The ‘R’ word has taken its toll on financial service and durable advertising. In India, banks are resorting to reassurance (‘hey, don’t worry, your money is safe with us’ – probably evoking the exact opposite reaction) or portraying the brand as a friend you can count on (ING?). Car brands are giving out discounts and other incentives. Natural reactions, one can say. A campaign for ING Direct in the US, has gone against the grain in these times. For me it was endearing for precisely those reasons.
We the Savers is the campaign theme urging people to be financially independent. It includes a manifesto to ‘spend less than we earn’, ‘ignore unsolicited credit card marketing’ etc. The website has freebies including a saving calculator – according to it, I cannot be a millionaire in my life time based on my age & savings! I liked the candid approach! More than the candidness, the high ground that the brand has taken given the consumer sentiment is refreshingly different. As is mandatory nowadays, there is a YouTube channel and sigh, a Facebook page.
