Argentinian Banco Provincia show their surprisingly progressive spirit with this television spot, which apparently ran about a year ago. What makes it especially remarkable is that the bank is state-owned.
Set in Buenos Aires Province, the spot features an elderly man who is moved by his bank to change the way he thinks about the town’s transgender hairdresser. He realizes that Banco Provincia loaned money to the woman with full knowledge of her transgender status, which causes him to reconsider his past treatment of her. The summarizing statement in the commercial is, “Your life changes when there is a bank disposed to change.”
Sure, the spot’s effort to pull heartstrings and connect with the viewer is overly sentimental and kind of schmaltzy. Regardless, there are a couple reasons why I admire the bank for putting this out:
1) They aren’t afraid of alienating certain people in an effort to connect with others. There is a segment of the population who will be turned off by the Banco Provincia’s implied acceptance of the LGBT community. The bank is fully aware of this and still chose to release the spot. They aren’t trying to be everything to everyone – good for them.
2) The spot mentions nothing about products, rates, locations, convenience or friendly service. By speaking about tolerance and social change, Banco Provincia attempts to connect with consumers on an emotional level. They understand what will make them stand out from competitors.
3) The bank is shows that, overall, they are willing to go out on a limb with their marketing and “be the first” at something.
My feeling is that it will be a while before we see marketing as “risky” from a US bank. Like many other industries have already done, I’d like banks and credit unions to tackle social issues and taboos in our country. Purely from a branding perspective, I think it would help financial institutions connect with consumers on a personal level and differentiate themselves.
As one commenter on another blog stated, “I really look forward to seeing the American version of this commercial in 2051.”
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Wow… What a storyline…and in 30 seconds.
This would never fly in the U.S. We’re a bunch of puritanical hypocrites who decry every perversion. The funny thing is that the Moral Majority needs gag balls as much as anyone…if not more.