Situation Overview

SIS wanted to promote its mobile banking app and remote deposit technology to increase app downloads and mobile banking adoption among existing customers and create brand awareness among potential customers, especially to attract a younger audience.

Challenge

Financial institutions typically offer parity products and services, including mobile banking and remote deposit technology. SIS needed to differentiate itself within this competitive landscape while remaining true to its brand identity.

In addition, SIS needed to create messaging that would resonate not only with its current, older customer demographic and its inherent resistance to technology adoption but also with a younger, more tech-savvy potential customer base.

Process

We worked with SIS to develop a creative strategy that would incorporate its Network Administrator, AVP of IT Nate Milkins. Nate had already established himself as ‘Nerdy Nate,’ a relatable, likable and memorable personality generating content about all things technology to share with SIS customers and community members. Playing off Nerdy Nate’s quirky personality, we created an equally fun and memorable chant to drive the creative and messaging for the remote deposit technology. This chant helped to show the ease of use and convenience of SIS’ mobile banking service.

Execution

We developed a multichannel campaign including broadcast TV, digital video, digital display, web content including homepage banners and a custom landing page, employee pins and other merchandising items, posters and print handouts and outdoor including transit and gas pump cover signage.

To be relevant and culturally timely, our in-house special effects and animation team depicted Nerdy Nate in one of the videos as if he were a live reporter in Sochi, Russia during a global athletic event. The spot illustrated the ease with which the mobile banking app could be used to make a check deposit while on the go.

Summary

The Nerdy Nate and ‘SIS Boom BA’ campaigns resonated deeply within the community, as evidenced by key metrics. There was a 35% traffic increase to the mobile banking app during the campaign and a corresponding 35% increase in online banking adoption, which was 9% above the peer group at the time.