TSB Bank goes back to 1985 in its new ‘Bank Better’ brand campaign via Special Group
TSB Bank, via Special Group, has launched a new brand campaign called ‘Bank Better’. The central TVC dramatises the events of 1985 that defined the modern TSB Bank.
Under the finance minister of the day, Roger Douglas, New Zealand’s 12 independent banks were being pressured by the government to merge into one. In the face of incredible pressure only TSB Bank stood strong. A decision they made based on what they strongly believed was best for their customers. It’s a decision that holds true today with TSB Bank’s unrivalled and much-awarded customer service.
The merged bank – TrustBank – didn’t fare as well. A few years after the merger it was unceremoniously sold off to an Aussie bank.
Michael Redwood, Special Group: “It was a moment of truth for TSB Bank – and they weren’t found wanting. It’s why they are such a strong and smart bank today.”
The commercial makes a refreshing departure from the recent barrage of philosophical bank ads.
Says Rob Jack, creative director at Special Group: “This was an opportunity to tell a unique truth about TSB Bank. What makes them different. What makes them better.”
The 60 launch TVC will be supported by additional commercials and an outdoor campaign.
Special Group:
Creative Director: Tony Bradbourne
Creative Director: Rob Jack
Managing Partner: Michael Redwood
Producer: Nigel Sutton
Senior Account Director: Julianne Hastings
Account Director: Annabel Rees
Account Manager: Stephanie Lee
Strategist: Rahat Chaudry
Production Company: Flying Fish
Director: Gregor Nicholas
Executive Producer: James Moore
Producer: Penelope Sinclair
Editor: David Coulson
Online Post Production: Mandy VFX
Music: Liquid Studios
Client:
National Business Manager, Marketing: Rod Grant
Marketing Manager: Belinda Woofe
18 Comments
Couldn’t TSB ‘make the decision’ to have some good advertising.
Nice use of Gregor channeling the 80’s and 90’s present.
Actually quite enjoyed this, nice work Rob & Tony. Definitely liked it more than outer space man
haha 11:26
Good story, well told. Gives the brand some balls. Also nice to see more subtle use of period costume and props – usually so heavy-handed.
Hmmm. An interesting strategy, and a new way to skin the ASB’s ‘One bank is different’ approach. I am not convinced anyone cares about a history lesson though.
I’ll be interested to see how they carry through this ‘one bank is different’ strategy on the retail / product front. But kudos for trying something a but … um … different.
Is this true? All banks merged? Or just a whole lot of regional ones? I guess ASB opted out too. Interesting, I never knew.
Yes TSB and ASB were the only holdouts. The rest were merged into Trustbank which was bought by Westpac and eventually disappeared entirely in the merger. ASB were the big winner in many ways, and certainly in terms of business success and shareholder value, but they are now 100% foreign owned as well, apart from any NZ shareholders in CBA.
That too was called selling off the family silver at the time, and perhaps this ad hopes to pick up some of those disgruntled by the current round of hocking what’s left of the flatware. Perhaps.
All the Trust Banks except ASB and TSB merged. The concern was lack of capitalization. ASB solved that by selling a stake to CBA. TSB ‘solved’ it by staying small and sticking to fairly conservative borrowing and lending strategies.
It’s a lot to take in but it’s well executed. Gregor is the king of story telling. I can see how this could have been an information barrage losing site of the story. Im not convinced the gen public will care about the history but I like it.
I quite like it.
yes an exaggerated version of the truth by leaving a healthy chunk of reality out.
i quite like the narrator walking through the tale.
one question tho, do ads still have ideas or just a mantra?
“I quite like the narrator walking through the…” WHAT? Vomit.
I hate narrators. Apart from Isaiah Mustafa.
So what makes them different is a decision made 30 years ago? I’m sold.
Hardly original.
Substitute beer for a bank, sub. morton coutts for the 2 elderly people with 80s bulbous magnifying glasses , big eyes and super-smug expressions, ..voila: instant ad execution ‘borrowed’ from a non-competing category.
The Cancerbats cover of the Black Sabbath song that was streaming through my headphones at the same time made it quite cool. But could someone please find a new way of saying “Cape Reinga to The Bluff”?
Ok so it was just the regional banks? Assume BNZ, National etc weren’t part of it.
Does any one know what the 12 banks were that were in New Zealand that were part of the merger as stated in the ad?
All the banks merged? Really confusing, unless you go to the trouble of googling what they’re on about or remember what happened in banking in the 80s. Makes TSB look like an old nana with nothing too much happening to talk about now. Love the bank, but their ads are always slightly embarrassing.
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