Start Saving Early

Background

The primary account holders of Citibank Bahrain consist mostly of young families with children. The bank was looking to increase investments among this customer base, and introduced a Children's Savings Account, encouraging parents to save for their children's future studies. The brief was to let these customers know about this new account, through point-of-sale communication in all the bank's branches.

Idea

Usually Citibank rely on leaflets and posters but in this instance they were persuaded to try a different solution. At the point where customers pause to write their cheques, the agency replaced the pens available with kids’ crayons. These carried a simple message with a call-back number, which customers could dial for enquiries about the new account.

Results

The crayons started many conversations inside the banks as well as leading to 117 phone calls within the first 15 days. This would probably not have been the case using the traditional messaging tools the client first expected. The idea is now being rolled out across the whole region.

Our Thoughts

It’s unexpected but relevant and I bet it was a struggle to sell this idea. Most clients are creatures of paradox. They want ideas that are new, yes, but reassuringly familiar. A leaflet, a flyer, a poster, a TV ad – these are easy to buy because everyone knows pretty much what they do and how they do it. But a crayon as a response medium? Hmmm. So, many congratulations to the person at Citibank who said yes to this, and in doing so acknowledged that surprise and delight can be useful business tools.