How to give punch to print ads: 2002 ABA MN Advertising Awards Competition.

• Position: Best of the Best

WANT INSIGHT INTO HOW A BANK GOES ABOUT CREATING AN AWARD-WINNING PRINT AD SERIES?

WE ASKED TWO WINNERS FROM THE 2002 ABA MARKETING NETWORK AD AWARDS COMPETITION TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BACK-GROUND ABOUT THEIR ENTRIES.

THEIR REPLIES ARE PRESENTED IN SUMMARY FORM ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES. For similar summaries of other Best of the Best winners, see the November 2002 issue of ABA Bank Marketing magazine.

WINNER PROFILE: PRINT AD SERIES

WHEN IS A BANK CREATIVE AND AGGRESSIVE?

Connections

WHEN IT HAS CONNECTIONS.

Institution: LaSalle Bank, Chicago

Asset category: Over $5 billion; branch bank/Locations, over 125.

Advertising Agency: Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago

Original thought behind creative concept: LaSalle Bank is admired in the business community, where it is seen as an aggressive, creative bank, with bankers who are dealmakers and make things happen. So "Connections" campaign leverages LaSalle's strengths: We can connect customers to opportunity because we work creatively and aggressively to identify opportunities and solve problems.

Key goals: Goal is to communicate LaSalle's strength in middle-market banking, reinforce its leadership position in Chicagoland and grow LaSalle in new Midwestern markets.

Campaign Length: Campaign has been running for two-and-a-half years.

Campaign results: We do a tracking study and know that we have high awareness, and that we perform well on key attributes communicated in the campaign (Leader, aggressive, creative, have connections, etc.)

Type of kick-off campaign and promotion to employees: We presented the campaign to all the senior bankers when Launched. In the Last year the idea of "connections" has been extended internally--the bank wants to encourage its bankers to be resourceful and connect their clients with opportunities. They believe the positioning and advertising can serve as motivation and education for the bankers, and they have instituted processes internally that help the bankers form connections.

Advice to other bank marketers who might be interested in developing a campaign of similar quality: Understand your bank--what it is perceived to be internally and externally. Listen to customers and prospects. Look for the strength and the point of difference. Be bold. Take risks. Be consistent. Be willing to invest in production values and media.

Patricia Brichta, Cramer-Krasselt

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