Tuesday, June 03, 2008
webster bank: let's complicate things

I happened into a local branch of Webster Bank the other day (yeah, to transact with a human!) and had to laugh at the promotion that I saw.

I assume this was created by a banker. Because only a banker would devise a multi-level consumer promotion with so many numbers that it requires a brochure, and a full page of marketing text to explain. Not the small print - I accept that lawyers will always get their 352 words in. This is the promotion itself.

The photo above is an attempt from a local branch to "clarify" what wasn't clear in the brochure. I'm still not clear. But it has something to do with the Yankees and The Red Sox, and the bank taking your money. The rest is really confusing.

Keep it simple. If you can't explain it to your mom in two or three sentences, then simplify.

Labels: marketing, sports marketing

posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:55 AM   6 comments

6 Comments:

At 9:09 AM,  Corey V. said...

It seems even funnier to me that 10,000 + 10,000 + 10,000 = 50,000.

Or am I missing some math here?  

At 10:47 AM,  Neil said...

I love "mom explanation" bar ... I subscribe to this in every aspect of design, marketing, branding, UI, etc.

Such a great general rule of thumb.  

At 4:23 PM,  darryl ohrt said...

Corey: I'm totally perplexed at the math. Not only that, what happens to "my team"? And what happens if my team wins? How does this tie to other prizes?

I think they need an accompanying playbook, and several training videos to fully explain.

Keep creatives away from banking, and creative away from bankers. ;-)  

At 10:10 PM,  Ben Kunz said...

Bad copy is the new good. This is so bad I want to drive to Webster to see it for myself and perhaps open a checking account. So it works!

Here's what I'm going to do. Open an account. Do all three. And win a $100 gift card ... with which I'll open a separate account. Do all three. And win another $100 gift card. With which I'll open another account ...  

At 1:48 PM,  Banker X said...

Nice try internet blogging nerds! It's funny to comment on things you don't know about, and instead of getting exercise in to either pick up the phone and ask, or walk (gasp!) down to your local Webster Bank to find out, you hide behind your keyboard shield and mock.

It simply says that if you open a checking account (without ever having one before in Webster), you're entitled to 10,000 VISA Rewards points for each thing you do (ie direct deposit, etc) and if you do all three you get a bonus to reach 50,000 points total.

I know reading has taken a back seat in the American public school system, as well as actually having to admit you don't understand something, but c'mon people, let's not mock a local bank for trying to drum up some customer interest and thinking outside the box.  

At 2:28 PM,  Rob Biddiscombe said...

Ummm.... so who won? The Yankees or the Redsox? I don't get it.  

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