1
Your nature
Our nurture
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Who is
Jochem de
Bruin?
International advance
Taking aim
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Recognition needed
Toolsforall
According to Van Veggel, there's a lot of
unrealized potential in the wholesale
market in the Netherlands (NL). Moreover,
a heightened profile in the Dutch market
will advance Rabobank's position interna-
tionally because it improves the bank's
commercial power. The businesses being
targeted are Dutch and international cor-
porations with more than 20 staff and a
turnoverofat least €10 million. Van
Veggel says, 'We want these companies to
choose Rabobank as their principal bank.
We also need more institutions to select
Rabobank as their partner.'
While Rabobank is starting from a position
of strength, with a solid brand in the NL
market and 98% name recognition, its
image is dominated by the retail services.
'We're considered local, not international,
and hence we are not a very visible player
in the wholesale market. Although, in fact,
we already have a substantial market posi
tion,' Van Veggel explains. The aim is to
target all sectors in NL with our Allfinanz
offering, and push our brand as nearby,
involvedandleading.' Also pointing out
that being research and knowledge driven
are other key Rabobank attributes.
«.rabobank.com
'Ourcommunication problem outside NL
is more basic - we need name recogni
tion,' Van Veggel reveals. While 47% of
respondents in a recent NL survey ranked
Rabobank as 'top of mind' if their company
was seeking a new financial partner, out
side of Holland the Rabobank brand has a
much lower profile. 'A strong brand is
desirable for many reasons: it adds value
International print advertisement
for the customer, drives greater market
share, provides security in existing markets,
and opportunities in new markets,'
explains Van Veggel.
The first step in addressing these problems
was to define and put into service the new
wholesale corporate identity. 'First we
needed to look at the basics,' says Van
He's the star of Rabobank's first corporate television commercial, an overnight celebrity,
and somewhat of a mystery man. Jochem de Bruin, fact orfiction?This is the question
everyone in Holland is asking. Chosen because he characterizes a typical Dutch Rabobank
employee, De Bruin is generating a huge amount of interest from staff and the general
Dutch public. He is so popular, Rabobank Nederland has created a special (Dutch) website
to enable people to get to know him better (see www.jochemdebruin.nl). However, we're
not going to blow his cover. One thing is certain, you can expect to hear more about
Jochem de Bruin.
6 The Word
