Page 261 - Marketing Management

238 PART 3 CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS

HSBC also targets consumer niches with unique copy reads, “The more you look at the world, the more
products and services. It found a little-known product area you realize what really matters to people.” Tracy Britton,
growing at 125 percent a year: pet insurance. The bank head of marketing for HSBC Bank, USA, explained the
now distributes nationwide pet insurance to its depositors strategy behind the campaign, “It encapsulates our global
through its HSBC Insurance agency. In Malaysia, HSBC outlook that acknowledges and respects that people
offered a “smart card” and no-frills credit cards to the value things in very different ways. HSBC’s global footprint
underserved student segment and targeted high-value gives us the insight and the opportunity not only to be
customers with special “Premium Centers” bank branches. comfortable, but confident in helping people with different
In order to connect with different people and commu- values achieve what’s really important to them.”
nities, HSBC sponsors more than 250 cultural and sporting HSBC earned $142 billion in sales in 2009, making it
events with a special focus on helping the youth, growing the 21st largest company in the world. It hopes its latest
education, and embracing communities. These sponsor- campaign and continued position as the “World’s Local
ships also allow the company to learn from different people Bank” will improve its $10.5 billion brand value, which
and cultures around the world. placed it 32nd on the 2009 Interbrand/BusinessWeek
The bank pulls its worldwide businesses together un- global brand rankings.
der a single global brand with the “World’s Local Bank”
slogan. The aim is to link its international size with close Questions
relationships in each of the countries in which it operates.
HSBC spends $600 million annually on global marketing, 1. What are the risks and benefits of HSBC’s positioning
consolidated under the WPP group of agencies. itself as the “World’s Local Bank”?
In 2006, HSBC launched a global campaign entitled 2. Does HSBC’s most recent campaign resonate with its
“Different Values,” which embraced this exact notion of target audience? Why or why not?
multiple viewpoints and different interpretations. Print ads
Sources: Carrick Mollenkamp, “HSBC Stumbles in Bid to Become Global Deal Maker,”Wall Street
showed the same picture three times with a different Journal, October 5, 2006; Kate Nicholson, “HSBC Aims to Appear Global Yet Approachable,”
interpretation in each. For example, an old classic car Campaign, December 2, 2005, p. 15; Deborah Orr, “New Ledger,” Forbes, March 1, 2004,
appeared three times with the words, freedom, status pp. 72–73; “HSBC’s Global Marketing Head Explains Review Decision,” Adweek, January 19, 2004;
“Now Your Customers Can Afford to Take Fido to the Vet,” Bank Marketing (December 2003): 47;
symbol, and polluter. Next to the picture reads, “The more Kenneth Hein, “HSBC Bank Rides the Coattails of Chatty Cabbies,” Brandweek, December 1, 2003,
you look at the world, the more you realize that what one p. 30; Sir John Bond and Stephen Green, “HSBC Strategic Overview,” presentation to investors,
person values may be different from the next.” In another November 27, 2003; “Lafferty Retail Banking Awards 2003,” Retail Banker International,
November 27, 2003, pp. 4–5; “Ideas that Work,” Bank Marketing (November 2003): 10; “HSBC
set of print ads, HSBC used three different pictures side Enters the Global Branding Big League,” Bank Marketing International (August 2003): 1–2;
by side but with the same word. For example, the word Normandy Madden, “HSBC Rolls out Post-SARS Effort,” Advertising Age, June 16, 2003, p. 12;
accomplishment is first shown on a picture of a woman "www.hsbc.com" Douglas Quenqua, “HSBC Dominates Ad Pages in New York Magazine Issue.”
New York Times, October 20, 2008, pg. B.6; Kimia M. Ansari, “A Different Point of View: HSBC.”
winning a beauty pageant, then an astronaut walking on Unbound Edition, July 10, 2009; Press release, “The Evolution of “Your Point of View.” October 20,
the moon, and finally a young child tying his sneaker. The 2008; Fortune, Global 500; HSBC.com.

Marketing Excellence BMW is the ultimate driving machine. Manufactured by
the German company, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG,
BMW stands for both performance and luxury. The com-
>>BMW pany was founded in 1916 as an aircraft-engine manufac-
turer and produced engines during World War I and World
War II. It evolved into a motorcycle and automobile maker
by the mid-20th century, and today it is an internationally
respected company and brand with €53 billion (about
$76 billion) in revenues in 2008.
BMW’s logo is one of the most distinct and globally
recognized ever created. The signature BMW roundel
looks like a spinning propeller blade set against a blue sky
background—originally thought to be a tribute to the
company’s founding days as an aircraft engine manufac-
turer. Recently, however, a New York Times reporter
revealed that the logo, which features the letters BMW at
the top of the outer ring and a blue-and-white checkered