Agency/Media Company: OMD Canada
Client: Scotiabank
Brand: Spring Lending
Media Team: Leslie Krueger, vice-president, group media director; Yvette Carter, media manager; Paul Hewitt and Kym Wyatt, media planners
Timing: April to September 1999
Best Use of Magazine: Second Runner-up
The Background
The overall objectives of the plan were to build awareness of and pique interest in Scotiabank’s revolutionary new way of looking at debt, and to drive response to its branches, phone lines and Web site.
Specifically, the task at hand was to launch – and build mass awareness of – a new brand for the bank.
Among the major challenges were: to overcome negative perceptions of debt products and of banks overall; to ‘break out of the mold,’ through use of innovative, creative and non-traditional financial media placements; to stand out in a highly competitive category; and, finally, to accomplish all of the above within tight media planning and execution deadlines.
The Plan
The strategy called for a multi-media campaign to envelop the target. The campaign would, in fact, address multiple targets, via two primary mind-set groups: ‘Homebodies’ and ‘Planners.’ These groups are segmented by goals, motivation and life-stage – not by demographics.
The campaign differentiated Scotiabank by using traditional media in a non-traditional way. It reached the mass target through a GRP buy, while addressing the different mind-set groups through use of specialty television and targeted magazines.
Television: Television was planned on three levels, to reach the multiple targets.
– The Base Buy: A national 30-second base buy, in English and French, was executed for the launch, to reach the mass 25-49 target. The advertising aired in high-profile programming and during season finales.
– DRTV: A 60-second direct response television spot aired nationally, in English and French, to drive response to Scotiabank’s 800 number and its Web site.
– Specialty TV: Highly targeted specialty channels (Life Network, WTN, Showcase Television, History Television and Prime) were used to reach the individual mind-set groups. Vignettes explaining the product were produced by Life, Showcase, History and Prime, and aired in tandem with the 30-second brand-sell spots.
Newspaper: FSIs were distributed nationally in English and French dailies, to help explain this complex lending product. These inserts provided a reference tool that enabled the target to gain further information.
Magazine: Full-page, full-colour creative and advertorial was placed in targeted books appealing to the two mind-set groups: for the ‘Homebodies,’ Toronto Life, Western Living and Décormag; and for the ‘Planners,’ Today’s Parent, Best Wishes and Enfants Quebec.
All in all, significant added value was negotiated on behalf of the client.
The Results
Scotiabank achieved the anticipated annual results within the first five months of the campaign. For the April to October period, planned mortgage sales were exceeded by 12%.
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