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FNB presents: 'Loans of Our Lives'

First National Bank (FNB) has followed its highly entertaining launch and awareness campaigns for the One Account with a tongue-in-cheek take on one of television's most successful 'soapies' - Days of Our Lives.

Developed by FNB's marketing partner, FCB Johannesburg, the new One Account campaign is called 'Loans of Our Lives'.

The brief put to FCB Johannesburg's strategic team was to produce infomercials to explain the benefits of the product, launched 18 months ago, and demonstrate the relevant savings. A customer depositing his or her salary into the One Account and consolidating all his debt into a One Account, enables the customer to shave years off his loan and pay the combined debt off at one low rate.

Explaining the creative treatment, FCB South Africa group executive director, Ashley Bacon, said One Account has always had an 'irreverent' personality so there was an opportunity to push the envelope even further than usual.

"Once the 'soap opera big idea' had been mooted and given the go ahead by the client, the FCB strategists and the account management teams, FCB Johannesburg's creatives Ulric Charteris and Jean Roux Bezuidenhout developed the scripts," he said.

"Briefly, information about the One Account is written into typical 'soapie' scenarios and dialogue - a central character is used to 'incidentally' demonstrate the savings as the soap opera 'stars' talk through their financial woes and are then - in true soap style - given advice. In one scene, the character appears as an artist in the park and his canvas becomes the medium on which the savings are calculated; in another he is a waiter but this time his menu board is used as the vehicle.

For example, a character called Minky says: 'You have to pull yourself together, Lesley. For once listen to your mother, now I know that I'm not your real mother, and when your real mother was abducted by the Russian mafia after your father joined that religious sect I took you into my home and it wasn't much of a childhood being raised as a girl till you were eighteen, but we only had sons and your stepfather would have died if I had told him the truth after all those years, but that's the past'. Lesley responds: 'Mum, I can't seem to manage my finances' to which Minky suggests: 'Why don't you just get a One Account?'. She goes on to explain, among other points, that 'Now, with a One Account, because your income goes straight into your account you'll save about R300 a month on interest. And if you keep that R300 in your account every month in total you'll save about R80 000 over the term of your loan'. The central character is present in this scene as a waiter chalking up the savings on his menu board.

"As the information to be communicated is relatively technical in nature, Ulric and Jean had to strike a perfect balance between entertainment and education; to further enhance the 'soap opera' concept, we cast 'real-life' soap stars in each commercial. I think the result is spot-on," said Bacon.

The two commercials were shot in studio over three days by Red Pepper.

TV SCRIPTS:

Commercial 1:

