DAILY TIDBITS 09/03/10: Citibank take on Standard Chartered in the battle of the rebates

A few days ago we sung the praises of Standard Chartered’s cashback at Cold Storage ad (see here). Today we would like to compare it to Citibank’s “The most rebates – powered by Citi” ad that we have seen before, but decided not to pass judgement. Comparing these two ads is interesting as they showcase two approaches that differ markedly in terms of visual, slogan (a function of their respective branding templates), body copy and overall aesthetic. Lets look at each aspect in turn.

First, whilst Citibank go for a lifestyle visual that tangentially refers to the fact that you receive rebates on coffee (i.e. two of the “talents” are carrying coffee cups), Standard Chartered use a simple vector drawing of a shopping trolley and shopping bag. Second, whilst Citibank promise “The most rebates, powered by Citi”, Standard Chartered target grocery shopping by saying “You stock up on groceries/we reduce the bill”. Third, whilst Citibank’s body copy is dense and general insofar as it outlines all the different outlets at which rebates can be received, Standard Chartered’s is in bullet form and specifically refers to their offering at Cold Storage. Finally, and as has already been alluded to, whilst the overall aesthetic of the Citibank ad is one of breadth, Standard Chartered’s is one of specificity.

Comparing these two is a bit like trying to compare apples and oranges; both are fruits (i.e. both talk about rebates), but that is where the similarities stop. Rebates aside, we do, however, feel that there are two things that are more immediately more appealing about the Standard Chartered ad. First is the visual – Citibank’s photograph appears a wasted opportunity as it poorly communicates both the idea of daily spending, and that you can convert your spending into savings. Second are the respective branding templates – whilst Standard Chartered conjure up a slogan that speaks volumes about what the ad is about and how their offering can benefit the reader, Citibank are admittedly direct but bland in their assertion that they provide “The most rebates”. Further, having to lump “powered by Citi” on the end of every slogan and in the middle of every header is (already) becoming rather tiresome. In this sense Citibank may well provide the most rebates, but Standard Chartered’s branding template appears to provide far more aesthetic power.

What do you think?

DAILY TIDBITS 04/03/10: SMU go head-to-head with NTU with their undergraduate open house; Citibank fail to impress; and Standard Chartered score full marks for clarity

All four ads are from the main section of today’s Straits Times.

1. SMU’s open house fails to leave an impression

With A-Level results out tomorrow, the competition between Singapore’s local universities for undergraduate applicants is hotting up. Whilst we were impressed by NUS’s “Be the change” ad (see here), SMU leave us unconvinced with their promise to “DISCOVER A DIFFERENT U” at their open house on 6^th and 7^th March. Take a look at the ad below:  

First, the muted colour scheme of burgundy red and indigo blue fail to catch the eye and, when used together as they are here, make reading the copy difficult, even painful. When combined the colours mute each other, preventing the message from popping out at you as it should. Second, the visual is uninspired and, we would argue, obsolete. It looks like a last-minute addition to convey a “personal touch” to an otherwise impersonal invitation to attend an open house. Compared to the visual sophistication of NUS’s (see here) and NTU’s (see below) ads, this is a comparatively lazy choice that shows a lack of creative vision.

2. NTU impress undergraduate applicants with employment prospects

NTU are straight to the point in telling potential undergraduates why they should apply to NTU – because “TOP EMPLOYERS CHOOSE NTU – WHY DON’T YOU?” The brazen directness of the slogan sits perfectly with the visual of a busy city street covered with advertising billboards, as you can see by having a look at the ad below:

At first glance you would never guess that this comes from a university, given the P&G, Shell, Oracle, Citi, Philips, DSO and Toshiba brands emblazoned across the billboards. These big brands provide an effective that easily attract attention. At second glance, the concept becomes a powerful reason to apply to NTU. It suggests that when you apply to NTU, you are not just applying for a university place, but also a job with one of the world’s largest, most recognised companies. By suggesting that NTU is good enough for the biggest companies in the world, they challenge the reader to find a reason not to apply. In telling prospective students that this is what they can get by choosing NTU they harness not just the attraction of the university, but the companies that employ NTU graduates as well. Excellent vision – we love it. 

