Family breakups feature in Westpac’s latest ‘help’ campaign
Westpac has launched the latest campaign in its help series, positioning the bank as partner during important life events, this time with a focus on family separations.
The campaign, created by DDB, follows last year’s campaign which looked at dealing with the death of a loved one. This year’s effort features the story of a couple’s break-up from the perspective their young child.
Westpac launched the ‘help’ brand positioning in April last year, looking at historical moments when Australians needed a “helping hand”.
Westpac group head of brand, advertising and media, Jenny Melhuish, said of the latest ad: “Separating from a partner can be really hard, both emotionally and financially.
“49% of people put off looking into financial matters when they were separating, no doubt because it can feel incredibly overwhelming. We’ve been developing tangible help for our customers, and our campaign aims to highlight what we can do to relieve financial uncertainty.”
DDB Australia CEO Andrew Little added: “The continuation of help is beautifully represented by this latest campaign. The work that the Westpac team have done to deliver real help to customers going through separation, and their investment in long format storytelling to address an important issue, is remarkable. This is my favourite campaign in the help series so far.”
The campaign launched nationally across TV, print, digital, out of home and social on Sunday March 10.
Credits
Client: Westpac
- Jenny Melhuish, Westpac Group Head of Brand, Advertising & Media
- Melanie Portelli, Acting Head of Advertising
- Shannon Jenkin, Senior Manager, Westpac Advertising
- Toby Dewar, Head of Media and Agency Management
- Carly Boyle, Director of Media Planning
Creative: DDB Sydney
Production:
- Production Company: Exit Films
- Director: Garth Davis
- Edit Facility: The Butchery
- Post Production: ALT VFX
- Sound: Song Zu
- Music Supervision: Level Two Music
Media: Media Lab
Public Relations: Map and Page
Another bank ad vastly overestimating the importance of banks in people’s lives. It’s not the product in this case, it’s an important service, but a 90 second spot suggests a desperate effort to distract from the behaviour highlighted by the royal commission.
Here’s a tip: fix your business first before you try to make people feel good about it.
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Beautiful spot. Moving. Well crafted.
But tell me, has anyone been through this experience with Westpac or any other bank and had even an average experience? Stories of accounts being blocked/drained by partners. Partners unable to access previously joint accounts. Kids accounts drained by partners pre leaving. Money hidden in other accounts. These are all first hand stories of people dealing with finances during this incredibly messy period. I don’t know what the bank can do to stop these things (nor if they intend to) but it certainly isn’t the bank that makes this process an easy one…
Feels like there is a genuine consumer insight here, but lacking in what the brand actually brings to the table. Overpromising.
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And yet another ‘pull the heartstrings’ ad from them.
I thought it was a preview for a movie – it took so long before it was obvious it was for Westpac. Can the bank just focus on being a bank and maybe inform us why we should be with them.
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This is exactly the emotional brand-building work banks need to be putting out right now. Perfect.
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Can anyone tell me the location of the shoot
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NSW South Coast/Kiama.
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I wonder why they did not use Australian actors – makes you wonder if it’s made in Australia!!!
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Wonder if the advertisement was made in Australia – non Australian actors!!!
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