Westpac launches new campaign highlighting its history as Australia’s 1st bank via DDB Australia; also launches new TVC featuring Bonnie Tyler

Westpac has launched a new brand campaign firmly anchored in its Australian heritage and values, its first creative brand campaign since appointing DDB Australia as its creative agency.

Westpac has also launched a TVC for its Reward Saver offering which features Bonnie Tyler singing her iconic love song, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’.

The Australian heritage campaign highlights Westpac’s history as Australia’s first bank and first company, highlighting its support of the nation for the past 196 years as well as expressing confidence in the country’s future.

WATCH BONNIE TYLER SPOT

Says Jason Yetton, group executive, Westpac Retail and Business Banking: “As Westpac prepares to mark its 200 year milestone in 2017, the new brand campaign evolves from Australia’s First Bank to celebrate all the things we do to support Australia, our people and our communities.

“At the heart of the campaign is Westpac’s continued commitment to helping customers move forward, in ways big and small, by being experts in money and financial advice.”

Founded in 1817, Westpac’s deep Australian heritage forms part of this country’s fabric. Westpac has grown with the nation from its beginnings as the Bank of New South Wales, to its transformation to a national bank when it was re-named Westpac in 1982. Today, The Westpac Group is Australia’s fifth largest company, employing 35 700 people, 10 000 of whom look after the six million customers in Westpac Retail and Business bank.

Says Yetton: “We are fortunate and have reason to be optimistic about the country’s future.”

John Harries, general manager, strategic marketing, Australian Financial Services, said that Westpac’s brand strategy is keenly focused on customers.

Says Harries: “The campaign recognises our customers and their aspirations, and reinforces our commitment to supporting them and helping them achieve their goals.”

Harries highlighted a key creative departure from the traditional red ‘W’ logo featured in previous campaigns.

Says Harries: “The new creative features a series of iconic Australian images within the ‘W’ which reinforce the heritage of the Westpac brand and the theme of the campaign.

“While we feature many iconic, heritage elements, it was crucial that we grounded the campaign with a series of targeted messages, language and imagery which are meaningful and relevant to our customer segments. The various executions really bring this concept to life.”

DDB Australia managing director, Andrew Little said that working with an iconic brand like Westpac is a real privilege.

Says Little: “We have a very clear goal. We want Australians to love Westpac’s advertising.

“The campaign creative highlights how Westpac backs Australia and Australians. From major industries and infrastructure to the things that are important to customers like home loans to buy their very own ‘castle’; helping the ‘gonna get theres’ to save, supporting small businesses for the ‘movers and shakers’ and helping the ‘young and restless’ reach their financial goals.

“This launch work is just the start; we have some terrific executions which will come out in the new year.”

The first phase of the new campaign launched on Sunday in national and metropolitan press and will be followed by the roll-out of high impact outdoor street furniture in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, dominant home page takeovers on mainstream news websites and cinema advertising.

The brand campaign is supported by dedicated product advertisements, the first of which launched today. 

The over-the-top story for Reward Saver featuring Tyler captures the essence of the young woman dreaming of her perfect day before she is snapped back into reality on a treadmill as she reviews her Rewards Saver account with encouragement. The ad was created to highlight how Westpac helps the ‘gonna get theres’ with whatever they are saving for.

Says Harries: “This is an exciting new campaign for Westpac and one which we will continue to build on as we further evolve as a business and stride towards our 200th anniversary in 2017.”

Executive Creative Director – Darren Spiller

Music & Talent – Jen Taunton, Level 2

Sound Design – Colin Simkins, Gusto Music.