Westpac has unveiled its anticipated new brand positioning and released its first campaign from DDB Australia, after the agency was appointed to the business in August.
The campaign has emphasised Westpac's 196-year history as Australia's first bank and company. It has launched with full page ads in national and metropolitan newspapers yesterday, out-of-home executions in the east coast capitals, digital advertising and forthcoming cinema ads.
Westpac has been lagging behind the other Big Four banks in terms of a cohesive brand identity for the past few years. The short creative pitch earlier this year – in which DDB squared off against Ogilvy – sought a creative partner for Westpac as the brand looked to make more noise in the market.
The campaign's focus on its heritage has been designed to position the brand as “supporting” Australia from major infrastructure projects to individual goals. The campaign was creatively led by DDB's Melbourne executive creative director, Darren Spiller.
The newspaper ads are copy-heavy and read as:
“Right here is a pretty good place to be right now.
Nations everywhere are facing tough challenges.
But the little country at the end of the world
has now become the envy of it.
Still, if anyone's surprised, it's not us.
We've been around for 196 years. We were Australia's first company.
And we've seen Australians face many highs and lows.
But we've always had a simple philosophy.
If something's worth backing, we back it.
From the big institutions and infrastructure that helped build the nation,
to the little things that have become part of the fabric of the place.
Because what was true about Australians in the beginning is still true now;
with the right support we can do just about anything.
At Westpac we're proud to keep supporting
all the things that make Australia, Australia.”
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