Citibank and Subjectivity

Something interesting came up in class tonight. We were discussing the citibank campaign with the slogans telling you how money isn’t the most important thing and that they seem to be a kinder gentler bank.

Please note that I am not talking about their recent identity theft campaign, which is brilliant. Particularly the TV, although the print isn’t bad either. I am talking about the stark simple print and outdoor campaign.

My current ad teacher hates it. My previous ad teacher loved it.

There are admittedly some brilliant lines in the campaign, although they seem to be getting worse lately.

The idea is also a good one: position the bank as friendlier and less huge and corporate. It is the bank for people who aren’t obsessed with their money and just want their bank to work. It says that they understand that their customers have other priorities.

That idea is also the problem. Why exactly should we believe Citibank? The enormous corporation, parent to, among others, Solomon Smith Barney (via here). My current ad teacher has an account with Citibank and doesn’t find them particularly friendly.

I know. Citibank was there first. They made the claim so now people associate them with it. This actually works for the previously mentioned ID theft campaign. Other banks offer similar services, but Citibank was the first out with the ads highlighting it. Other companies will now seem like followers. But does it work with the other campaign. Citibank has, to put it mildly, a credibility problem.

It would be one thing if they genuinely tried to make the bank friendlier. In class a story was told about a store (Harrods I believe) which put out an ad campaign promising friendlier service. But they then backed it up buy holding their employees more accountable for being friendly. Citibank doesn’t seem to have made any changes to its large corporate business.

A couple of good lines make for some interesting ads, but the idea isn’t effective. I am not the only one who thinks so.

It is quite interesting how differently ad professionals can think.

Maybe more on this later. I have had no sleep recently and am running on fumes.