Launch of Swedbank - Hansabanka’s new name (Latvia)

Baltic PR Awards 2009Laima Plavina

Ab o u t R e b r a n d in g

• Communication of rebranding in Baltics was divided into 2 phases:

1. informative announcement about the rebranding decision and the following process (May, 2008);

2. the actual brand name change (Sept, 2008).

B ig g e s t C h a lle n g e s

• H a n s a b a n k a – a s t r o n g a n d a h ig h ly r e s p e c t e d b r a n d ;

• M in u t e b y m in u t e plan across the three Baltic states;

• The c o n f id e n t ia l it y issue;

• The situation in f in a n c ia l m a r k e t s globally and c o m p le x c o m m u n ic a t io n environment

:G o a ls2. In f o rm a n d e x p la in the reasons behind the change;3. C r e a t e and enhance neutral/positive attitude towards the change;4.Strengthen the Bank’ s position as a n e x c e lle n t s e r v ic e le a d e r ;5.Turning the e m p lo y e e s of Hansabanka into the a m b a s s a d o r s f o rS w e d b a n k .

:Ta r g e t a u d ie n c e s9.Clients;10.Employees;11.Opinion leaders;12.Cooperation partners; 13.Former Board Members of Hansabanka; 14.Media;15.Society overall.

:G e n e r a l a p p r o a c h All PR activities ensured that a positive atmosphere was created to , c e le b r a t e n e w o p p o r t u n it ie s h o r iz o n s a n d

.c h a lle n g e s

S t r a t e g y

M a in m e s s a g e s

• 1 ) O u r a im is t o b e c o m e t h e s e r v ic e le a d e r in

. E u r o p e Th a t is t h e m a in r e a s o n w h y H a n s a b a n k a

G r o u p in B a lt ic s a n d S w e d b a n k a r e jo in in g

f o r c e s u n d e r a u n it e d; b r a n d

• 2 ) We a r e d e v e lo p in g a s t r o n g a n d p o w e r f u l

in t e r n a t io n a l f in a n c ia l g r o u p w it h c o m m o n

c o r p o r a t e c u lt u r e t o s t r e n g t h e n t h e

c o m p e t it iv e n e s s o f S w e d b a n k in t h e

; E u r o p e a n m a r k e t

• 3 ) B y s e r v ic e le a d e r s h ip w e u n d e r s t a n d a s im p le a n d e a s ily

u n d e r s t a n d a b le ; p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v ic e s

a c c e s s ib le a n d p r o a c t iv e b a n k in t h e

.e y e s o f o u r c lie n t s

– E x e c u t io n I p h a s e in f o rm in g a b o u t b r a n d c h a n g e

2 1M a y s t• Internal announcement for employees of Hansabanka;• Press release and invitation to an on-line press briefing to Latvian media;• E-mail letter or personal letter by courier post to opinion leaders;• Press briefing in Tallinn with a video feed to Riga. Latvian journalists had the

possibility to ask questions to the CEOs of all three Baltic States.

2 2M a y n d

• A meeting with all managers. The speech of Hansabanka’ s CEO and Head of Migration process as well as other Members of the Board;

• Media dinner inviting key media editors and journalists; • An On-line conference on the intranet for all employees of Hansabanka in Latvia

– E x e c u t io n II p h a s e la u n c h o f S w e d b a n k b r a n d in La t v ia

• 1 5S e p t e m b e r t h• An In t e r n a l a n n o u n c e m e n t f o r

e m p lo y e e s of Hansabanka (CEO’ s email to every employee)

• P r e s s r e le a s e to Latvian target media• In v it a t io n t o a p r e s s

c o n f e r e n c e sent out to key media• 5 0 0 0 0 0 S M S t o c lie n t s about

the launch of Swedbank• - H a n d w r it t e n le t t e r s f o r

o p in io n le a d e r s supplemented with a souvenir

• M e d ia e v e n t – launching the new Swedbank brand

• S p e c ia l p r e s e n t s to editorial offices and tickets to basketball games and theatre play sponsored by Swedbank

R e s e a r c h a n d d a t a g a t h e r in g

• Several studies on brand perception among Hansabanka and Swedbank in target audiences.

• The Banks ’ client satisfaction research to

communicate service leadership

• A database of the Banks ’ stakeholders

• Brand Tracking research on the performance of Swedbank brand in the Baltics after the communication of rebranding

• Personalized face-to-face interviews with opinion leaders about the brand change

R e s u lt s

• Excelent results - 9 7 % o f r e s p o n d e n t s were aware of Swedbank brand in December 2008 (comparing 9 3 % in October 2008)

• Swedbank had the h ig h e s t le v e l o f s p o n t a n e o u s a w a r e n e s s comparing to other banks

• Swedbank had a b ig g e s t p u b lic it y v o lu m e in September 2008 in Latvia media. Swedbank was mentioned 6 7 8 t im e s in media in Latvia and the highest reach of target audience if comparing to other banks. The information about Swedbank could be read/heard/watched 1 4 3 4 2 ,2 4 0 times

• Central messages were covered - serviss leadership, values, exchange of good experience

• The interviews with opinion leaders showed that the news of brand change was perceived m o r e p o s it iv e ly t h a n n e g a t iv e ly .

’ H a n s a b a n k a s b r a n d w a s m o r e lo v e a b le but interviewees admitted that they u n d e r s t a n d t h e r a t io n a l and reasons behind it. They evaluated the personal touch in communicating the brand change

Photos and Images

• Swedbank’s PR division ( Iv a r s a n d K r is t in e )

• Swedbank’s Marketing division (N o rm u n d s )

• The Head of Swedbank’s Brand Migration (O k s a n a )

• Hill and Knowlton team ( , R a lf s, )J ān is An e t e

B ig!!!Th a n k s