How These Banking & Financial Companies Connected with Consumers
In 1964, the Beatles sang that "money can't buy me love." Perhaps not, but older authorities have maintained a due respect for what feats money can perform. In the first century B.C., the ancient Latin writer Pubilius Syrus pronounced that "money alone sets all the world in motion"; millennia later, the English poet John Keats concurred with the sentiment and reiterated it in somewhat more colorful language, asserting that "ready money is Aladdin's lamp."
Whatever shortcomings and malign temptations it harbors, money is undeniably powerful, making it incumbent upon us to steward our financial resources wisely. An entire industry of organizations offers us their assistance with this task, touting their services with an array of creative and innovative tactics and strategies. For an overview of some recent marketing efforts undertaken by the banking and financial services industry, consider the following.
Summaries follow below with full descriptions of the campaigns available through the embedded links.
How Mastercard Helped Black Female Small Business Owners
Mastercard's marketing strategy targeted U.S. card issuers and financial institutions that focus on small businesses and small business owners. Through proprietary research-driven insights, Mastercard solidified and grew its issuer partnerships and brought in fintech partners to strengthen perceptions among small business owners.
American Express Adopts B2C Humor to Appeal to a B2B Audience
American Express rolled out a series of humorous and relatable ads to attract the attention of small business owners.
Accelerating Mortgages: The RCG Calculator Success Story
RCG Mortgage faced an intricate sales process that hindered scalability and delayed its return on investment (ROI). The brand responded by introducing an interactive reverse mortgage calculator that provided prospects with instant estimates, revolutionizing their lead generation efforts.
Citi Partnered with Michaela Jaé Rodriguez for Its Chosen Name Campaign
Citi has been committed to helping drive an equitable and inclusive culture, both within their financial institution and for their customers. Citi's Chosen Name program, originally launched in 2020, gives transgender and nonbinary customers the choice to update their eligible Citi-branded cards to match their true identity.
This Bank Created an Absurd Campaign That Actually Worked
Esquire Bank's campaign was focused on contingency law firm principals and partners in the U.S, but with primary emphasis on Chicago, Boston, and Houston. This target is smart, driven, competitive proud attorneys who need firm facts and a competitive prod to take action. Ultimately, the sales pipeline generated represents a potential 3,100 percent ROI and Esquire Bank now generates more than 50 percent of law firm lending clients from digital marketing initiatives.
Demystifying Stock Trading through Cricket
Upstox, a brokerage firm based in India, created the Upstox Cric Index to compel cricket fans to participate in the stock market.
E*TRADE Brings Back the Baby to Connect with the Brand's Past
Following a union with Morgan Stanley, E*TRADE, a financial services company, resurrected an earlier brand character for a Super Bowl campaign to convey that its new brand remained consistent with its history.
MasterCard's Touch Card Exemplifies Inclusivity Done Right
As part of its ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive world, Mastercard created Touch Card: an accessible system of cards with cut-out notches that allow anyone, regardless of sight, to identify different payment cards from one another.
Ally Promotes Equity in Women's Sports
On the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Ally launched a landmark marketing campaign to promote equity in Women's sports through its "50/50" media commitment, spurring national conversation, supercharging brand growth, and ultimately "Primetime-ifying" the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Championship.
This Banking Brand Enlisted Black Comic Book Creators to Diversify a Lily-White Industry
Ally Bank teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery, DC, and Milestone Media — the first Black-owned comic book company — to create "The Milestone Initiative," a program empowering the next generation of Black and diverse comic creators to tell authentic stories for a truly inclusive world.
How Citizens Bank Used an Immersive Art Installation to Successfully Launch in a New Market
How does a bank launching in the crowded New York market make an unforgettable first impression and convince highly discerning New Yorkers that it's different? For Citizens Bank, it effectively increased brand awareness with a data-driven, immersive experience that evoked the energy, creativity, and resiliency of New Yorkers.
The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ANA or imply endorsement from the ANA.
Morgan Strawn is a director of editorial and content development at ANA.