Content area
Full Text
In three new television spots that reaffirm its ongoing theme "You can tell we want your business," BB&T Corp. features testimonial-style vignettes of customers speaking about relationships and their expectations. The spots are meant to convey the concept that it's more important to be treated well than to earn an interest rate which is a fraction of a point better.
"For us, the biggest litmus test of this strategy would be the question `Does our advertising accurately reflect BB&T, the culture we have and the way we approach our business?' I think it does, and so do our customers," said Ron Denny, advertising manager for the $37-billion-asset regional bank based in Raleigh, NC.
"We do a lot of talking with them, and we show them the commercials and ask their opinion of them, ask if they reflect our personality. Actually, the themes which we talk about in these latest ads were taken from customer interviews and discovery sessions, so our customers are providing the themes and letting us know what is important to their values, beliefs and outlook on life."
The three new spots, which are set to be followed by two more currently in production, will air for the balance of the year in the BB&T's core market of North and South Carolina, and Virginia. The bank's broad media buy has a concentration on local news and prime-time programming.
A Growing Audience
One of the most important audiences for the ads is the bank's own employees, according to Scott Crawford, creative director at the bank's advertising agency, Howard, Merrell & Partners, which is also based in Raleigh, NC.
"That is especially true, given the growth of the bank...