Northwest Bank
B2C , Financial
With strong roots and a personal approach, Northwest Bank has always focused on doing right by its customers. But standing out in a crowd takes more than good intentions—it demands a strategic campaign that puts people’s aspirations front and center.
The greatest danger a brand faces is the loss of relevance. In highly regulated, parity categories—like financial services—it’s even more difficult to differentiate from competitors and establish a role to play in a consumer’s life. When Northwest Bank came to us, they were worried about losing relevance as they expanded to more regions.
We knew we needed to show current and prospective customers that Northwest Bank was not only relevant, but the natural choice to help them identify future needs and reach their life goals. Our recommendation? Reposition the brand with a bold and innovative message. One focused on the outcomes of banking—not the products and services that help get you there.
Our campaign idea—“For what’s next”—focused on bringing real customer experiences made possible by Northwest to life. How it feels to move into a new house, not get a mortgage. The pride a small business owner takes in what they do, not just the sale. Even the confidence of having access to your money when you need it, not opening a checking account.
With a footprint spanning four states and both current and new Northwest territory, we crunched the numbers when it came to planning our buys to maximize the efficiency of our media dollars. The outcome was a fully-integrated campaign introduced by broadcast television and supported by out-of-home, digital, social and in-branch materials.
Over the course of the initial launch period, Northwest saw an 11.3% increase in brand awareness across all audiences. Home equity loan applications increased 300%. Nearly twice as many new digital accounts were opened. And those numbers resulted in some very happy clients.
By speaking to prospective customers in ways they could relate to and showing the end goals financial services can help them achieve, we were able to resonate with people seeking better ways to get more out of life—and give them a direction they’d want to follow.
Key Brand as Friend® drivers:
Hey! Our name is pronounced Mōw-rrr, like this thing I’m pushing.