Interestingly, the call to action for this ad - found in small print in the bottom left hand corner - is to attend NTU’s open house on 13^th March. Whilst SMU simply provide notification of their open house by shouting it out (more like whispering, given the drab colour scheme!), NTU give you reason to want to study at NTU and, as an afterthought, let you know that they will also be having an open house. A far more sophisticated and value-added approach, we find. Based on these two ads, which open house would you rather attend?

3. Citibank Singapore become repetitive in their drive for accessibility

This is the third ad Citibank have run as part of their “accessibility” re-branding campaign, this time trying to woo you with their instant services (for the instant access ad see here, for instant connections see here). We find that visually this the weakest of the three, and whilst it drills home the message that Citibank is accessible, it still leaves us wondering what else the bank has to offer prospective customers. Three ads telling you that Citibank offer you something that all local banks can also offer (accessibility) is hardly much of a catch. As we have argued before, such re-branding should be used to complement the features that are truly unique to Citibank in order to effectively differentiate their brand positioning, and service offering.

4. Standard Chartered use their branding template to powerful effect

Finally, we are pleased to applaud Standard Chartered’s improved use of their branding template. Whilst we have previously criticised the clumsy, often illogical use of the slogan template (see here), today they got it spot on. 


The slogan – “You stock up on groceries / we reduce the bill” – fits perfectly with the idea that Standard Chartered make life easier for you by allowing you to save money on the mundane yet necessary expenses of day-to-day living. The visual in the form of a simple white outline of a shopping trolley fits perfectly with the idea that “stock[ing] up on groceries” is mundane, whilst Standard Chartered are seen to inject some colour and excitement with their “5% cashback” shopping bag. Very simply, very direct, very effective. 

As always, do feel free to comment below!

DAILY TIDBITS 03/03/10: NUS woo MBA candidates with “Employ-ability”; 100 Plus “Defy Limits”

Today is a day of repetition for us as we showcase two alternative versions of adverts we have already covered.

1. NUS lack integration in their promise of “Employ-ability”

On the front page of the Home section of today’s Straits Times NUS ran an ad for their S3 Asia MBA, this time attracting readers with the signature of Benjamin Phillip Belieu. Conceptually it is the same as for their previous NUS-HEC Paris MBA ad (see here), and we still, therefore, feel that more can be done to link the signature (which is, after all, the initial “hook”) to the fundamental selling point of NUS’s MBA programmes – employability.

We do, however, still find the signature a charming idea, one that suggests that the MBA experience at NUS leaves an indelible mark on the character of its students, as reflected by the integration of cultural elements (in this case a Chinese temple) into the cursive.

2. 100 Plus, “Defying Limits” and The Straits Times Athlete of the Year Award

We have already sung the praises of 100 Plus for their multi-layered ads that perfectly complement their sponsorship of the Straits Times Athlete of the Year Award. In our previous post (see here) we referred to their alternative advert, which shows a swimmer competing against motorboats in Marina Bay. We love it, and here it is for posterity:

As always, do feel free to leave your comments below!

DAILY TIDBITS 02/03/10: Citibank Singapore and M1 talk about connections; Maybank look forward to “Blue Skies” ahead

Introducing our new post format: bitesize chunks of easily digestible advertising updates… Delicious! We now have two posting formats; lengthy analyses of advertisements that we feel require “proper” deconstruction (read into that as you will!), and light-hearted overviews of daily highlights and lowlights that we come across. In doing so, we hope to increase our media coverage. Scanning The Straits Times and other forms of print and broadcast media, we so often pick up on things that we would love to discuss, but simply do not have the time. With our daily tidbits we will be able to include more adverts, raise more points of discussion, and hopefully, therefore, please more readers! So, here we go…

1.    1. Is Citibank Singapore positioning itself in too narrowly defined terms?

