Nationwide is the creative jewel in New Commercial Arts’ crown and the agency – now part of WPP’s Ogilvy – is back with the fourth ad featuring Dominic West as the odious boss of rival A.N.Y. Bank. Can they keep it up?
There’s a more specific pitch here, to younger customers who may prefer the building society’s mutual status to the pursuit of so-called shareholder value that defines most conventional banks. West, of course, doesn’t get it at all although his rather smug daughter does.
Nationwide’s Richard Warren says: “The fact that Nationwide is owned by its members, rather than shareholders, is what makes it so appealing as a place to bank, particularly to a younger audience. This is because rather than returning profits to shareholders, we share them with members via our Fairer Share payments and reinvest in service and better rates. Our latest advert brings this difference to life in a humorous and surprising way.”
Refreshingly old-style and none the worse for that. Let’s hope it sparks the usual volley of complaints from rivals.
“Mist me” is a good line.
MAA creative scale: 8.5.
