – Jordan Howes
- CG Leads – Michael Lampe, Elijah Akouri
- Production companies: Hogarth and The Brand Agency
- Media agency: Ikon Communications
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Oh dear this is bad.
The creative department must have been at Cannes and strategy department had to take it on. Not their fault but it’s obvious the strategy undergarments are showing here.
God. What the happened with the creative?
I can see the strategic thinking that got them to the insight that a good bank experience and relationship is one kept at arms length; you do your job half decently I’ll be happy and get on with my life. But ‘Bank Less’ is genuinely odd and potentially a Vegemite 2.0.
Don’t eat it.
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Well said blip! I thought exactly the same thing about the strategy showing.
Even after reading the article explaining the strategy and insight and watching the TVC, I still have no idea what “Bank Less” means. So what is Betty from Bankstown going to think it means when she only sees it on the side of a bus for two seconds?Unfortunately this well be forgettable work that only makes people go ‘huh?’
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