Bank slogan gets acid test

November 23, 2009
Back to TopCommentsE-mailPrint

A staple of bank marketing is the slogan “We care” and its many variations. Small banks use it to drive home their community ties; big banks use it to make themselves seem approachable.

The theme is certainly being put to the test, as IBJ reporter Peter Schnitzler writes in this weeks’ IBJ. Banks, which are sinking into their own credit crisis, aren’t pumping out the loans like they used to. See the story here.

But just what does it mean when a bank says it cares? Should banks even be saying it anymore?

John McCaig, who owns Quinlan Marketing Communications, the agency of record for Salin Bank, thinks the theme is due for an overhaul.

McCaig thinks banks have backed themselves into a corner by drumming the message home over the years. At a time when many banks are fearful or unable to lend, they run the risk of speaking out of both sides of their mouths; creditworthy customers might not get loans even as banks say they care.

The slogan has been around as long as community banks, and institutions keep using it because they fear they’ll lose their ability to differentiate themselves, McCaig says. But because they keep recycling the same message, they actually aren’t differentiating themselves at all.

”I don’t think they know any different,” he says. “This is what banks believe their customers want to hear. Whether it carries much stock anymore…is somewhat suspect.”

What do you think? Do banks care? Should they change their slogans?

ADVERTISEMENT
  • Aha!
    Alan KerrAugust 22, 2011 2:03 AM
    Yes, of course, John is so right about the bank slogan thingy! Even though a progressive Noblesville banking institution has just helped facilitate a takeover of a middle-eastern country, flush with petrodollars, on behalf of my company (which shall remain unnamed, for security and hygiene reasons), I agree with John that the bank slogan of "We Care" is becoming a little stale. Nevertheless, I do think that the slogan was quite appropriate during the "Lending Spree," when banks showed that they did, indeed, care about lending money to anyone who could breathe and had a thumbprint. But, now that the ruse is up, sadly, the slogan needs to be changed. And no doubt, Quinlan can provide a new exciting slogan to get the whole banking sector fired up and smiling once again! So come on John, show us your new bank slogan!

    Oops, excuse me, i have a yawn coming on.

    Alan Kerr
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment

Post a comment to this blog

COMMENTS POLICY
We reserve the right to remove any post that we feel is obscene, profane, vulgar, racist, sexually explicit, abusive, or hateful.
 
You are legally responsible for what you post and your anonymity is not guaranteed.
 
Posts that insult, defame, threaten, harass or abuse other readers or people mentioned in IBJ editorial content are also subject to removal. Please respect the privacy of individuals and refrain from posting personal information.
 
No solicitations, spamming or advertisements are allowed. Readers may post links to other informational websites that are relevant to the topic at hand, but please do not link to objectionable material.
 
We may remove messages that are unrelated to the topic, encourage illegal activity, use all capital letters or are unreadable.
 

Messages that are flagged by readers as objectionable will be reviewed and may or may not be removed. Please do not flag a post simply because you disagree with it.

ADVANCED SEARCH
Sponsored by
ADVERTISEMENT

  1. Saw the Indy Men's Chorus "Music of Gilbert & Sullivan" at the Indiana Historical Society on Sunday evening.

  2. Temporary workers are not "tools" they are people and companies that keep large amounts of temp staff are cheating.

  3. I miss having them around. I hope one of their stores is in the general Meridian/86th Street area. I will make good use of it.

  4. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  5. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

ADVERTISEMENT