What to say? Ask SunTrust

The immediate crisis to the system appears to be over, and from a customer's point of view, it's a mess. Investments are wrecked, banks have vanished, the big have gotten bigger, and now there's real concern about the long term impact of the crisis on jobs and the economy. The credibility of any brand in the financial system is low, and trust has got to be a limited, and precious commodity.

How does a bank position itself in this environment? There are a lot of different approaches being taken; from the dramatic increase in available ATMs created by an acquisition, to fairly generic "safe and secure" messaging that a lot of smaller banks are using. It's a difficult time to be communicating because uncertainty in the environment puts any communication at risk of either missing the mark or alienating the target audience.

SunTrust, I believe has nailed the messaging for this environment. The following spot is running now, along with a very powerful companion spot in radio.




Entitled "The Joneses," the spot talks about giving up conspicuous consumption for "real, true, and honest," and how people want a bank that does the same. The message is positive, simple, in plain english, and it tells people that it's not only OK, it's right to be frugal and careful about their money. And it says that SunTrust feels the same way.

No shouting about safety, no bragging about size, no artificial scenarios. A clear, simple, powerful message supported by strong visuals.

SunTrust has captured a positive vibe that may be perfect for this environment. If they can bring that message from the media all the way through to the teller line, they have an opportunity to differentiate the bank in an environment where differentiation is really difficult.

But, it's all about execution. To be effective, great messaging needs to be supported by aggressive communications and coaching across the organization.

What to say? Ask SunTrust.