Upstart financial services company Zag Bank has launched a new advertising campaign that aims to highlight, with a bit of humour, the ease of its mobile banking services.
Zag, which is part of the Desjardins Group, has developed two TV spots with LG2’s Toronto office that show consumers taking advantage of two new convenience-focused products.
The first spot promotes Zag’s “Peek at your balance” feature, which allows clients to check their balance without having to log in to their account. The ad shows a father checking his bank balance in the veterinarian’s office, while promising his optimistic daughter that the family cat isn’t going to die.
The second spot highlights Zag’s “SnapCheque” feature, which allows consumers to deposit cheques from their smartphone. The ad shows a lottery winner buying a boat with the newfound cash even before his wife has a chance to celebrate the winnings.
“We wanted to show that Zag is different, it’s an alternative for Canadians … and here for people who want to have a different banking experience,” Zag’s senior marketing consultant Rachel Milan told Marketing. “Those two features are new and will help save people time at the end of the day.”
Zag Bank launched in June as an exclusive “mobile-first” bank. It was originally founded in Calgary in 2003 as Bank West, a federally regulated bank. It was bought by Desjardins in 2011, which has since re-launched it as Zag Bank.
The campaign is being rolled out first in British Columbia and Alberta, including TV, print, out-of-home and digital ads. The out-of-home, including bus wraps and transit stations, are heaviest in Calgary. The social campaign focuses in particular on Facebook and Twitter. Touché handled media buying for the campaign.
Milan said the campaign will roll out to other parts of the country next year. Zag is also pushing a limited time, 2.5% interest rate for certain savings accounts and giving away $1,000 to 20 new clients as part of the promotion.
The campaign follows one launched earlier this year when Zag Bank invited consumers to help it develop a jingle for the new brand. The contest ran from June 22 to Aug. 14.
The winner, who is from a small town in Manitoba, received $10,000. Their “sting” is featured at the end of the new TV spots.
Milan said the bank would continue to use the “outside-in approach” in its future marketing to help promote and grow the brand.
