THE HOMELESS BANK ACCOUNT

TitleTHE HOMELESS BANK ACCOUNT
BrandHSBC
Product/ServiceHSBC
Category B03. Use of Print / Outdoor
Entrant WUNDERMAN THOMPSON London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation WUNDERMAN THOMPSON London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement PHD London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production WUNDERMAN THOMPSON London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name Company Position
Steve Aldrige Wunderman Thompson UK Chief Creative Officer
Mike Watson Wunderman Thompson UK Creative Director
James Humphreys Wunderman Thompson UK Creative
Craig Hunt Wunderman Thompson UK Creative
Claire Chislett Wunderman Thompson UK Business Director
Luke Thornton Wunderman Thompson UK Account Director
Olivia Taylor Wunderman Thompson UK Account Manager
Amirah Hajat Wunderman Thompson UK Account Executive
Omar El-Gammal Wunderman Thompson UK Strategy Director
Eleanor Metcalf Wunderman Thompson UK Strategists
Tom Lawrence Wunderman Thompson UK Producer
Graham Channon Wunderman Thompson UK Designer
Bryan Riddle Wunderman Thompson UK Designer

Why is this work relevant for Media?

To raise awareness amongst those who may need the service and those who might be in a position to help, we used out of home footfall data in 5 cities to target sites based on the rate of homelessness in the area, as well as their proximity to an HSBC UK branch that offered the No Fixed Address service. A mix of specially designed bus shelter vinyl wraps and disruptive fly poster formats in these areas highlighted the two types of homeless, rough sleepers and the invisible sofa surfers (people moving from sofa to sofa).

Background

Without a fixed address of their own, homeless people find themselves in a lose-lose situation where not having a home makes it virtually impossible to open a bank account. Without a bank account they can’t claim benefits or store their money. Without an address and a bank account its harder to secure a legitimate job. All of which makes it harder to find a home. It’s a vicious circle that prevents these people from re-joining society’s system. HSBC UK’s values are OPEN, CONNECTED and DEPENDABLE, and the bank believes that as a nation, and as individuals, we thrive more when we are connected to something bigger than ourselves. Our brief was to help HSBC UK reconnect the homeless back into society.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

Traditionally, banks require photo identification and proof of address to open an account. But these are documents that many homeless people may no longer have. So, the way in which society’s financial system has been designed means that once you’ve fallen out of it, it’s incredibly hard to find your way back in. At HSBC UK branches, people without a fixed address can now open a bank account using a participating charity’s address as their proof of identity (as long as they are accompanied by a charity caseworker that is). This partnership allows the homeless to reconnect with society and helps break the cycle of financial exclusion. To raise awareness of the service we took to the streets using data to pinpoint locations with the highest levels of homelessness that were also in close proximity to an HSBC UK branch that offered the service.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Our media needed to grab the attention of those who needed the ‘no fixed address’ banking service, and those in a position to help. We created a campaign spearheaded by media that appeared exactly where the problem is perceived to be found – the streets. At the centre of the campaign was a series of specially designed bus shelter vinyl wraps. We used OOH footfall data to choose every site based on: • Areas with the highest rates of homelessness • Their proximity to HSBC UK branches offering the service • Highly populated residential zones (to maximise footfall of people working from home during COVID lockdown) We amplified these sites with fly posters and also generated wider reach by appearing in national newspapers. Finally, we developed an editorial partnership with Time Out, a key publication that supports communities in London and other main cities in the UK.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

To raise awareness amongst those who may need the service and those who might be in a position to help, we used out of home footfall data in 5 cities to target sites based on the rate of homelessness in the area, as well as their proximity to an HSBC UK branch that offered the No Fixed Address service. A mix of specially designed bus shelter vinyl wraps and disruptive fly poster formats in these areas highlighted the two types of homeless, rough sleepers and the invisible sofa surfers (people moving from sofa to sofa). Revealing the struggles they face without access to financial services while introducing the service. We also generated larger reach by appearing in national publications that had previously aligned themselves with homeless causes (including The Guardian and free titles such as the Evening Standard). The campaign ran from 16 November 2020 to 30 Dec 2020.

List the results (30% of vote)

What started out in 2 branches has spread to almost 100 nationwide – with HSBC now partnering with over 70 organisations who can act as an identity verifier. HSBC UK has laid the groundwork for a platform to encourage other big banks to embark on a similar mission. During the two-week out of home campaign, uptake of HSBC UK’s No Fixed Address bank accounts grew by 52%. Though not a primary goal, the donations generated from the QR code helped Shelter get over 100 people off the street. And it has impacted positively on the brand too, contributing to positive growth in brand associations: • ‘HSBC UK supports the UK community’ +10% Year On Year • ’HSBC UK is a brand I would be proud to use’ +5% Year On Year • ‘HSBC UK cares about customers’ +12% Year On Year