PNC Corporate Bank: Thinking Outside of the Dictionary

Submitted by ckwebacct on Tue, 2011-07-12 14:38
The Challenge: 

To corporate banking prospects, PNC touted themselves as “trusted business advisors,” though most prospects had no idea why that was unique or important. PNC challenged us to give that description real meaning and to begin building a strong image in prospects’ minds.

The Approach: 

An in-depth examination of PNC's structure and processes revealed that they stay on top of clients' businesses to such an extent, they can provide customized financial solutions even before clients ask. Unlike most other banks, they are not problem-solvers. They are proactive idea generators.

An impactful direct mail campaign suggested that PNC is redefining how banks serve clients. In fact, there aren’t enough words to accurately describe what they do. So, we made up our own. For example, PNC is “preactive,” meaning they come up with solutions before challenges even occur.

The Results: 

The 2-year campaign fulfilled its goal of building awareness and priming prospects for sales calls. But it also motivated more than a few prospects to respond directly, without further contact – much to the surprise and delight of the client. Equally important, PNC rallied around the campaign internally. Employees eagerly anticipated the new “word” every month and were commonly heard using previous words in everyday conversation! It’s a big idea when it has the power to permeate the vernacular of corporate culture.