Greater Bank
Greater Bank turning 75 years
THE CHALLENGE
We think turning 75 is a big deal, so we wanted to pitch a big idea to Greater Bank on how we thought they could mark their 75th anniversary in 2020.
Milestone celebrations can be tricky. It’s easy to pull out the photo album and wax nostalgic. But that wouldn’t really fit the bank’s brand or sit well with the other work we’d been doing together.
We felt it was essential the celebration should serve a purpose, boost brand awareness and inform potential customers of Greater Bank’s longevity and strength. Likewise it should reaffirm to existing customers and staff, that they are onto a good thing. Do customers really care about the good old days or are they more concerned about right now and what you can do for them in the future?
WHAT WE DID
We got cracking on a direction more forward looking – acknowledging the solid foundations and strength of the past by concentrating on the fact that Greater Bank grew to 75 by always being future focused and adaptable. They’ve kept pace with technology and always looked to create an alternative, better banking experience that helped individuals, families, businesses and whole communities grow and thrive.
From that insight came our key theme: growth.
We figured Greater Bank has 75 years of strong roots, allowing for purposeful, sustainable growth. They help create responsible growth for individuals and put back into the community to make it more sustainable.
Our campaign line became 75 years of Growing Greater Together. It’s a celebration of all that Greater Bank stands for – helping customers grow to achieve their dreams and helping communities grow to support locals and where they live. Even helping staff in their professional growth.
Growing is an active term, about looking forward to an optimistic future and positioning Greater Bank as a business that has always evolved and transformed as needed for the betterment of their customers. Greater, besides being a nod to the name and reaffirming brand, alludes to improvement. And together brings in the partnerships between staff and customers and the bank and the community.
Actions speak louder than words. We felt this was an opportunity to go beyond even our usual integrated marketing campaign. How about giving back by planting 75,000 trees?
Trees are growth. They’re essential to life on earth. They provide shelter, produce oxygen and promote rain. They’re long lasting. Sustainable. And planting trees provides real benefit in combating climate change.
Greater Bank thought all this was a perfect way to launch Growing Greater Together, and gave us the green light to make it happen. It was October 2019. We got stuck in.
The concepts OOTS presented could work across all areas of our business.
And particularly the Growing Greater Together, could exist beyond the 75th birthday celebration.
Our relationship with OOTS is very collaborative and transparent. If last minute changes were needed, we were able to make those adjustments easily on the day.
The 75th logo signifies growth with its leaf shape. It subtly incorporates Greater Bank’s icon into the 75 and integrates with the logo for easy application all year long, regardless of the message.
We started scripting and liaising with councils and Landcare groups throughout Greater Bank’s operating area. That’s where we hit our first snag. The drought. And soon after, the second – some of the most devastating bushfires our nation has ever seen.
Initially this seemed terrible, but it actually made the trees more important than ever. Trees actually help prevent drought and with a bit of rain at the start of 2020, councils were in a better position to get their planting schedules going again and welcomed the extra support Greater Bank could offer. And after the bushfire carnage, replanting became a necessity to reestablish habitats. Things looked good for an April launch.
Cue snag number three: COVID-19. Like the rest of the world, we had to adapt quickly, and the OOTS and Greater Bank teams collaborated to get the wheels back in motion. Pre-production was full-steam ahead. Scripts were written, plantings arranged, collateral designed, roles cast. And as soon as restrictions were lifted, filming commenced. In a new-normal, sanitiser-slathered, COVID-safe way.
The campaign rolled-out in streams. The first stream showcases the customer benefit. Why struggle by yourself, when together with Greater Bank, you could thrive?
The second introduces the planting of 75,000 trees. This kicked-off with an installation of 14,000 plants in the shape of the 75 years logo. Mass planting in council areas throughout the bank’s area of operation followed and will continue for a year. Most will be documented and shared via social.
The third stream of the campaign has seen the plantings continue and with restrictions easing, allowing lots of helping hands to be included on the planting days.
The campaign also incorporates growing greater together messages into all aspects of Greater Bank’s business. The celebration is not only about the tree plantings but also the support and assistance they provide to community and charitable organisations such as BackTrack and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The entire process is a testament to an open and transparent collaboration with Greater Bank. I think we’ve all embraced the line Growing Greater Together.
