STREETWISE MARKETING
CHASING DREAMS
By Evans Majeni
T
hey say hindsight is 80:20. We
tend to see clearly in hindsight.
Reflection is a powerful habit.
The world is more beautiful looking
back.
It’s on this note that I beg for your
forgiveness to say that Chase Bank
was a beautiful bank in a league of its
own in this part of Africa.
It would be difficult to match
the chase experience especially
for the few people who benefited
from their generosity or now, in
hindsight, stupidity. Yours truly was
a beneficiary and this was my Chase
Bank experience.
Clarity of target
Brand aligned with target market
At Chase Bank, the target market
was never fuzzy. It was the young
trendy professional who lives on
the fast lane. The sharply dressed
gentleman or lady who has little time
to waste on long bank queues and is
equally tech savvy.
The Bank premises were a site to
behold. The ambience, the interior
décor reflected the brand personality.
The staff dressed equally sharp and
needless to say, matched their clients
in dress and style. They too lived on
that adored fast lane.
The guy wh o drives a turbo charged
vehicle and lives a turbo charged
life too. The diva that knows how to
balance her tender figure on delicate
high heels. The age bracket was 20s
to 40s. Never before has a bank
captured the needs and aspirations of
a target market like Chase did.
Little wonder that when the books
were finally balanced, the auditors
had issues with the staff loan
portfolio.
‘‘We can never dismiss the hands of
hyenas from the Chase Bank debacle.
Never before in the history of this
country has a bank collapsed and in a
record two weeks, bids to buy it are
pouring in from all corners. Who is that
foolish investor who wants to take over
a dead bank!’’
14 MAL 12/16 ISSUE
Loud and visible brand
These guys had a visible brand. They
sponsored loud CSR activities. I still
have their branded water bottle, a gift
from one of their many events.
At petrol stations, ATMS, branches
and billboards, their brand stood out.
Their logo – the sails captured the
speed of a wind-propelled ambition.
It was different.
Service per excellence
Chase had innovative products
delivered through a superb channel