Bank of Scotland is dropping the name 'Halifax' from its branches
|
Bank of Scotland has said it plans to "refresh" its brand and drop the name Halifax from its branches. From this weekend, Lloyds Banking Group will run a new advertising campaign based on the slogan: "With you all the way". The bank said the aim was to stress its return to "traditional values". Halifax Bank of Scotland was taken over as part of Lloyds Banking Group a year ago after it had to be bailed out with £11b from the UK government. The animated television advert, voiced by actor Dougray Scott, will focus on financial services for a young couple at each stage in their lives. The banks said its intention was to persuade customers that it was returning to "traditional values of relationship banking, customer empathy and expertise". The financial giant - which is 43% owned by the UK government following a bail-out in October 2008 - is to back up its new brand with Bank of Scotland sponsorship of Scottish events and athletes linked to the 2012 London Olympics. Lloyds Banking Group is also a sponsor of the London games.
The Halifax name will continue to be used with the group's other brands in England; Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Cheltenham and Gloucester. The Bank of Scotland brand logo will be retained although its typeface brought into line with those preferred by Lloyds Banking Group. Both the advertising campaign and the re-design have been won by London-based agencies, where previously HBOS had used Scottish-based suppliers. 'Traditional values' Group executive director for Scotland, Archie Kane, said: "We are focusing on what the Bank of Scotland has always done best - building strong, trusting relationships with our customers by reasserting our traditional values. "This is not about re-inventing the Bank of Scotland brand but allowing our customers to re-discover it. "We have conducted extensive customer research and know that the Bank of Scotland brand has a strong place in the hearts of Scots." The Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship will include help for business customers in Scotland who want to win contracts supplying the London games. The bank has said its commitment to sports and arts sponsorship will be kept under review, but the budget for that is not being cut. One programme that has already been dropped was Bank of Scotland support for the Scottish Rugby Union's autumn tests.
|
Bookmark with:
What are these?