A racy little number
First National Bank (FNB)
Issue 29 | December 2013
Agency
Action Ambros
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Andrew Ambrogioni Creative Director Renier Mostert Art Director/Design Ryan Tarboton Copywriter Renier Mostert Account Manager Warren van Rees
Production Team
Anrich Ligthelm
Date
September 2013
Background
FNB's Balance Transfer facility offers a helping hand to Credit Card customers. By allowing customers to transfer outstanding debt on their Credit Card's straight facility to the budget facility at a discounted interest rate, they get more affordable, consolidated repayments – thus bringing them into the black rather than the red on their financial statements. The task was
to find a way to tell customers about it, help them understand it, and take action.
Idea
Race! Black or white or red or whatever colour you wish. It's always been an issue of contention – especially in South Africa. It's no different to your financial situation. Black is good. Red is bad. Quite the opposite of what the Old South Africa used to be like. The Agency drew on the history to illustrate how being black is actually a good thing. A parody was set up, utilising old signage as it was portrayed in
the old Apartheid era and integrated some humour in what is ultimately a very serious issue. South Africa would be great if everyone was black...
Results
Direct mailers sent out: 50 000 Response rate: 61% (30 512 responses) Consolidated debt: ZAR 36614400.
Our Thoughts
I often ask marketers what the desired response is when they plan a campaign. Obviously you want people to buy your product or service. But before that, what do you want people to do when they first see your communication?
In this instance, the response would have been a gasp. To play the race card in a country as sensitive to issues of colour as South Africa was bold. The client who agreed to it, brave. However, the rewards of bravery are to be seen in the results. A 61% response rate for a financial services mailing must be close to a record. Banks usually just dream of 2% or thereabouts.