Banco Santander has presented “Imperfect Beginnings”, a new global positioning with which its historic motto “It’s time” evolves into new territory. The strategy is based on a contemporary insight: in an environment marked by uncertainty, many people delay relevant decisions waiting for ideal conditions that, in practice, rarely arrive. Faced with this, the bank proposes a narrative that legitimizes doubt, error and learning as an inherent part of any start-up, both in the personal and business spheres.
This move responds to the entity’s strategic ambition to reinforce the role of the brand beyond its function as a provider of financial products, positioning itself as an active companion in the initial moments of decision-making. In this sense, Santander seeks to connect especially with a highly educated generation but conditioned by the fear of failure, introducing a discourse that reduces the pressure of perfection and promotes action in contexts of uncertainty.
A multichannel strategy anchored in moments of life
The campaign will be articulated through a multi-channel deployment that combines real stories with activations at different touch points. The brand will develop content linked to recognizable situations – such as entering the labor market, creating a business or making the first financial decisions -, relying on content creators, employees and its own channels to amplify the story.
This approach will also carry over to the physical environment. Santander’s WorkCafé offices and spaces will incorporate activations related to the campaign, while outdoor advertising will be linked to specific moments in the customer’s life cycle, such as the first salary, signing a mortgage or the activity of small and medium-sized businesses.
“Imperfect Beginnings” has been developed together with Publicis Groupe under an integrated global operating model, with the aim of guaranteeing narrative coherence and scalability in all markets. The initiative has initially launched in the UK and will progressively roll out to other key territories in the coming weeks.
“Imperfect Beginnings” brings our ‘It’s time’ positioning to life in a human, close and culturally relevant way in all our markets. “It is designed to encourage people to make decisions, financial and non-financial, and take the first step, even when the timing is not perfect,” explained Nathalie Picquot, Global Director of Corporate Marketing, Brand Experience and Digital Relations at Santander.
With this evolution, the financial institution introduces a long-term communication platform that aims to consolidate a closer relationship with its clients, transferring the value of the brand from the transaction to supporting relevant decisions.
