CAMPAIGN: STANDARD BANK, SOUTH AFRICA This was a South African story told throug

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Question

CAMPAIGN: STANDARD BANK, SOUTH AFRICA
This was a South African story told through a campaign which captured
the hearts and minds of staff members and South Africans during the
national build-up to the celebration of 10 Years of Democracy. Standard
Bank enabled the employment of over 800 South Africans and raised
morale for tens of thousands of people. As people rose to the challenge,

they set goals and targets amongst themselves through heightened
awareness of the client’s brand, its sponsorship and corporate social
investment practices.

Challenge vs opportunity
As an integral part of South Africa’s fabric for the past 141 years and
represented in 38 countries, Standard Bank has evolved into a wellknown
and respected banking brand across the globe. Locally, the
brand had been voted the number one financial services brand in the
Markinor Brands and Branding Survey for the previous seven years and
also featured in the Top 10 Most Admired and Trusted South African
Brands rankings.
South Africa’s 10th anniversary of freedom fell in 2004, and on 14
April it celebrated its third free and fair democratic election. In anticipation
of this, Standard Bank briefed the Magna Carta group of companies
to conceptualize and implement a national, holistic media and
public relations strategy.

Research
Research information was largely drawn from AMPS and Adex to
establish South Africa’s major banks’ positioning in the marketplace
according to share of voice, media usage and activities, and target
market demographics, mindsets and insights.

Strategic plan
The key public relations programme objectives were to:
launch the campaign to media, public and staff;
build brand equity and entrench the bank’s leadership position;
build awareness via consistent brand messages and encouragement
to participate in the promotion;
effectively amplify existing key events and strategies across the
bank’s main sponsorships; and
illustrate examples of what the bank was doing, about which the
South African public (and staff) should feel proud and optimistic.

Evaluation
Some of the findings showed that:

there was a 65 per cent male skew of married men with children
but there was no distinct racial skew;
average household income was R10,672 with a personal income
average of R6,662;
the average age of the primary target market was 30, and 35 in the
secondary market;
40 per cent took an interest in cricket, 34 per cent in rugby and 40
per cent in soccer;
37 per cent had access to the internet, primarily to be informed
for e-mail, and were fairly well banked, with 75 per cent having a
savings account, 30 per cent having a cheque account, 23 per cent
having credit cards and 69 per cent accessing their accounts via an
ATM.
The primary campaign message was: ‘Standard Bank is South Africa’s
biggest supporter. We are proud and optimistic about the future of
this country and its people, and will continue to invest in the further
development and sustainability of South Africa, and this is why’. A
secondary campaign message was that supporters should ‘Purchase a
bracelet and wear it as a symbol of your pride and optimism for the
future. The proceeds from the sale of all beaded bracelets will go to
Standard Bank for distribution to worthy organizations.’

Operational strategy
The campaign was launched in mid-January and culminated on 27
April 2004, South Africa’s Freedom Day. Standard Bank promoted
its substantial corporate social investments to demonstrate what the
organization had done and continued to do, to make South Africa a
better place. It also provided a platform for members of the public and
staff from all walks of life to express their personal optimism and pride
by helping to make a difference to the future of the country.
An emotive television commercial, ending in the line ‘44 million
people. One nation. One truly committed bank’, was created to show
that while there were many cultures and traditions living side by side,
there was much more than a shared history holding South Africans
together than keeping them apart. TV execution was supported by
cinema, outdoor, print and radio.
The same theme was carried through the whole of the public relations
campaign. Emphasis was placed on showcasing Standard Bank’s
ongoing sponsorship of sport (predominantly cricket), jazz and the arts,
as well as the bank’s investments in educational initiatives. A single,
innovative medium was chosen to drive home the message – namely

