As the UK gets ready to leave the European Union next year, the bank has launched a campaign featuring comedian Richard Ayoade emphasising the international aspects of everyday British life, from Colombian coffee to Swedish flat-pack furniture and Indian takeaways.
A 60-second TV ad, called "Global Citizen", is set to the soundtrack of Edward Elgar’s Nimrod and ends with Ayoade saying: "We live on a wonderful lump of land in the middle of the sea. But we are not an island. We are part of something far, far bigger."
It ends with HSBC's new global tagline "Together We Thrive", the bank's first since it dropped "The World's Local Bank" in 2011.
The campaign was created by J Walter Thompson London with media planning and buying by Mindshare.
Accompanying print, outdoor and digital content, also starring Ayoade, promote the bank’s sponsorship of British Cycling, its £10bn Small Business Fund and its support of The Prince’s Trust.
In a statement, HSBC UK said the campaign highlighted its commitment to an open-looking ethos: "We have been connecting the world through trade for 152 years. Our new ad campaign reflects our proud international heritage and our commitment to helping people, businesses and communities in the UK to thrive."
Under government rules stipulating the ring-fencing of personal deposits, HSBC was forced to spin off its UK retail banking arm into a separate division under the HSBC UK brand. The company will later this year move its headquarters from London to Birmingham.
Its global marketing is now led by Leanne Cutts, who joined the organisation from Mondelez International last year.
.jpg)
.jpeg)
