Rabobank is fine-tuning its brand to meet global customer and
community needs. The bank's cooperative identity fits perfectly
with the cultural climate of today. So why not build upon it?
Communication strategy updated
our brand
Rabobank has been a strong brand for more than a century.
Advertising campaigns over the years, both in the Netherlands
and world-wide, have successfully strengthened the brand. As a
result, Rabobank is perceived as a rmarket leader, with statistics
proving that the bank's marketing strategy has hit its mark.
So why does Rabobank's brand need fine-tuning? When you
have a good thing going for you, why change the course of
action? According to Stefan Wink, Rabobank Communication
Manager responsible for the campaign in the Netherlands,
there are a couple of reasons why. 'We don't want to reposition
our brand, but rather keep it actual and relevant for the near
future. We have succeeded in getting across the message that
Rabobank is a bank of stature. Our image as a farmers' bank in
the Netherlands has evolved. We have retained our coopera
tive structure, but are now viewed as self-assured, prestigious
and internationally focused. In addition to building upon our
well-established reputation, we intend to inform our customers
- and potential customers - of the other benefits we can offer
them in the areas of banking and non-banking. We will com-
municate Rabobank as a driving and innovative force within our
clients' communities and networks.'
Communication Strategist Joost Augusteijn outlines the new
global communication strategy and its components. The three
building blocks of the new brand positioning are: the business
strategy outlined by the Rabobank board of directors, the
Zeitgeist (the spirit or trend of the time) and the bank's identity.
Rabobank's brand values are 'involved', 'nearby' and 'leading.'
Values, which, according to Wink, 'are in Rabobank's genes.'
'The business strategy between now and 2010 aims to position
Rabobank as the number one bank in the Netherlands on all
fronts,' clarifies Augusteijn. 'We are already the market leader
in savings, mortgages and small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
In the coming years we want to expand our market share to
include all fields of finance. For example, private investors or
minority groups in Dutch cities.'
'In terms of the international market, we want to convey the
message that Rabobank is a strong niche player world-wide.
F&A has been and still is our core business. No other bank can
offer its customers the service we can in this field. Professional
financial products and services such as Global Financial Markets
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