Barclays Local Business, Spring recruitment

Project:

Start-up businesses are usually riding an emotional rollercoaster.  They know about their trade, the business they’re opening, but they don’t necessarily understand the financial side or equally, be aware of the support that they could receive.  Switcher businesses are more established and have a business bank account elsewhere.  They are often dissatisfied with the level of service they receive.

Challenge and insight:

If there’s one thing small business owners dislike, it is being told how to run their business. No one knows their business better than the owner.  They wanted a bank to recognize they are really good at their job, and believe they will be successful.  We needed to reinforce that Barclays respect their skills and won’t get in their way or tell them how to do their job. Instead Barclays would help them run their business more efficiently.

Solution:

Three creative executions were developed for this campaign, all using customer testimonials from Barclays Local Business customers to show that Barclays truly understand local business requirements, and offer solutions to meet them. This makes our message relevant and compelling – allowing Barclays to communicate with their key target audiences through the voice of their customers rather than directly from the bank themselves – an important communication strategy in a market where banks are often viewed in a negative light.

Results:

The campaign is currently out-performing target, which is excellent, given the current economic climate and perceptions of banks.