Citibank Singapore ran another full-page ad today, which again emphasises accessibility. Like the ad they ran last week (see here) we love the visual appeal of the ad. The slogan – “My bank goes wherever I go” – sits well with the message that Citibank provides a tripartite of instant connections, instant access and instant services, allowing you to do your banking “anytime, anywhere”. You can’t fault them on the comprehensiveness, and effectiveness of their coverage, but for us there is still the latent concern that Citibank may be pigeonholing themselves by over-emphasising accessibility.

We have already commented that whilst Citibank’s coverage is indeed impressive (especially for what may be popularly conceived as a “foreign” bank), their value propositions do not differentiate them enough from their local competitors. Citi Mobile, Citibank Online, 900 touchpoints islandwide; they all provide excellent options for customers in terms of accessibility but, as far as we can tell, this is very similar to what DBS, UOB and OCBC offer. Yes, Citibank may be doing an excellent job of raising awareness and distancing themselves from their "foreign" competitors (i.e. HSBC and Standard Chartered), but they are not providing readers with an extra incentive to bank with them.

Our recommendation? Keep the current focus on accessibility, but integrate it with products and services that are truly unique to Citi. Talk about local accessibility, but also talk about how this is just the tip of the iceberg, and that banking with Citi can gain you access to a global network of knowledge, support and insights. We think this would be a far more powerful offering – do you?

2.    2. M1's visual will connect with businesses, but could do more...

We love the visual M1 used today for their “Business Broadband from M1” full-page ad. It shows an internet cable being plugged into a socket on which the Singapore skyline is superimposed. A simple, yet very effective concept that suggests M1 can plug your business into the opportunities abound in the Singapore marketplace.

Yet whilst the visual is great, we feel the message could be even more powerful if complemented by a slogan. At the moment all we have is “Business Broadband from M1” at the top and “Switch to M1 Business Broadband for better value!” below. Perfunctory, to say the least. We feel that something like “Let M1 plug your business into Singapore” or even "Plug into Singapore" would convey a stronger impression of the real value of M1’s service (measured in terms of business opportunities, rather than cost savings), instead of relying on price comparisons alone. Any alternative suggestions? Let us know below!

3.    3. Maybank’s Blue Skies Structured Deposit: great positioning, great packaging

Maybank’s new “Blue Skies Structured Deposit” ad impressed us immensely, primarily due to the excellent integration of slogan, visual, product packaging, and market context into one, clearly communicated banking product. The slogan – “Discover blue skies ahead” – speaks to investors who are looking to re-invest their money in financial products and, in this case, to take advantage of the “blue skies” ahead, which represent the return of the bull market. The slogan draws parallels with the name of the product, which in turn draws parallels with the five “Blue Chip” companies in which it invests (CapitaLand, DBS, Keppel Corporation, SPH and SingTel). This suggests that these true-blue (sorry, we couldn't help it!) Singapore companies can be trusted to give you good returns, thus circumnavigating the risk that may still be associated with investing in foreign, especially Western companies and markets in the wake of the credit crunch.

Combined, we think this shows great market awareness (in terms of both financial and consumer markets) on behalf of Maybank, which is clearly communicated through a well-integrated advertisement.

As always, do let us know what you think by commenting below!

BMW use their sponsorship of the HSBC Women’s Championships 2010 to maximum effect in The Straits Times

BMW ran a half-page ad in the Home section of today's Straits Times that draws a number of comparisons between champion golfers and the BMW X6 – “The first Sports Activity Coupe with Dynamic Performance Control”. We find this a very fresh and clever way of communicating the features of the X6 through a medium that much of BMW’s target market will empathise with – the technicalities of the golf swing. Take a look at the ad below:

