Misys’ new campaign eradicates financial sector clichés to re-humanise banking. Jessica McGreal reports
It’s fair to say the financial sector doesn’t have the greatest reputation. The idea banks are robotic, cold and distrustful continues to plague marketers working in this sector. However, Misys is aiming to break this perception with its new video-led ‘If’ campaign, which aims to re-humanise banking.
Specialising in software for banks, Misys provides a range of banking, treasury, trading and risk solutions. This may sound daunting to some, but ‘If’ proves banking doesn’t have to be boring.
Misys chose to work with B2B agency Earnest to develop a five-phase campaign to run over 12 months that avoids financial service marketing clichés, and instead draws attention to how the organisation of information can allow users to be successful. Mika-John Southworth, global head of marketing at Misys, explains: “We really wanted to shake things up and try something nobody has tried before.”
The campaign has been developed to support the launch of the brand’s new software platform: Capital Markets Fusion. Essentially the platform makes it possible for banks to join together and enhance their current array of systems.
‘If’ targets heads of front office, heads of capital markets, CTOs and CIOs in the global top 100 banks. Additionally, following a turbulent 18 months for the company, (acquired by Vista and then merged with Tura in 2012), Misys is using the product launch to promote a sense of community internally.
Water and ink
Consequently, the new offering was launched to more than 400 delegates at
the Misys European Market Forum. In addition to offering insight, the software firm used the event to premier the campaign’s film: ‘If’.
Produced by animation production company, Th1ng, the video aims to bring Capital Markets Fusion to life using just water and ink. The system’s modules are represented by drops of ink, which come alive almost instantly in water; however, the bigger picture only becomes distinguishable when all the drops have been released. The scene illustrates how the product’s components can be quickly turned on to provide and consolidate information across a bank. The scene draws parallels between a heron seeing an opportunity, catching a fish and flying away successful and in search of a new catch.
Opting for an organic theme the video is accompanied by a script loosely based on Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’. Southworth says: “We want to challenge people to think what they would be able to do ‘if’ they could use this information,‘if’ they could see across silos.”
Content creation
The film is being accompanied by a string of multichannel activity tailored to each stage of the campaign. Some 75 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from its existing customer base so much focus is on looking at organic channels while using their current data to nurture their existing customers.
For example, the product launch was the first stage of activity supported by industry events, internal email broadcasting, an iPad app and a new microsite that includes further information, video and whitepapers.
Misys is now nearing the end of the second phase of the activity, focused on releasing the untapped potential of banks’ existing systems. To do this Misys has released blogs, promoted webinars and
held events across the sector.
Measuring success
The venture is still in early stages but has accumulated impressive stats and a positive response from customers and internal staff. This includes a 379 per cent improvement in EDM click through, 15 times improvement in website engagement and 38 per cent week-on-week growth of its LinkedIn page.
The marketing team are currently working towards phase three of the campaign. This will launch in mid-September at the world’s premier financial services event, Sibos in Dubai. This stage includes planned integrated activity using the results from a back office survey of customers, whitepapers and promotion via targeted online advertising on relevant industry sites.
Over the next year Misys will carry out the final two phases of the campaign. Although activity has not yet been confirmed, stage four will focus on risk, specifically how the financial professions can manage risk responsibly. The final stage is set to reinforce the ideas promoted in the second phase of the campaign by outlining new faster and smarter ways to trade
