Bangkok--May 4--HSBC
HSBC, the World’s Local Bank, is prepared to spend 60 million baht through a comprehensive advertising campaign in a bid to establish brand-awareness among the Thai people.
The advertising campaign presents HSBC as a friend indeed who understands and stands by customer’s side with the best and value-for-money services. HSBC in Thailand is aspired to be the number one choice of credit card for Thais, while targeting 60,000 new customers for HSBC Credit Cards within the second quartre of this year.
Mr. Marcus Hurry, chief executive officer of HSBC in Thailand, said during the press conference: “My mission is to make HSBC, among the top performing financial institutions in the world, better known and favoured in Thailand. We would like HSBC Thailand to be recognised also for our commitment to the customer, always innovative and eager to serve. I would like the Thai customers to benefit from HSBC’s strength, and for them to be confident in the excellence of our personal finance and credit card services. All these elements form the basis of the main theme of the TVCs we are unveiling today. We want to build an endless friendship with the Thai people and I would like to reaffirm that HSBC in Thailand is committed to delivering innovative products and services, as well as corporate social responsibility to the Thais.”
HSBC reinforces its image as the world’s local bank / Page 2
Mr. Wichit Phayuhanaveechai, head of Marketing and Communications, said: “The plan is to expand the credit card base in Thailand with a big bang. We are going to implement our marketing plan, sales promotion and full-fledged marketing communications activities consistently through the entire 2005. For starters, we are going to spend 60 million baht in ad-campaigns during the second and third quartre, to make our brand visible in the print media, bus shelters, billboards, radio and television commercials. All these serve to reinforce the image of HSBC as “the World’s Local Bank.” The main concept underlying these ads is that HSBC is your true friend who understands and stands by you.
“We aim to communicate our determination and sincerity in product and service selection, and in delivering the best of all offers and value for money for the Thai customers. The friendship between HSBC and the Thai people is long-lasting, befitting our status as the first commercial bank to operate in Thailand since 1888.”
Set for debut on 7 May 2005, the TVC reflects creativity and innovation. Besides being the first ever of TVC by HSBC in Thailand, the series were filmed and edited entirely locally. This TVC series features three stories entitled “Friendship, Choice and Kreng-jai (the quintessential Thai concept perhaps equivalent to “obliged,” or “considerate.”) Sprinkled with witty humour and a touch of surprise at the end, these three TVCs capture the fun, understanding and bond among a group of friends, with HSBC credit card functioning as the bridge for these friends to express their feelings and strengthen their ties.
Friendship: is a 45 second piece of TVC. It is the story about concerned friends mounting a joint operation to cheer up a sad friend, by organising a day out dining, cinemas and shopping — all these spending done at ease thanks to HSBC credit card.
Choice: is 15 seconds long. The story shows the array of gift offered to new HSBC Credit Cards customers is bigger and better, be it the gold pendant, the light suitcase, Nok Air ticket for domestic route, return ticket to Singapore by Singapore Airlines. While one friend in the group is dawdling over credit card choice, the rest are already on their way to Singapore.
Kreng-jai: This 15-second TVC shows the determination to deliver the best value-for-money offer to new HSBC Credit Cards customers. In this part of the three stories, one friend in the group who is about to apply for an HSBC credit card is being overwhelmed by so many gift offers that he feels kreng-jai.
“We are confident that through this TVC trilogy, Thai people will become more familiar with HSBC. We also believe that it should stimulate the appetite for HSBC Credit Card membership. Because HSBC is a true friend who understands the client’s need and responds to it with dedication, sincerely and affinity. HSBC in Thailand aims to sign up 60,000 new customers within the second quarter of 2005 and we are going to achieve this target through marketing activities and sales promotion, in tandem with sustained campaign and PR. We expect subsequently a total of 450,000 HSBC Credit Cards customers by end of 2005, from the current base of 350,000,” said Mr. Wichit.
Media enquiries to Onticha Rattanawannathip, Seenual Reugsirinukul or Savittree Muadmuang on 0-2614-4605-6.
Notes to editors:
1. HSBC in Thailand
HSBC was established as the first commercial bank in Thailand in 1888. With access to global expertise and enriched local knowledge, HSBC in Thailand provides a full range of financial services including corporate and institutional banking, global markets, securities services, trade finance, payment and cash management services to corporate customers; personal financial services and credit cards to a growing retail customer base in Thailand. HSBC is globally recognised for its high service standards, ethical practices and full commitment to corporate social responsibilities to benefit the local economy.
2. HSBC Holdings plc or the HSBC Group
Headquartered in London, the HSBC Group is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. The Group’s international network comprises over 9,800 offices in 77 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, serves over 110 million customers and has assets of US$1,277 billion at 31December 2004. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) is the founding and principal member of the HSBC Group.
Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net End.