First of all we love the fact that both the golfer and car are presented as sketches. This takes a large degree of confidence and maturity on behalf of BMW, as the vast majority of car ads rely heavily on stylised photographs in order to attract the attention of readers. Can you think of any car ads that do not rely on photography for their visual representation? We can’t. Such a medium instils both the idea of artistic creation, as well as the almost childlike joy of drawing. In a subtle way, therefore, the visual medium supports BMW’s latest branding template, which focuses on “JOY” and is clearly communicated by the slogan – “JOY DRIVES CHAMPIONS”. The use of “drive” is an obvious, yet nonetheless excellent choice of word, simultaneously referring to how you “drive” a car; the “drive” as a type of golf stroke/club; and the mental “drive” of the champions that BMW both produce (in terms of cars) and supports (in terms of sponsorship). This is a perfect example of how different meanings and readings of just one word can provoke different levels of thought and reflection. The word “drive” therefore enforces both the product, and the brand to good effect.

In addition, the labels surrounding both pictures point to six shared characteristics that are common to both champion golfers and champion cars – aerodynamics, balance, control, stability, torque and vision. In a playful and indirect way BMW highlight six features that constitute a "champion" - whether a car or golfer. They also label “joy” as a seventh characteristic, which is at the heart of the golfer, and in the driver’s seat of the car. Have a look at the golfer in more detail below:

In sum BMW provide a great example of how to really get the most out of sponsorship opportunities. By creating cleverly thought out and clearly communicated parallels between the golfers that compete in the HSBC Women’s Champions 2010 and the BMW X6, they stretch their marketing dollars and firmly position their brand as one of “champions”. Great concept, great execution - we love it. Do you? Let us know by commenting below!

-TJR

Citibank talk to Singapore in terms of accessibility and touchpoints

This past week Citi has been bombarding Singapore’s TV and print media slots with their latest rebranding exercise – “You, powered by Citi”. The focus has been on communicating Citibank’s accessibility in terms of instant access, instant connections and instant services. Whilst on Tuesday we found the stark full-page branding piece in The Straits Times to be disjointed and strangely positioned (see here), today they ran a very similar ad that, for us, ticks all the right boxes. Have a look at it below:

Visually it is incredibly appealing, retaining the right balance between stylised beauty (we love the “Citibank” reflection in the car windscreen) and down-to-earth believability (i.e. withdrawing cash from an ATM, albeit a drive-thru ATM). The slogan – “My bank is everywhere I am” – is strong, direct, and well integrated with the body copy, which talks about accessibility – primarily in terms of touchpoints. In contrast to Tuesday’s branding piece – where the slogan “You, powered by Citi” seemed incongruent to the message that Citibank is expanding its presence in Singapore – this ad focuses wholly on one thing: telling the reader that Citibank is “everywhere”. The ad is also well supported by an article on Citibank’s expansion in the business section.

So what is the difference between Tuesday’s ad and today’s? Visually, today’s ad conveys one, integrated aesthetic that seamlessly ties together visual, slogan, and body copy. On Tuesday the slogan suggested one thing, the body copy another, the arc yet another. In addition, whilst Tuesday’s ad appeared to be setup as a branding piece, grabbing the reader’s attention through the dominance of the “You, powered by Citi” slogan, todays is one that overtly conveys a unique selling point that is just one facet of Citi’s re-branding and re-positioning in Singapore – access. On Tuesday how "You, powered by Citi" relates to accessibility was not clearly conveyed, thus creating confusion, whereas today we are directly told "You, powered by Citi, have instant access at over 900 touchpoints islandwide." In this sense the sole focus on communicating a selling point through the new branding template (i.e. "You, powered by Citi, have instant access...") drives home a more direct, coherent and therefore powerful message.

