Four Strategies for Beleaguered Banks†

Financial-Services CMOs Need to Make Their Cases With Courageous Marketing Plans

Advertising Age, January 9, 2009 — There's an old British saying that where there's muck, there's brass. Right now the muck is the financial-services industry, and the brass is the massive opportunity in this $10 billion category for groundbreaking branding and marketing — one that rivals the defining of the dot-com era. Financial services, once one of America's most admired and valuable industries, has lost its luster and international standing, creating a multibillion-dollar brand vacuum.

Ads for Respected Brands Hit Racy Sites†

Brandweek, November 4, 2008 — As celebrity slip-ups continue to serve as fodder for a slew of gossip sites and blogs, more mainstream brands are finding their way onto these sites, despite their often-racy content. The big question is whether content of this variety is simply becoming more acceptable for marketers given its popularity, or whether negligent ad networks are placing messages on sites many brands would rather avoid. Both could be the case, said several media executives.

HSBC Sponsors Entire Issue of New York Magazine

New York Times, October 20, 2008 — There is more than one way to look at HSBC Bank’s decision to buy 24 ad pages in this week’s New York magazine, making it the largest single-issue advertiser in the magazine’s history.

Given the recent turmoil in the banking industry, one could see it as a case of bad timing. Or one could consider it kismet: Now more than ever, Americans need to be reassured of their financial security and the stability of their financial institutions.

Seeing if Banks Are Any Nicer†

We Find Out if Service is Truly a Top Priority; Free Coffee and Couches

Wall Street Journal, March 29, 2007 — n recent times, several big banks have been claiming that they've rediscovered customer service. In New York City, at least, this is showing up in trivial ways, such as a notable absence of bulletproof glass and greeters saying hello to customers as they walk into local branches. Some are even installing couches and TVs and playing pop music to encourage people to linger and perhaps pick up the pamphlets about banking services that they leave scattered around.

Similar Search Results: Google Wins

Global: Bow to Your Google

Brandchannel.com, January 29, 2007 — Google hogged technology headlines and spread its ubiquity (which is a nice way of saying "world dominance") throughout 2006. The dust barely cleared on its US$ 900 million deal with News Corporation to provide service to sites such as MySpace when it purchased video site and workplace time-waster (as well as third-place finisher) YouTube for $1.65 billion.