But we could never have predicted the pandemic. When ‘lockdown’ suddenly became the word on everyone’s lips, we had to drastically change our strategy to match new and different customer needs. So we built a campaign that would appeal to an audience of small business owners who didn’t even exist yet.
With high hopes that the UK’s recovery would be led by this new type of start-up entrepreneur, we set about building a B2B proposition that they’d be crying out for. One centred around our amazing Local Business Managers, who provide the kind of personal support that other banks would only reserve for their largest and most profitable customers.
Our creative shines a light on the unique bond between real Local Business Managers and their real customers.
Providing three small businesses with a nationwide radio-led advertising campaign co-created with their Local Business Managers. The brilliantly distinctive ads ran in series with Metro Bank Business Banking ads which we also created. Often forming a “road block” across ad breaks. All supported by a seamless funnel of complimentary response comms driving start-ups to open an account.
The results speak for themselves. We reached over 90% of our target audience, and more than half of those actively recalled the campaign. In Kantar’s analysis, they reported that the response far surpassed all campaign norms. Increasing brand perception for small business owners who now believe Metro Bank is ‘a brand for people like me’. At c. 3x times the industry benchmark this speaks volumes, and confirms that our goal of connecting with our customers on a truly human and emotional level is already making an impact.
And the good news didn’t end there. This campaign prompted a huge increase in new Business Bank Account applications, the highest in Metro Bank’s history – ultimately establishing us as a credible partner for small businesses. The campaign went on to win the Marketing Society’s prestigious award for best B2B campaign.
This was a unique and incredibly heartwarming campaign, built on our brand proposition of people-people banking and our understanding that there’s a real person behind every small business who needs their bank to believe in them. With the right support, and our Business Bank Account, they can go further than ever before.
