Co-op Financial Services to reinforce ethical credentials

Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) is to push its ethical credentials in an overhaul of its marketing communications. The strapline “Good With Money” is being introduced in all CFS literature.

The financial services organisation, which houses brands Co-operative Bank and Co-operative Insurance Services (CIS), is responding to an escalating number of companies introducing ethical policies.

CFS believes it must reclaim the ground and says its ethical ethos stretches back to its creation as a co-operative.

CFS head of marketing communications Kelvin Collins says: “What I’m looking to do is reignite some of the passion that our brand used to create.”

Collins, a former HSBC marketer, says the high street banks are all looking to push their credentials. “But it is not just a marketing ploy for us,” he says. “It is, though, the right time for us to be out there reminding people what we stand for.”

The drive has been spearheaded by Sheffield-based agency Dig For Fire, which won the creative business last year (MW August 4, 2005).

A through-the-line brand campaign is mooted for later in the year. The first evocation of “Good With Money” comes in CFS’ &£4m sponsorship of ITV1 drama The Bill and a website outlining products and policies, www.goodwithmoney.com

The Co-operative Bank and CIS are the focus of an internal review, which could see one or both arms rebranded as CFS (MW November 24, 2005).