Rabobank
told the
Netherlands
about its
unprece-
dented
qualities
kantoren
in het
buitenland?
Rabobank.
Aangenaam.
Rabo
band Issue 10/January, 1992
Rabobank has (again) pre-
sented itself to the Dutch public
with an intensive advertising
campaign. Using advertise-
ments and TV commercials, the
bank aimed to make up for a
number of shortfalls in the
awareness of its identity in a
short space of time, particularly
among businessmen and well-
to-do private individuals. The
basic message was that Rabo
bank is better and different from
what many Dutch people think.
The campaign opened with
advertisements featuring the
central question: 'Have we ever
really introduced ourselves to
you properly?'
What bank has 12,603
branches abroad?
The International Division presents itself
Internationally and to the Netherlands
The last advertisement in the campaign. Rabobank's international business was the central
theme.
Research had shown that it was
necessary to present the less well-
known aspects of Rabobank
effectively to the Dutch market. There were
a few central themes. Rabobank is a
cooperative bank. Rabobank is one of the
strongest banks in the world. The triple A
rating provides proof of this.
Besides being a bank for private cus-
tomers, Rabobank is mainly also a bank
for corporate clients. And Rabobank now
has a really impressive international busi
ness.
The advertising campaign was striking in
tone, distinctive, self-confident, personal,
honest and eye-catching. The six ad
vertisements took the form of a two-
page spread and were inserted in Dutch
daiiies.
The last ad posed the intriguing question:
'What Dutch bank has 12,603 branches
abroad?' The campaign also included a TV
commercial on the theme of the triple A
rating. This was broadcast with a high
frequency on the Dutch TV stations.
There are various ways for a bank to set
up an international network. Either you
establish your own branches in every
country. Or you go one step further and
besides you form alliances with banks in
these countries. As far as Europe is
concerned, Rabobank has opted for the
second method. The point is that the
Netherlands has so many foreign markets
and so many exporters the bank can never
cover every need with its own branches
alone. Take, for example, a country like
France. What support can an office in Paris
or Lyons offer if you have to do business in
Gérardmer (Vosges)? Isn't an office in
Gérardmer more useful to you then? So our
strategy is to cooperate with other banks in
Europe besides having our own offices. In
France, for example, that is Crédit Agricole,
the largest French bank. So through Rabo
bank you have access to no fewer than
8,923 Crédit Agricole branches in France,
including one in Gérardmer. Similarly, in
Great Britain we are already working closely
with Lloyds Bank (1,967 branches) and in
Spain with Banco Popuiar (1,678
branches). Intensive discussions aimed at
achieving the same close cooperation are
currently in progress with banks in other
major European countries. That includes
Germany, as an addition to our own eight
branches there. This means that wherever
you are in Europe our services will be
available to you in your own locality. For
example, loans and credits, payment trans-
actions, bill discounting, debt collection and
trade promotion. Just as at your own Rabo
bank. No other Dutch bank can offer you all
these facilities on such a scale. Meanwhile,
the number of our own Rabobank offices
abroad (now 35) is steadily growing.
Outside Europe too - in the USA, Latin
America and Asia - you see the name
'Rabobank' increasingly appearing on
frontages. In these regions we are mainly
regarded as specialists in the food and
agribusiness. In the USA. along with Wells
Fargo and Bank America, we are one of the
leading three food and agribusiness banks.
And we also have a growing share in other
sectors. The number of foreign offices now
totals 12,603. But in the Netherlands, too,
the Rabobanks are progressiveiy interna-
tionaiizing their activities. Your iocal Rabo
bank has the knowledge and experience
you need to help you do business inter-
nationally. It can offer you a full range
of products geared to doing business
abroad. From payment transactions to bank
guarantees, from foreign currency trans
actions to letters of credit and from debt
collection schemes to credit allocation. If
necessary, our Iocal expertise can always
be supplemented by advice from centrally
located foreign business specialists. In
addition, we have a number of specific
international banking products such as the
Quick Cheque Service, Export Debt Collec
tion and Export Guarantees which ensure
that the exporter gets his money quickly. All
these services have brought their own
rewards. Our market share in the field of
foreign payment transactions has doubled
in recent years. Over 25% of importers and
exporters now regard us as their most
important partner in the field of interna
tional services. Current efforts are directed
towards expanding our services progres
siveiy throughout the world. With new
branches, new alliances, new products.
And, above all... with new customers.
Make an appointment with Rabobank's
foreign business specialist. He'II be happy
to help you in any way he can.
In this first edition of Raboband International in 1992 the people in the
International Division introducé themselves to each other. And, of course, also to their
colleagues in the organization in the Netherlands who also receive the publication.