Summary
December 6th 2010 – ‘Launch Day’ for the biggest financial services rebrand in the UK. Internally, over 6,000 colleagues had to be aligned and be fully conversant with our new corporate markets brand– ahead of external launch.
Following the acquisition of HBOS by LloydsTSB, it was essential that the newly formed Lloyds Banking Group communicated a clear and consistent identity, both to colleagues and customers, to avoid brand confusion; no more so than in the corporate sector.
Here, Bank of Scotland Corporate (part of HBOS) was seen predominantly as a Scottish brand, with LloydsTSB Corporate Markets split between a range of specialist divisions. What was needed was brand clarity; a unified approach built around three brand pillars: empathy, expertise and established.(Corporate Markets was to lead the way under the new brand –Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets.
The first crucial step was to inspire and deliver our new brand strategy into the hands of our most important advocates – our colleagues.
On 1 September we initiated our internal campaign ‘Preparing for Change’ – setting the agenda for a three- month programme of communications – a programme so successful that it actively engaged 100 per cent of affected colleagues by launch day.
About the Client
Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets is a new brand which brings together all the Lloyds and HBOS heritage brands (Bank of Scotland and LloydsTSB), plus the various specialist divisions of Corporate Markets, under one roof.
Strategy – the Broader Key Issues
Our strategy was to create the best UK corporate bank by integrating all our existing brands, specialist divisions and expertise under one roof. One business, one vision, one set of values – clearly communicated under one new brand – Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets (LBCM).
Key challenges:
• Uniting teams from different heritage brands and specialist divisions
• Projecting one clearly defined brand identity
• Working with the FSA to ensure regulatory support
• Communicating, clearly and positively, the effects and impact of changes to existing customers and prospects
The launch day for LBCM was agreed – December 6th 2010 – and with it came one of our biggest challenges – the brand immersion of over 6,000 colleagues from 60 centres throughout the UK and 10 countries worldwide. This would be the vanguard for an eventual re-branding across the entire Lloyds Banking Group portfolio, UK and internationally, to be completed by 2013 – delivering clarity where there was once uncertainty.
The opportunity was embraced with the launch of a fully integrated three-month internal marketing campaign – ‘Preparing for change.’
Objectives of the Campaign
To immerse over 6,000 colleagues in the new LBCM brand, ensuring they were emotionally and practically equipped and prepared for launch day. Deliverables included:
• The creation of a dedicated colleague microsite – The Brand Centre, incorporating Q&A tool – Ask Brand
• A weekly programme of tactical email communications
• Regional, full day, immersion presentations
• Bi-weekly webinars
• Implementing tracking and measurement procedures
• Desk top promotional pack
• High impact direct mail box packs – colleague and executive
• Brand story and guidelines prospectus
• Motivational DVD
• Screensaver
• New signage for 60 Corporate Markets Offices
• Creation of i-need merchandising web portal
The Target Audience
• Colleagues throughout Corporate Markets
• The new LBCM Executive Team
• Key suppliers
• Lloyds internal compliance/legal teams
• The FSA (key external stakeholder)
• The Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) main board
Key messaging was varied to appeal to the different segments:
• Colleagues needed to be excited, up-skilled and ready ahead of launch
• Executive team needed to motivate and endorse
• Marketing services providers had to be ready for implementation
• Compliance/legal and FSA to ensure regulatory approval
Media, Channels or Techniques Used
The new LBCM brand proposition ‘creating enduring customer relationships’ would be driven by the behaviour and action of our colleagues.
Our internal marketing campaign ‘Preparing for change’ was therefore an essential building block, a multi-faceted, multi-channel campaign that would engage colleagues throughout their journey.
Key deliverables:
• Launch of the Brand Centre intranet.
An interactive, central repository – updated daily with relevant information, actions, events, Q&As, downloads/ templates and guidelines
• Weekly tactical emails broadcasting fresh news and insight
• Production of high impact, direct mail box packs (executive and colleague).
Executive:
– Size 350mm x 222mm x 40mm
– Belly band around box – “our brand is now in your hands” – revealed launch date, 06.12.10
– Inlay within contained branded: leather bound notebook, pen and set of personalised business cards
– Sitting on top was the Brand Story brochure
Colleague:
– Size 310mm x 230mm x 30mm
– Belly band around box – “our brand is now in your hands” – revealed launch date, 06.12.10
– Box front opened by gate fold to reveal inlay containing branded: mouse mat, pop-up calendar, notepad and pen
– Sitting on top was the Brand Story brochure
• Production of branded promotional pack, including: desk jotter, mini-clock, calculator, mints, stress ball and keyboard wrist support – all reusable and long lasting
• Production of One brand, one business video containing motivational interviews from the CEO of corporate banking:
• Production of ‘The Brand Story’ – 40 page prospectus including, brand guidelines, templates, marketing material and usage instructions.
• Re-brand of all existing templates, literature, stationery and marketing material
• Development of new signage for 60 Corporate Offices
• Organisation of webinars to garner feedback, assess progress and implement contingency plans where necessary
• Full day ‘immersion events’ at strategic locations, including: Edinburgh, Chester, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and London.
• Production of new colleague screensaver.
Timescales of the Campaign
• March 2010 – Main Board decision to re-brand Corporate Markets
• Mid April – Agency briefing for new brand development
• Early May– Meeting to discuss internal marketing campaign– including disclosure of relevant statistics and research
• Early June – New brand identity completed
• June 16th – Formal agency brief for internal marketing campaign, outlining: planning, timescales, objectives and deliverables
• July 22nd – Client sign-off including budgets and reporting mechanisms
• September 1st – Commenced colleague weekly email broadcasts
• September 3rd – Brand Centre intranet launched
• Late September – Completed audit of all existing material required to be re-branded
• October 12th – Commenced first of six webinars
• October 27th – Commenced first of twelve Immersion Events
• Late November – Delivered brand signage to all Corporate Centres
• 9.30 am December 6th ‘Launch day’
Results
• Over 6,000 colleagues/stakeholders were engaged through a combination of Brand Centre visits, face to face briefings and tangible assets, by Launch Day
• Average number of Brand Centre pages viewed – 8
• Average time on site – 6 minutes
• The Brand Team received 678 unique responses via Ask Brand Q&A tool
• Five post launch focus groups organised, colleagues scored high on: brand advocacy, awareness and understanding
• Despite the worst weather in a decade, logistically, launch day was a huge success – with 100 per cent of executives and colleagues receiving their own personalised box pack, branded promotional items and screensaver link by 9.30am.
• Vital FSA support prior to implementation
• Just days after launch the Brand Team were inundated with testimonials – everyone positive towards the changes and highly complimentary of the journey
• By launch day all new stationery had been received by colleagues and all documentation, templates and marketing material re-branded.
• Towers Watson reported a statistically significant four per cent increase in team leader engagement
• Colleague engagement measurably increased due to the presence of intranet and launch engagement films. 7,286 colleague views recorded with time on site increasing by 17 per cent over a four month period from launch
• Views of internal engagement films played over 1,300 times on launch day. After one month total views exceeded 4,100
Client Testimonial
“Rowan worked tirelessly with our brand team on this project, within strict timescales and budgets. Brand advocacy and ownership are key to achieving our objective as the UK’s leading relationship bank and Rowan understood this message and how to deliver it effectively.
We found their approach both creative and professional and their understanding of the corporate B2B environment proved a real asset. Every element of this multi-faceted campaign dovetailed perfectly, despite its massive scale and scope.”
Antonia Bennett, Brand Director, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets
