First Direct woos prospects with joy of socks

by Staff, Marketing 10-Aug-05, 07:00

LONDON - First Direct is using a humorous mailing campaign featuring an odd sock in a customer acquisition drive.

The bank aims to promote the benefits of its accounts in a market where it once stood out, but where there are now many online players.

The mailout, devised by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, uses the sock as part of its theme "How thoughtful are we", suggesting that the recipient can use it to go with an odd sock in their drawer.

A brochure points out the benefits of banking online through First Direct. The mailing uses humour, rather than the typically staid language adopted by banks when talking about financial products, to attain cut-through. The pack will go out to 3,000 of its hottest UK prospects.

First Direct makes 25% of its sales through direct marketing, 25% through electronic channels and 50% over the phone.

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