Olympic medallist fronts HSB TV push

HONG KONG Hang Seng Bank (HSB) has launched the second wave of its rebranding campaign, with an emphasis on 'real people' and 'real stories'.<BR><BR>The rebranding effort seeks to strengthen the bank's credibility and reach out to a younger consumer-set. The testimonial-based campaign is spearheaded by a 30-second spot featuring Hong Kong Olympic gold medallist, windsurfer Lee Lai Shan, talking about the challenges of saving enough money to raise a child.  <BR><BR>The spot kicks off with shots of Lee's gold medal-winning performance at the 1996 Olympics, followed by images of Lee caring for her baby. "After the applause has died down, I am but a normal person," Lee says.<BR><BR>Developed by Leo Burnett, the campaign steers away from the stereotypical images of investors in suits often seen in financial advertising. "It's human talk, not investor talk," said Lilian Leong, Leo Burnett Hong Kong's management supervisor.<BR><BR>The TVC is supported by print ads, which will be more tactical and fact-based, added Leong. <BR><BR>Esmond Mok, HSB chief marketing officer, noted that the campaign follows on from the launch of a new platform at the end of May with the tagline, 'Managing wealth for you, with you', and is part of an ongoing rejuvenation of the company, which will see all of its Hong Kong branches revamped in the next two years and frontline staff sport new uniforms from November.<BR>