Striking financial marketing gold

Tom Cullinan, creative partner at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Johannesburg); Devin Kennedy, ECD at King James; and Adam Weber, ECD at Joe Public

Some local agencies are on the winning track, with three SA agencies awarded gold ingots for their financial advertising work.

The Jupiter Drawing Room (South Africa) Johannesburg won big on three separate campaigns for client Absa/Barclays: "Smallest Announcement in Banking," "Needs You," and "Greatest Game."

King James Group Cape Town also did well with "One Rand Family" for client Sanlam.

And Nedbank Business Banking prospered from Joe Public's "Nedbank Ideas for Change ATM" and "The Reins" campaigns.

I spoke to Tom Cullinan, creative partner at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Johannesburg); Devin Kennedy, ECD at King James; and Adam Weber, ECD at Joe Public about what it takes to get financial advertising right, as well as where SA creative truly shines when compared on a global playing field like this...

1. What do your Midas wins mean for your individual agencies?

Cullinan: Winning big at Midas in New York couldn't have come at a better time. To close an incredibly productive and successful year with a fantastic Jupiter/Absa success story is great acknowledgment of the work we do. We've always believed that work should be effective, creative and break through. It's the only way to really get noticed on various levels. The notion that: "One can achieve more working together than working alone," has never rung more true and our client deserves as much credit as we do for this success. The accoladed work runs across a myriad of Absa's business units and utilises various communication disciplines. From a Jupiter Johannesburg perspective, the success proves once again that we really understand the business, the challenges and the opportunities. Our agency is all about team work and this remarkable success has come with a lot of hard work.

Kennedy: It's very gratifying to do well at Midas. We've always had a strong showing there, with King James named the Top Global Financial Services Agency there three consecutive years in a row, from 2012 to 2014. It's also very satisfying that 6 of our 13 awards were for Sanlam, a client we've only had for just over a year-and-a-half.

Weber: Recognition for great work means that we are positively working towards growing our clients' brands.

2. What does it take to win at financial advertising?

Cullinan: Financial advertising is probably one of the most testing yet exciting categories to do work for as the category is cut-throat and products are generally on par with one another, meaning there is a heavy reliance on work which is innovative and untraditional, for it to stand out and differentiate.

Globally, we are also up against some big players who are specialists in financial services communication. We're a close second in awards points behind McCann XBC New York, who are globally responsible for all MasterCard campaigns. Innovation and creativity are key when going up against big brands and agencies of this scale.

In 2014, The Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg was honoured to receive the Inaugural Midas award for Innovation. This year, the Midas Award for Innovation was given to R/GA, who are specialists in digital and interactive and second in Advertising Age's Creativity Innovator of the Year. This tells us Jupiter is keeping some formidable company against the specialist agencies.

Kennedy: The work that stands out is the stuff that manages to cut through the clutter. Often people feel uninspired about the category, saying it's dull or it doesn't give you the opportunity to do great work, but I think the opposite is true. It's all about people, their hopes, their dreams, so one can find really beautiful insights and human truths. From there, it's just packaging it in a surprising and simple way that people can understand and identify with.

Weber: It differs to an FMCG product launch as you're not selling a tangible product but a financial service or concept. The tone often has to suit a more niche market, like private wealth or corporate property finance, for instance.

3. Talk us through how the different advertising mediums differ when tackled on a global playing field like this.

Cullinan: Chatting to one of the Jury members and looking at the final results, South Africa can certainly hold its head up high. The country's work has been recognised across multiple disciplines and we, as a country, are often leading the way in breaking conformity of traditional media strategies and use of those mediums. Take, for example King James and Sanlam's "The One Rand Family", a great piece of content that featured prominently at Midas. South Africa's film winners are also stand out pieces, which did well at this year's Loeries, proving we are pretty good at the traditional stuff, too.

What's truly a great accomplishment from Jupiter's side is our recognition in various use of disciplines. Our success in categories like TV & cinema, design/identity, promotions, public relations, events, sponsorship, direct response, newspaper and outdoor confirms Jupiter's reputation for servicing a large organisation, with work that crosses all mediums and demonstrates creativity and effectiveness.

Kennedy: Having judged Midas a couple of times, I can honestly say that South Africa can hold their own, no matter the medium. In fact, we do much better work than most countries. Our budgets may not always be as big as someone working on the same brief in the States for example, but that's what forces us think smarter and often our work is more surprising as a result. I can't speak for other agencies, but we focus on the idea first and then we explode it into whatever medium can amplify that idea the best afterwards.

Weber: Financial advertising covers a broader and more diverse market in SA than it does in some other countries. So while we may not produce the volume of television that American or European agencies do, we make up for it in ideas and solutions.

The Nedbank work that won this year ranged from a high-end cinematic business banking television commercial to an integrated piece for Nedbank's sponsorship of the Design Indaba. This double-winner was beautifully illustrated and highly impactful at the event. But it was underpinned by the original use of an ATM to encourage solutions to a very local problem. Great sponsorship ideas are relevant to both brand and event.

That's how it's done.