Following its successful acquisition of the former FinBank Plc into its fold, the next task before FCMB Plc is showcasing the unique values of the new enlarged status of the bank.
Accordingly, the bank has embarked on a programme of projecting the essence and overall benefits of the acquisition to the brand status and equity of FCMB, its customers and stakeholders, through an advertising campaign, with the theme, 'Better for You'. The new campaign is entirely focused on the new brand image of FCMB.
Speaking on the new focus, FCMB's Head, Brand Management Unit, Angella Olarewaju, said, “We believe that advertising should add value and not just a medium to make noise. We want to communicate our value propositions and the fact that we are out to offer something good and unique. If you noticed, we were quiet while going through the acquisition process; then, we were busy working on how best to have a smooth integration and still deliver quality service.
“We are now bigger and better. The new campaign, with the theme, 'Better for You', is about us telling the public that all what we have been doing in last six months was meant to serve them better. We are saying that anybody that does business with us can be sure of excellent value. We are saying that what we have been doing in the last six months is for better. We have reached a stage where we think we can now communicate the process and the gain with our customers.
According to her, the campaign is in phases: the first phase is the Introduction, where a letter is used to tell customers that the bank is better; and the letter was authored by the bank's Group Managing Director, Mr. Ladi Balogun.
Olanrewaju said the introductory phase gave the background; the letter by Balogun took the customers though the journey of the bank in the last 25 years.
Balogun, in the letter, told them this is where we are coming from and where we are going. In another one, the bank's Head of Contact Center gave the perspective of customer service that is now operative in the bank.
A branch manager from the North spoke in another commercial, obviously to tell the banking audience that FCMB has a diverse background. The fourth one was the voice of a Customer Service (Unit) offier from the East, who, as an operation person, spoke about the operation of the bank.
According to her, the second phase is on the bank's milestone and its accomplishment over the years, with the newest milestone being the acquisition.
In another commercial, the bank spoke about its network, customer base, ATM, mobile banking, balance sheet, which have all increased because of the acquisition.
The bank's Group Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Kalu, spoke on the television commercial and its import to brand image of the new FCMB.
He, said, “The 'Better for You' TVC is premised on the fact that we want to tell our story through people that are recognised and forthright in their callings; hence, the use of Joke Silva and Naeto C. The way Joke Silva, for example, has carried herself as professional shows that she has mastered her role very well.”
