Westpac reflects on historical moments when Australians needed a ‘helping hand’

A montage of cliches with no credible link to the brand, it’s offers or services. Eerily similar to the NRMA montage, though at least there are two words different in the taglines; ‘Help is who we are’ and ‘Help is what Australian’s do’.

Hmmmm,
I hear you It’s a bank……however compared to the NRMA trash, at least the Westpac cliches are well shot and well produced. There is no totally irrelevant sound track included – and there is some legitimacy in their message (i.e. the Westpac Rescue Chopper Service etc). Beats the hell out of an NRMA Insurance assessor trying to put bush fires out!

@it’s a bank
yep to all that

Typical bank ad trying to misdirect from anything remotely related to what they actually do (rescue choppers notwithstanding)…

… still not as tone-deaf as NAB trying to claim they’re about more than money…

At least NRMA’s crap spot uses an Australian song. Shame they outsource to foreign call centres. Just rubbish adland wankery, regardless.

…where Westpac want to get credit for their sponsorship of the rescue helicopter service.
Wake up Wpac marketers! CSR isn’t something you should seek to be patted on the back for. Just put your logos on the choppers and we’ll think of you kindly whenever we see them doing their great work, don’t try to shove your benevolence down our throats in an effort to make yourselves look like heroes. You are a bank after all, it’s only right you do some social good.
You’re not doing anything more than you really should.

In review of these comments, It’s evident that some of our advertising community has forgotten their purpose.
A sad day when creative is critiqued on the basis of a lack of product offer or services. This creative is attempting to capture the hearts and minds of everyday Australians and celebrate the ‘Australian way’ through beautiful story telling. That’s called Branding. Whilst we all relish 4 day sale Ads for Fantastic Furniture, however it’s so incredibly refreshing to see such a company investing in their brand, as opposed to feeding the cyclical drug of “sale” “50% off” “Buy now” advertisements

We ought to be congratulating Westpac on such a beautiful creative.

Where Howie at?
https://mumbrella.com.au/mla-marketer-andrew-howie-joins-westpac-head-advertising-479459

A “helping hand” in your pocket, helping itself to the contents.

Tagline should read. “Cheat. It’s what Australian banks do.”
All the same.

@mat, although it’s a David Bowie song it’s covered by Gang of Youths, a prominent Australian band. Check before you type!

I’ve met many, many more helpful people around the world than Australians. Try explaining to anyone in South East Asia, Central and South America or Africa how helpful we are..

Wow! This has got to be one of the worst adverts I’ve seen in years. What sort of an ass hole calls themselves a hero!? This really shows why advertising is dying. We are already jaded by Banks screwing us over, the Royal Commission is uncovering scandal after scandal [not that the press are reporting it] yet they are telling us they are heroes!!! Our industry has no credibility. People are tired of our lies. If this is the best we can do then the whole industry deserves to die.

Rubbish. Why the banks run this sort of stuff is beyond me. I can not remember any time I have experienced any sort of positive reaction to this sort of content. No connection at all with reality. With the Royal Commission running this looks like even more out of any sort of context. The emotion is totally misplaced. This might have worked in 1969 but not today. Terrible. But Westpac are not alone. However top awards to the agency and media who managed to sell this to Westpac.

I fail to see what any of this has to do with The Greatest Meat on Earth

What a blight on David Bowie’s memory and talent. The agency hipsters and baby boomer creative directors should be ashamed.

Well all you media geniuses dragging the ad down…. maybe you are the experts, but as an average middle class Mum I LOVED it!!! My whole family do. It’s fantastic. Totally emotionally engaged. We are all totally hooked when it comes on. Hence googling it to find out which agency is behind it. Bravo DDB! Congratulations Westpac. It’s a beautiful ad.

Shame it shares the same thinking as NRMA but that’s where it stops. The craft and storytelling is levels above NRMA. Good to see no koalas having the life squeezed out of them or mothers kissing their daughters in four places. And a much better song cover.

The new Westpac spot is a thrilling synergy of heart-wrenching emotional bribery set to a musical travesty. 12/10 Self Back-Pats.

Saw this ad for the first time last night. It blew me away. Well done.

At the very least, our role is to influence and persuade people about a brand or a product. At our best, we find ways to connect with people at an emotional level. This ad does that.

You might not like what they are selling, but that is not the point of the ad. Every person who has commented on this article has a bank account and probably at least one additional banking product. Banks are a major part of our lives and our society. Should we expect more from them? Yes.

In this case, they are reminding us who we are and what we stand for. I appreciate that they are wanting us to see them that way too and for many of you that is what you are reacting to.

They show their logo only a couple of times in 90 seconds and that is low considering the amount of money they must have spent on it.

If I am in trouble, I would like the Westpac chopper to come and help. Would it be better if they did it without putting their logo on it? Probably not if you are a shareholder.

This ad is on a par with the NRMA. Corny and cringeworthy. Ad agency needs to have a wake-up call. What a waste of a creative opportunity for a professional agency. Turn off material – where’s the remote…

Given the revelations of the Royal Commission to date we now have a much better insight into what banks do!
No wonder they are trying everything they can to try and portray themselves in a good light always being their to lend a hand. “Help when it matters because that’s what Australians do”
NRMA, given it’s glorious past and it’s current philanthropy better hope they pass the scutiny of a royal commission into the insurance industry should one ever be convened as thatt too is an industry that should be put under the microscope.

I actually enjoyed the Westpac ad, but was a bit embarrassed for them and for NRMA to have basically come out with the same creative at the same time. Annoying for both brands I am guessing.

But yeah the purpose of a TV ad is to sell you a dream or get you in the feels, (ideally both) right? Westpac definitely did the latter, great use of music too.

The advert has a mistake in it. The woman running out the door changes the colour of her dress when she is delivering the child in the back of the car.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the dress! I am still trying to work out what giving birth in a car has anything to do with a bank………

as bad as NRMA’s TVC.

I’m a Westpac customer and have been for years. When I put my daughter to bed tonight she said that she didn’t think she could sleep. When I asked why she replied, I can’t get that bank ad on TV out of my mind because it scares me.

I believe I have resilient, well adjusted girls who can realise fantasy from fiction, however I’m someone who never comments or complains much and I can see why she feels frightened by your ad.

I think you could show something more appropriate to promote your bank at that earlier time slot.

Hope someone from one of the big banks gets to hear my feedback.

Thanks N

The world today is grim. Congratulations to Westpac for actually investing in storytelling and weaving some form of brand/cultural DNA into the market. At least they stand for something remotely positive in todays very divided world.

Banks can be bastards and they need to change, but whether you like it or not, they are a fundamental part of Australia’s young and growing infrastructure. For the very literal naysayers/bank bashers – get a grip, we get it, you think banks should be silent and simply exist. However if iconic Australian brands like Westpac aren’t telling stories like this, who is? Who else is providing any form of cultural stimulus outside of selling fast food, furniture or phones?

The Government definitely isn’t.

If anything, this is a really powerful piece of creative that leaves you feeling something – at least you feel something.

Yea they sure come up with some great adds. But what we really want to hear is the following. We’re sorry we screwed you over. We’re happy to increase your savings account interest rate. We’re putting the tellers back in tha bank. Etc Etc Etc

Westpac must think consumers are dumb, running this series of ads in an utterly transparent attempt to counter what is being revealed about their corporate behaviour at the Banking Royal Commission. We (Westpac) can be heroes? No, you’re not, Westpac! This cynical campaign will only reinforce negative opinions about you.

It’s a beautiful ad for a rubbish institution

Great ad.
Nobody is forced to use a bank so if you don’t like it don’t use it.