Finally, in a separate ad that Citibank ran in today’s Straits Times for the Citi Platinum Card (note three communication pieces in one paper – impressive coverage!), we noticed the following slogan:

Does anyone else think this should be re-arranged as:

“Reward yourself more

all year long”

Although it is to be read as one sentence, there is a natural pause after the “more”, and splitting it up as they have does seem to interrupt the overall flow (given that you also tend to pause after reading the first line). Putting the "more" at the end of the first line would therefore separate the two ideas of (1) more rewards; (2) all year. Although re-arranging it in this way would lose the visual symmetry between first and second lines, an alternative suggestion would be to insert a comma after the “more”, thus:

“Reward yourself

more, all year long”

What do you think? Are we being over-analytical, or does anyone else feel that this also reads strangely? As always, do let us know by commenting below!

-TJR

Citi’s latest branding exercise hits Singapore

Over the past few years Citi have undergone umpteen re-branding exercises. In today’s Straits Times we were introduced to the latest effort, which has a dual focus on “You” and “powered by Citi”. Have a look at the ad below:

Characteristically bold (yet unappealingly stark) in visual presentation, the slogan and accompanying arc in the top right hand corner of the page suggest that Citi is the engine that powers your financial success. Powerful stuff, you must agree. As a branding exercise, this appears a somewhat unoriginal attempt to regain public confidence in a bank that many may be weary of. In direct opposition to AIA’s “The Power of We” (see here) we are told that “It all starts with you and what’s important to you”. According to the body copy, what’s important to “you” is accessibility and the ability to instantly access your account via island wide touchpoints, your mobile or online, or receive instant services such as credit card issuance. This is fine, but what about the local competition? Don’t UOB, DBS and OCBC all offer this degree of accessibility, and perhaps more? Citibank’s colonisation of the “heartland” areas of Singapore may be impressive (by “foreign” bank standards), but we expect they remain secondary compared to local offerings. Similarly, we would expect that mobile and online banking platforms are now part and parcel of most bank's service offerings. 

Our point is that we suspect Citibank may have picked the wrong battle by positioning themselves in terms of accessibility. Yes, they may be trying to challenge public stereotypes about “foreign” banks, but we think there are better ways to achieve this than trying to beat local banks at their own game, for which they have a predisposed advantage. In addition, the exciting notion "You" being “powered by Citi” to achieve “your success” falls flat when accessibility and touchpoints become the focus of consideration. It’s hardly the inspiring kind of rhetoric that will pique the attention of the masses.

Instead, we would suggest Citibank play more with the idea that Citi is the engine of financial growth, the customer the driver. Honour the arc (“Your goals >> Your success”) and talk about the fact that whatever your financial goals or ambitions, no matter how lofty they are Citibank is the only bank that can help you achieve them. By starting a relationship with Citibank, customers should be made to believe that they are plugging themselves into an expansive global, and local network of experience, insight, and possibilities. Whilst some may condemn this approach as hot air, we believe it is what is expected from, and what complements a branding, or “positioning” ad like this. Doing so will provide a far more integrated aesthetic; one that does not leave the reader questioning what Citibank is trying to achieve through this latest round of re-branding.

What do you think? Is there anybody that likes this branding ad, or disagrees with our opinions? Do let us know by commenting below!

-TJR

NTUC Income urge Singapore to “Get rich slow”

For a long time now we have been admiring this print ad that NTUC Income have been running in The Straits Times. What we like about it most is the honest simplicity of the message conveyed. Take a look at the ad below:

Riding on the back of the credit crunch, it speaks to Singaporeans who are looking at how to re-invest their money. The simple, yet seemingly paradoxical slogan – “Get rich slow” – does a great job of building confidence and gaining consumer trust in financial institutions. Even the vertical stacking of the slogan suggests progression, and that wealth accumulation is therefore a cumulative process that happens over time. Furthermore, the body copy is honest in its recognition that NTUC Income is a “social enterprise, responsible for safeguarding the savings of over 2 million Singaporeans” and that, as a result,  “we put you before our profits”. This shows great awareness of how to position the NTUC Income brand when, despite being a “social enterprise” they are still competing with banks and other financial institutions for funds and the trust of investors. Combined, these two observations suggest that NTUC Income show an acute understanding of, and sensitivity towards (a perceived lack of) public confidence in financial instruments, and directly address the concerns of many investors by being frank about their slow, and seemingly altruistic investment approach.

