Lloyds TSB launches advice campaign for flood victims

Lloyds TSB has launched a high profile marketing campaign in the wake of England’s floods, designed to reassure customers that help is at hand.

The high street bank is running a series of ads, in national and regional media, outlining steps that affected customers can take, and measures it has put in place to help ease problems caused by the flooding.

The ads also drive awareness of website www.helpimflooded.co.uk, which aims to act as a one-stop advice and information shop. It has been set up by Lloyds TSB Insurance with consumer organisation National Flood Forum.

The bank is running an in-store campaign, with information posters in branches. It has been created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R with planning and buying by ZenithOptimedia. A spokesman says the activity is not a marketing drive aimed at pushing the brand or sales. He says the bank has responded because it is the largest provider of home insurance in the UK and wants to reassure customers. He says the bank learned from last year’s flooding in Cumbria, when the website was launched.

He adds/ “We have a good relationship with customers in Cumbria and learnt an awful lot about the experience and how traumatic it can be for communities.

“This is not about driving sales or product, it is about offering assistance, and advertising is an effective way of getting that message across.”

Barclays-owned Barclaycard has also responded to the crisis by waiving monthly minimum payments for customers in affected areas. It says making a credit card payment is “the last thing on their mind” for people affected.