In May, HABIBMETRO Bank (HMB) launched its Aapka Habib, Aapke Saath campaign to build on last year’s ‘Quaid ke Habib’ campaign, based on the idea that everyone wants a ‘habib’ (loved one) in their lives to look after and care for them. Essentially what Mohamedali Habib, founder of the bank, stood for. In fact, HMB’s recent campaigns have all been designed to own the word habib and the narrative of this campaign is said to represent the final connection between the bank and its customers by establishing Aapka Habib, Aapke Saath.

According to Sheeza Ahmed, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, HMB, “During challenging times, you look to your financial partner for support, yet due to the purely functional nature of banks, customers seldom feel an emotional connection with their banking partner. We want to change this approach and let our customers know that whatever their financial difficulties, their trusted financial partner – their habib – is by their side.”

Different financial needs arise at different stages in life, and people rely on banks a great deal to help them address them. People rarely make financial decisions only for themselves, and according to Ahmed, “our message was: we see your efforts for the betterment of yourselves and your families, we have your back and will stand by you as your habib while you take care of your loved ones.”

HMB’s forte has been trade financing, where it acts as a financial intermediary between local and international organisations in import and export businesses. However, since the last couple of years, the bank has started to build its retail banking portfolio and another campaign objective was to inform customers about the array of products HMB offers.

“HABIBMETRO offers a comprehensive retail product suite that is equipped to meet the diverse banking needs of their customers and their families. To promote this, we opted for a relatable idea based on HABIBMETRO supporting its customers across all phases of their lives,” says Shoaib Hasan, Business Director, Synergy Dentsu (HMB’s agency).

The banking industry is strongly regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan and the majority of the products are priced in relation to the prevailing interest rate, leaving banks with very little space for differentiation, and which is why Ahmed says, “it all comes down to the emotional connection you make with your customer, the brand positioning and the brand love you generate.”

Although it promotes the bank’s range of retail products, the TVC focuses on those unnoticed and often underappreciated moments when someone puts a loved one’s needs above theirs. The mother who buys her daughter a toy, the doctor who quickly finds a free moment to send a remittance to his family and the brother who celebrates acquiring a new car by giving his younger brother the keys to experience his first drive. Hasan elaborates that, “although SEC A and B were the target, the range of the financial solutions presented in the TVC cuts across all age groups and income levels, providing a product to solve a financial need at any point in anyone’s life.”

Run on all platforms, HMB sees the current challenging economic times as another reason to run a campaign aimed at reassuring its customers that the bank is there for them. This is why Ahmed says that the aim was to assure their existing and potential customers of the Bank’s support in the journey of life. “We are there for our customers as they navigate through the challenges of life. Together, we will create new opportunities and pave a path of prosperity for a better future.”