Finally, the sole use of grey and orange in the ad speak directly of the NTUC Income brand, providing no unnecessary visual distractions. In addition, the page layout is refreshingly straightforward. The large white space on the right is, we believe, highly strategic, and contributes massively to the overall aesthetic of simplicity, frankness and directness. It suggests that there are no hidden costs or risks that investors need to worry about, thus helping demystify the complex world of investment products.

Do you agree with our analysis? Are NTUC Income delivering a knockout blow to their competitors, or are they barking up the wrong tree by telling Singapore to “Get rich slow”? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

-TJR

How Jaguar provoke Singapore whilst building their brand

In the world section of today’s Straits Times, Jaguar ran a half-page ad for their Jaguar XFR. Whilst Jaguar is something of a marginal player in Singapore’s high-end car market, we feel that this ad does an excellent job in cementing its place within this market niche. Have a look at the ad below:

The slogan reads: “A perfect gentleman. Until Provoked.” Balancing the popular stereotype of the British “perfect gentleman” with the raw aggression of modern motorsport creates a compelling aesthetic that will appeal to multiple market segments. Doing so also helps elevate the Jaguar brand by emphasising the high-performance features of the XFR in conjunction with the steadfast quality (described in the body copy in terms of control, smoothness and effortlessness) associated with Jaguar cars. Thus buyers are told that they not only get the assurance of buying into a piece of British tradition – a “perfect gentleman” – but also a car that can compete with the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Lexus in terms of performance.

The visual is also well integrated with the message conveyed by the slogan and body copy. We are told that the Jaguar XFR is “capable of handling any situation” – an assertion that is given credibility by depicting the car both in control of, and contributing to (i.e. when "provoked") the danger and excitement traditionally associated with the night. Overall Jaguar has done an excellent job integrating traditional and modern elements into one cohesive aesthetic that pushes the brand in new directions whilst retaining its core integrity.

Do you love this ad as much as we do? Have Jaguar done enough to provoke you into buying one (figuratively speaking at least!)?! Let us know by commenting below!

-TJR 

NUS talk to Singapore in terms of employability with the NUS-HEC Paris Double Degree MBA

Today we thought we would continue with the theme of the previous couple of days and focus on NUS’s ad for their double degree MBA programme. We feel that the half-page ad, found in the world section of The Straits Times, does a good job of selling the programme to potential applicants, yet could be clearer and more persuasive. Have a look at the ad below:

The slogan used in the top left hand corner (next to the NUS MBA logo) reads “GET EMPLOY-ABILITY”. In contrast to other MBA adverts we have critiqued (see here) this immediately identifies a core benefit of the MBA programme, and the assertion is well supported by the body copy below, which talks of both NUS and HEC Paris as preferred hunting grounds for prospective employers.

It is the signature of Liao Ru-Shan, however, that dominates the ad. Writing the “h” of “Shan” so as to mimic the form of the Eiffel Tower in Paris is a charming touch that provides a subtle degree of balance to the Chinese name, and signifies the co-existence of elements from both “East” and “West” in one MBA programme. What the signature itself symbolises, however, is not clear. Whilst we expect it represents the acceptance of a new job offer that results from obtaining an NUS-HEC MBA (thus enforcing the notion of “employability”), this is mere speculation. We feel that this interesting idea could be given more clarity by adding a line of text to the information under the signature, thus reading:

Liao Ru-Shan, Samantha

The NUS-HEC Paris Double Degree MBA

Class of 2010

Newly signed Consultant with XYZ Company [for example]

Such an addition, although subtle, would enforce the notion of employability whilst retaining the overall simple aesthetic of the ad. Alternatively, the signature could be framed as part of an acceptance letter for employment, although doing so may compromise the visual directness of the standalone signature.

What do you think? Are we being too obtuse in our interpretation? Let us know by commenting below!

-TJR