blue beaded bracelets designed for individuals to wear as symbols of
their pride in South Africa and optimism for its future.
A local independent company was commissioned to hand-make over
a million bracelets, creating employment for over 800 previously unemployed
and unskilled people in the process. The bracelet contract was
the largest order of its kind ever placed in the country. Demonstrating
the enormity of the project, the raw material requirements to fulfil the
contract were equally large. It took nine days to airfreight the five tons
of beads needed from China to South Africa and some 35 kilometres
of elastic, weighing in at one ton, were used.
Staff members and the general public were encouraged to purchase
bracelets for a minimum donation of only R2 each from a number of
sites across the country, including the bank’s national branch network,
at interactive exhibition stands created for use at the five One Day
International cricket matches against the West Indies, at 12 national
shopping centers, at selected jazz events, and at the Standard Bank
Gallery.
All the proceeds realized through the sale of the bracelets were to be
given to the Mathematics center for Professional Teachers, a national
organization dedicated to developing South Africa’s disadvantaged
youth. Since 1996, Standard Bank had contributed R679, 500 towards
the Maths center’s educational development grants. It was arranged
for groups of 50 underprivileged schoolchildren from rural communities
to attend their very first high-profile cricket match as guests of the
bank. Chosen from schools selected by the Cricket Legacy Project, the
children were treated to a full day of excitement at the five regional
one-day international games against the West Indies.
Importantly, ownership of the campaign was driven through an
internal drive targeting Standard Bank’s 36,000 employees. Information
regarding the entire campaign was communicated using the
bank’s internal satellite television channel, corporate journal, back
office posters, banners, etc. Every staff member was encouraged and
challenged to purchase bracelets and to promote the concept among
customers, clients, friends and family. All staff enjoyed a typical South
African Freedom Day celebration party prior to the public holiday.

Evaluation outcomes
The campaign raised positive national and regional media coverage
(print, broadcast, electronic public relations) to the value of R500,000+
and raised funds totalling R1,362,340.80. Sharanjeet Shan, Executive
Director of the Maths center, said:

Literally tens of thousands of children are to benefit from the donation.
Less than 2 per cent of black South African students receive a higher grade
in mathematics. Without materials, complex abstract concepts cannot
be internalized and concretized in the mind. Thanks to Standard Bank
and South Africa, much-needed materials and training to schools will be
supplied and mathematics learning in our country is set to improve.

Based on the information provided:
i. Explain the campaign’s links between image and identity in raising
the morale of tens of thousands of South African people.
ii. Discuss the differences and similarities between corporate branding
and product branding.
iii. In what ways did corporate visual identity support the reputation of
the Bank.
iv. What role did semiotics play in the campaign’s success?
v. How did the Bank’s campaign operational strategy improve its
own business performance while contributing to longer term social
investment?

Explanation / Answer

1.Explain the campaign’s links between image and identity in raising the morale of tens of thousands of South African people.

From below excerpt we can clearly identify how the campaign help in raising the moral of South African People. Specially designed blue beaded bracelets for individuals to wear as symbols of their pride in South Africa and optimism for its future.

The primary campaign message was: ‘Standard Bank is South Africa’s biggest supporter. We are proud and optimistic about the future of this country and its people, and will continue to invest in the further development and sustainability of South Africa, and this is why’. A secondary campaign message was that supporters should ‘Purchase a bracelet and wear it as a symbol of your pride and optimism for the future. The proceeds from the sale of all beaded bracelets will go to Standard Bank for distribution to worthy organizations.’

In the process of raising the money they employed approximated 500 unemployed people and charity collected through this was donated for the education of underprivileged student

2.Discuss the differences and similarities between corporate branding and product branding.

Corporate Branding

Product Branding

It describes what company stands for its vision and mission and corporate social Investment

It is a narrow message only talks about the product, and its feature

Give emphasis on values, beliefs and Goal of Corporate Brand

Only talks about how the product can help in solving the pain point of end customer

In this Corporate target everyone customer, stakeholder and shareholder rather the primary target market for example ‘44 million

people. One nation. One truly committed bank’

The target market is defined only primary market

The Duration of messaging is long and didn’t change over the period of time such bank is committed for the enhancing the education level

Last for shorter duration and changes frequently as per Target Audience, Product enhancement, competitive strategy and market condition

3.In what ways did corporate visual identity support the reputation of the Bank.

From the case study we can see that corporate visual identity “Through its substantial corporate social investments, organization had done a lot make South Africa a better place.” Which ultimately helps Standard Bank to evolve into a well-known and respected banking brand across the globe. Locally, the brand had been voted the number one financial services brand in the Markinor Brands and Branding Survey for the previous seven years and featured in the Top 10 Most Admired and Trusted South African.

4.What role did semiotics play in the campaign’s success?

Specially designed blue beaded bracelets for individuals to wear as symbols of their pride in South Africa and optimism for its future. From the employee of the bank to the South African people everyone feels motivated and felt pride in showing the colour Blue which is ultimately represented pride.

5.How did the Bank’s campaign operational strategy improve its own business performance while contributing to longer term social investment?

The campaign raised positive national and regional media coverage (print, broadcast, electronic public relations) to the value of R500,000+ and raised funds totalling R1,362,340.80. You can see the worth of Brand awareness created among south African people which will of course help bank in expanding the business in that country very easily.