Barclays brand repositioning marks return to TV campaigns

Libby%20ChambersBarclays is repositioning its brand for the fourth time in eight years, and will return to TV advertising later this year after an absence of 18 months.

The move spells an end to the campaign starring fictional Barclays staff in humourous situations.

Barclays global retail and commercial banking chief marketing officer Libby Chambers (pictured) says: “There will not be staff members as heroes.”

The new work will focus on the bank’s customers and how they can take small steps to control their finances, savings and spending, and stay “one step ahead”.

The repositioning is being led by UK retail banking marketing director Dave Jeppeson, with advertising by Bartle Bogle Hegarty.

The bank will also continue with product-led advertising in press, posters and online, which Chambers says has been “working well”.

Previous UK marketing director Jim Hytner pulled the brand off TV in favour of quick turnaround campaigns (MW July 18, 2007).

It is thought that new work will focus on Barclays’ innovations in UK banking, such as online and mobile banking, and paying through contactless technology.

Earlier this week, Barclays announced it is launching the UK’s first contactless debit cards in March. It introduced the first contactless credit cards in 2007 and has promoted it in recent campaigns.

Chambers also says that Barclays and Barclaycard will launch mobile peer-to-peer payments by the end of 2010.