Banking on differences

The core message contained in Standard Bank's latest television adverts by TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, forming part of its image campaign with the new pay-off line "Inspired. Motivated. Involved", is that it strives to make a difference in its customers' lives and businesses. The first commercial, 'Reality', is aimed at the personal and business markets and the second, 'End of Day', is aimed at corporate and top end customers.

'Reality' contrasts the formality of bank 'speak' against family milestones and achievements such as falling in love and raising a family in a home. Comments Theo Ferreira, creative director at TBWA: "This juxtaposition is reinforced by the voiceover mentioning bank definitions while the visuals portray warm emotion and human interaction."

"['End of Day'] showcases Standard Bank's optimism and can-do attitude, illustrating how we use our international expertise and experience to deliver for our partners, consistently providing them with the right solutions across multiple geographies," says Nikki Twomey, director of brand marketing at Standard Bank.

More emotional banking

Net#work BBDO's second big brand TV advert for Nedbank since taking over the creative reigns builds upon "listening to your inner voice" to "make things happen". This latest offering shows Nedbank's intensity of caring and the difference being made making in people's lives.

According to senior copywriter Slade Gill, the voiceover wording and poignant visuals were carefully chosen to make people reappraise who they bank with. The closing visual is of the local and international award-winning^* world-first Nedbank power billboard, currently positioned at an Alexander school, which produces solar energy that powers up its kitchen, saving it nearly R3000 in monthly electricity bills.

Dramatic visuals

click to enlarge

As part of Nedbank's recent small business banking campaign, Pump Brand Ideas senior designer Justine Paul devised the idea of visually dramatising the small business concept in 50 Nedbank branches across the country through huge displays of fresh flowers intended to represent a florist.

Around 54 000 chrysanthemums were placed in various Nedbank branches around the country, based upon their relevance and accessibility to the small business market/audience in that area. The regularly monitored flower displays were complemented further by poster displays with clear information and a call to action.

A small independent flower wholesaler assisted in co-ordinating and implementing the programme along with the agency. To further support the small business involved, the flowers stands were donated by Nedbank. The large quantity of flowers also created a short-term shortage, briefly driving up the market price.

According to Pump group account director Charlotte Coppin, the bright, bold flower stands succeeded in attracting a lot of attention and many clients have commented on how they miss the flowers now that they're gone.

Another way of making the world colourful

The L'Oreal Paris World of Colour gave women the chance to reinvent themselves....if only for a moment. The stands at Clearwater Mall, Menlyn Park, Canal Walk and the Pavillion in September and October 2006 were manned by L'Oreal Paris promoters and professional hair colour consultants who created awareness around the exhibition and offered consumers the opportunity to experience a new hair colour .

Once the consumer made her choice of colour with the help of the consultant, a picture was taken and transferred onto a laptop, where the promoter then literally coloured the consumer's hair - in the picture on the screen - with the specific chosen shade. The picture was printed immediately and slotted into a photo frame for the consumer to keep.

A L'Oreal hamper to the value of R2500 was also won in a competition held on the day.

A case of the airport blues

Drop off your car rental at OR Tambo airport and you definitely won't be seeing red (you need to have been in the Southern Cape last week for Absa's sponsorship of the South African leg of the 2006/2007 IRB Sevens for that). The entire parking lot floor has been "Imperialised" - for as far as the eye can see, the pillars are dressed in Imperial Blue branding, with large blue neon signs everywhere. According to Imperial Car Rental, this is the first time any car rental company has owned this portion of the airport and the exercise took 4 -5 months to execute.

Just the flight

click to enlarge

Outdoor advertising company Wideopen Platform, in collaboration with creative agency FCB South Africa and media agency The MediaShop, used the huge end wall, newly-built on the Morningside Clinic construction site, to erect an advertisement in a key, high exposure area in Sandton (the traffic heavy Rivonia Road...) for Dubai-based Emirates Airline.

Covering an area of 390m², (30m wide by 13m high) the Emirates imagery was created on Digital Mesh Media, which was then applied to the wall using specialised techniques.

^*Awards include a Gold Bullet and the first-ever Jury Chairman's Choice Awardat the 2006 Annual YoungGuns International Advertising Awards; and a 2006 Silver Loerie for Outdoor & Ambient Advertising - Outdoor Media.