Major push hails bank switch plan

banksThe new Current Account Switch Service, designed to speed up the process of switching bank accounts, is to be backed by a major marketing campaign, spearheaded by Partners Andrews Aldridge.
The campaign uses animated animal characters to drive awareness of the service and explain the concept to the public. The work will go live across TV, outdoor, print, radio, online and social media this week.
Engine’s digital and direct agency Partners Andrews Aldridge has devised the creative on the campaign, Engine is handling the strategy, with PR activity overseen by MHP. Media planning and buying is being managed by the7stars.
Led by the Payments Council and delivered by 33 bank and building society brands, the new Current Account Switch Service is designed to help consumers, small charities and small businesses make switching current account from one provider to another simpler, reliable and hassle-free.
The standardised service will reduce switching times to just seven working days and should deliver increased customer choice and competition in the current account marketplace. Customers will have control over the date when their current account will switch from their old provider to a new provider and they will be protected by the new Current Account Switch Guarantee and supporting Trustmark.
Creating a ‘simpler world’ for account switching, the advertising campaign draws on the behavioural traits of the featured animated characters to emphasise the key benefits of the service in comparison to the past.
A feathered flying squad of birds represents the speed and efficiency of the new service and the automatic transfer of payments from a customer’s old account to their new one, a highly organised ladybird demonstrates the new opportunity for customers to choose the switch date that suits them and the seamless transformation from caterpillar to butterfly of the central character defines the hassle-free nature of the new Current Account Switch Service.
Mark Davison, a partner at Engine, said: “This campaign aims to drive awareness of a very important new initiative in a fun and eye-catching way. The potential that this service offers is huge and we believe that our characters, communications strategy and ‘Simpler World’ proposition underlines just how beneficial this scheme can be to the public.”

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