Building Societies once looked likely to be consigned to history in the UK. After Mrs Thatcher’s ‘Big Bang’ in financial markets most became banks – the Halifax, the biggest, is now part of Lloyds.
Now they’re in the news again, in part thanks to the efforts of agency New Commercial Arts whose campaign for Nationwide, the biggest society left standing, claiming it’s keeping branches opening while its big banking rivals are busily closing them (they are) has annoyed the financial establishment but served to underline what building societies (mutuals) are supposed to stand for.
Another such is the Skipton Building Society, in business since 1853 and the UK’s fouth biggest with 82 branches nationally and £22bn in assets. Skipton is in prosperous North Yorkshire, home to PM Rishi Sunak’s constituency.
Now’s a pretty good time for it to appoint an agency, given the waves Nationwide is making, and it’s plumped for The Red Brick Road after a three-way pitch. Skipton Group brands include Connells, claimed to be the UK’s largest estate agency and property services provider, Skipton Business Finance, Skipton International and Jade Software Corporation.
CMO Nick Mortimer says: “From the outset, Red Brick Road impressed us with their thorough understanding of our complex business, and they share our vision of the purposeful role we want to play in our members lives. Their breadth of expertise is compelling, from brand through to data, CRM and social media. We’re delighted to be partnering with them.”
