Post-fire Cards
Westpac Bank
Issue 59 | June 2021
Agency
DDB Sydney
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officers Ben Welsh, Tara Ford Executive Creative Director Matt Chandler Creative Directors David Jackson, Tommy Cehak, Tim Woolford Head of Art Noah Regan
Production Team
Head of Design Ramon Rodriguez Senior Producer Cushla Morton Illustrations The Jackie Winter Group
Other Credits
Senior Business Director Kirsty Mould Managing Partner Sasha Firth
Date
November 2020
Background
Small Australian communities devastated by bushfires were struggling to rebuild because COVID had stopped tourist dollars.
When restrictions eased, Aussies could help by visiting and spending money. As one of Australia’s largest small business banks, and with a brand position of ‘help’, Westpac bank wanted to demonstrate that their commitment went beyond just ‘thoughts and prayers’. The brief was to create a campaign that would have a tangible impact on small business by encouraging visitors.
Idea
To bring to life Westpac’s brand ethos, ‘help in the moments that matter’, postcards were created of bushfire affected landscapes. Each was affixed with a pop out debit card pre-loaded with AUSD $150, which using innovative geo-fencing technology, could only be activated within the region depicted. A little act of help to encourage tourism dollars into vulnerable towns. To ensure Westpac were having the greatest impact possible, almost the entire budget went to loading the cards with money.
Results
As yet unknown as the campaign is designed to run for a full year. With tens of thousands of dollars distributed on the cards, it is hoped that the impact will be enormous, given visitors to these smaller communities are likely to spend more than the initial $150 loaded on the card.
Our Thoughts
Parts of Australia have had a ruinous year.
When your home and your livelihood has been destroyed, too right you want more than ‘thoughts and prayers’. You want money.
A lot of brands talk about purpose and wrap themselves in a gauze of self-congratulation but as the people at DDB will know, it was their founder, Bill Bernbach, who said “a principle isn’t a principle until it costs you money.” This is Westpac being principled and in the long term it will do their brand a power of good.