Australian smart bank 86 400 launches new ‘It’s Just Smart Banking’ brand campaign via Bashful
Australia’s first smartbank, 86 400 has launched a new brand campaign with the help of creative agency Bashful, supported by media agency Kaimera and PR agency Sling & Stone.
The campaign, ‘It’s just smart banking’, features a major national OOH and digital buy and is the first comprehensive above the line brand work by a new digital bank.
Running in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the campaign extends across Out Of Home (OOH) media including buses, trams, train stations, street furniture and office towers. The campaign creative devised by Bashful includes 89 variations to work across the range of media and incorporates seven different benefit-led messages with 11 colour variations. Physical ad placements are complemented by a nationwide premium digital advertising campaign and enhanced performance marketing.
86 400 was launched in response to an increasing customer problem that people’s finances have become too complex and they don’t feel on top of their money. Banking has undergone an enormous shift from the branch to the mobile device, with every new iteration of banking an imperfect improvement on the last. 86 400 surveyed the landscape and asked “what would a bank completely unburdened by the past look like? How could it offer a new approach to banking that would help people feel in control of their finances?
The answer was to change the status quo of banking and offer Australians a smarter alternative to how they bank. ‘It’s Just Smart Banking’ is a celebration of 86 400’s mobile-only approach, as well as its commitment to using industry-leading smarts to provide customers with products and services unburdened by banking legacy.
86 400’s smart technology keeps customers ahead when it comes to spending, saving, and bill payments, providing personalised nudges to help them avoid late fees or unnecessary charges. Customers can connect and view their existing bank accounts (from 150 institutions) – plus credit cards and home loans – all within the 86 400 app and pay any way they like with Any Pay (Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, as well as Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay).
Says Travis Tyler, chief product and marketing officer, 86 400: “It’s just smart banking perfectly encapsulates our mission. We’re providing a genuine alternative to the Big Four by providing smart, intuitive experiences that will help our customers feel on top of their finances without any of the complications of traditional banking. Celebrating our uniqueness by emphasising that we are Australia’s first smartbank provides us with a powerful platform for customer acquisition and ongoing growth.”
Says Emma Smith, marketing lead, 86 400: “We’re thrilled to launch our new brand platform that we believe capitalises on our first mover advantage. From day one, the team at Bashful has understood exactly what we are trying to achieve and acted as true partners. We are expecting big things from the campaign in driving not only our brand awareness but lots of new customers.”
Says Guy Marshall, strategy director and partner, Bashful: “It’s not every day you get to play a role in driving the strategic and creative direction of a new bank. 86 400 is a dream client with an industry-leading product and a super smart team. We believe the brand and fantastic product are really going to resonate with people ready for a change.”
Says Tim Chenery, creative director, Bashful: “86 400 has a big story to tell in a world where people are not immediately interested in or trusting of banks. We wanted to make sure we used every available opportunity to give people reasons why they should open a new account with a bank they’ve never heard of. The work is focused on being succinct, direct and clear, while making sure the brand feels both distinctive and contemporary.”
86 400
Chief Product and Marketing Officer – Travis Tyler
Marketing Lead – Emma Smith
Customer Acquisition Lead – Chris Garner
Design Lead – Jessa Jakovljevic
Marketing Coordinator – Melanie Gong
Bashful
CEO & Founder – Simon Bookalil
Strategy Director & Partner – Guy Marshall
Creative Director – Tim Chenery
Senior Copywriter – Dan Barrett
Senior Designer – Simon Macias
Account Director – Nicole De Pear
Kaimera
CEO/Founder – Nick Behr
Chief Digital Officer/Founder – Trent McMillan
Account Executive – Olivia Scott
Sling & Stone
Head of Client Services – Bradley Tubb
Senior Account Manager – Sophie Hanson
Senior Account Executive – Nate Serravite
Account Coordinator – Tesree Appanna
13 Comments
There is a strong idea here, but it doesn’t get in the way of the product which is worth talking about.
The most confusing name for a bank ever.
Put those ads in front of Joe Public and I’d put money on there being at least 40% that would have zero clue that the bank was actually called.
Bad branding. No one will know what the bank is or it’s distinctive sssets.
Great product, terrible execution on creative Robert Bell.
“It’s just smart banking” means absolutely nothing to me as a customer and marketer. Surely, your marketing team could have come up with something better than this. I expect more from a challenger bank. Don’t play it safe.
89 variations and 11 color variations. Care factor on these stats and correlation with sales success is :00
I have been working in Banking & Financial domain for more than a decade in Australia and overseas. Great idea however the execution could be done better including the brand name , UI designs and Security in a more Secure, Customer friendly and attractive manner..
Hope they consider my comments and will do things better to serve the customers and will soon lead the market.
Is it just me or is this the least inspiring “Brand” campaign I’ve seen for a financial institution?
A bunch of product proof points, the majority of which are available from the big 4 banks and none of them a reason to switch banks.
There is NO IDEA in any of this work and it’s incredibly rational. You’re launching a brand – tell people what you stand for, what you feel, how you’ll make them feel and why you’re different.
The CMO is a product guy.
Smart banking. Not very smart creative.
This campaign is like a little tray of poo cakes.
If this gets anyone at all banking with 1800 29034 1888 or whatever the fuck they’re called, I’ll eat my own bottom.
Really, Bashful, you have plenty to be bashful about.
Hi Im a bashful brand – it’s not their fault. But this is the worst advertising Ive ever seen – its a complete waste of money. it has ZERO branding.
These guys are so far up themselves they have lost sight of reality.
A name that needs explaining 3 times and sounds like a scam from the 90s.
A brand that has no core at all, overly designed by an outdated brand agency.
A creative campaign and positioning blander than own brand vanilla ice cream.
One of these banks is a wework in disguise, maybe its 1800 NO HOPE
This is terrible, it says nothing meaningful, there is nothing “challenger” “innovative” or even compelling. Waste of money. It feels like the marketing team lack any real strategic capability have been convinced to market to the internal 86400 staff themselves. The language is all about how they see themselves.
The CEO should start again with a new CMO.