We open on the signage of the name of a company written on a boardroom door. The camera pans down to a boardroom table around which four men are seated. A man is outside the window of the boardroom, washing the windows.
MVO: Previously on the Loans of our Lives.
CLAUDE: Andre, you look perplexed. Is it because your wife ran off with your son's best friend, who turned out to be a convicted criminal, dealing in illegal animal trading, then to discover that your brother, who disappeared in Guatemala, appeared in your shower and laid claim to your family's fortunes, leaving you responsible for bringing up your ex-wife's son, who set your house on fire when he was jilted by your wife when she ran off with your son's best friend?
ANDRE: (Lengthy pause) No. it's not that Claude. It's my debt.
SFX: Dramatic music.
We move into a restaurant. The camera pans across diners at tables and settles on one couple, an elderly woman and a young man. A waiter (who is the same guy as the window washer) is walking around. We hear the couple's conversation.
MINKY: Lesley, you've got to pull yourself together. For once, listen to your mother - now I know that I'm not your real mother but, when your real mother was abducted by the Russian mafia after your father joined that religious sect, I took you into my home. It wasn't much of a childhood being raised as a girl till you were eighteen, but we only had sons and your stepfather would have died if I had told him the truth after all those years. But that's the past. What on earth could be troubling you now?
LESLEY: (Plucking up the courage) Mum, I can't seem to manage my finances.
We move into a park. A couple are sitting on a park bench, facing each other, holding hands. Near them is our guy, sitting in front of an easel, doing a water-colour of the scenery.
JADE: Mitch, we've been together for six years now and I know you have a fear of commitment caused by the death of your goldfish. Your cat choked to death when he ate the fish, but the cat deserved to die. He ate your hamster and budgie as well, dammit! He was a serial killer - but none of it was your fault. Okay, running over your dog was your fault, but how were you to know your brother was holding the dog at the time? You can't let this fear of commitment get in the way of our happiness.
MITCH: It's not that, Jade. Why does banking have to be so complicated?
We cut back to the boardroom. Claude turns to Andre.
ANDRE: (Reprise) No, it's not that, Claude. It's my debt.
CLAUDE: Your debt? I didn't realise it was that bad.
We cut to a dream sequence of Andre and hear his thoughts.
MVO: I should never have spent so much money on that Polynesian trip.
We return to the boardroom.
CLAUDE: Why don't you just get a One Account?
ANDRE: A what?
CLAUDE: A One Account. It's an account from First National Bank that lets you consolidate all your banking needs into one account, secured by your property, letting you pay everything off at one low rate.
ANDRE: One low rate? How?
CLAUDE: Well, who's in debt here?
Dramatic musical sting as everybody puts their hands up.
CLAUDE: Storm, what debt do you have?
STORM: I owe R15 000 on my credit card.
CLAUDE: And you're paying how much interest?
STORM: Seventeen percent.
On the window, our central figure writes "Credit Card R15 000 - 17%"
CLAUDE: Anyone else?
TOM: Personal loan of R20 000 at 16%
CLAUDE: 16%
This is written down accordingly.
FRED: I've got an overdraft of R45 000 at 13%.
This too is written down.
CLAUDE: So, collectively, you've all got debt of R75 000. So, if you were one person, you would be paying 17% on your credit card, 16% on a personal loan and 13 % on your overdraft. That means, on average, you're paying about 15% on all your debt. Now, what are you paying on your home loans?
STORM: 11%
TOM: 9%
ANDRE: 10%
CLAUDE: So you're all paying prime or thereabouts. Now, a One Account consolidates all that debt into one account, secured by your property, and lets you pay it all off at around the rate of your home loan. And, because your income goes straight into your One Account, it automatically reduces the outstanding balance, which means you pay less interest and pay your loan off a lot quicker.
ANDRE: What, like pay off my credit card at 11%?
CLAUDE: Sort of. A One Account also works like a Cheque Account with a Debit Card. This does the same job as a credit card, except you use the funds in your One Account and only pay the interest that you would pay on your home loan.
ANDRE: But I'm in debt already, I'll never qualify.
CLAUDE: That's the point. Your home acts as surety for you debt, so if your home is worth more than you owe on it, you can use the difference to consolidate your other debt into the Account.
TOM: So I would have to pay off my car over twenty years instead of five?
CLAUDE: No. With the online Debt Manager tool, you can pay different types of debt over the repayment periods of your choice. So you could still pay your car off over five years.
TOM: And what if I need to borrow money again?
CLAUDE: You've always got access to excess funds you deposit into the One Account or, if your house increases in value, you can borrow more money based on the increased value. You also have an upfront overdraft of up to 10% of the value of the property as part of the facility.
(Possible dream sequence)
Andre stares into the distance and says quietly to himself:
ANDRE: Excess funds
SFX: Dramatic sting.
We return to the restaurant scene
LESLEY: (Reprise from intro) Mum, I can't seem to manage my finances.
MINKY: Why don't you just get a One Account?
LESLEY: A One Account?
MINKY: Yes. How much is your home loan for?
LESLEY: R150 000.
Our guy (who is now the waiter) brings the specials board across and, as they mention the figures, he writes them down.
MINKY: And what's that going to cost you?
LESLEY: About R1 500 a month over 20 years
MINKY: Now, with a One Account, because your income goes straight into your account you'll save about R300 a month on interest.
LESLEY: Really?
MINKY: And if you keep that R300 in your account every month in total you'll save about R80 000 over the term of your loan.
LESLEY: R80 000? Just think of all the things I can do with that money.
(Possible dream sequence)
LESLEY: I've heard other banks have similar products but always thought you had to earn about R350 000 upwards every year.
MINKY: With the One Account you only have to have a joint income of R100 000 and a property value of R150 000, so you shouldn't have a problem, unless you have a bad credit rating. You don't, do you?
LESLEY: No. But I'm a plumber, mum. I own my own business.
MINKY: Self-employed people also qualify. You'll just be required to submit the financial statements of the business to enable FNB to assess the income you earn through your business.
SFX: Dramatic Music.
We have a dramatic close up of Lesley pondering over his mother's words.
We move to the park and pick up the conversation of the couple there. One again, our guy writes down the key points, this time on the canvas on the easel.
MITCH: It's not that Jade. Why does banking have to be so complicated?
JADE: It doesn't have to be. With a One Account you get a cheque book, debit card and Petrol Card, and you can also get a second debit card for your partner, such as me. It's so convenient baby. You don't have to transfer money between accounts - because there is only one account. You can also keep track of your income and expenditure on just one monthly statement to assess and manage your financial situation.
MITCH: But how do you practically transact?
JADE: Like any other cheque account, through the usual channels - FNB branches, ATMs, Internet and telephone.
MITCH: Then what happens to my account when I pay off my home?
JADE: You keep the same account and facility for life, even if you pay off your home or buy a new one. And, once you've repaid the loan or a portion of it, you can borrow against the home again - without the hassle of applying for another loan. Of course, you have to pay it back again.
MITCH: Of course.
JADE: Then you earn eBucks, First National Bank's rewards programme.
MITCH: What's that?
JADE: Well, it lets you buy stuff. The more you use the account, the more eBucks you earn and the more you can buy.
MITCH: Really?
JADE: Yes, simply by using your One Account.
A man walks into frame. Mitch looks up.
JESSY: Mitch, it's me, Jessy. Your brother.
MITCH: No, no. It can't be.
Cut.
TITLES AND LOGOS
Commercial 2:
SANDRA: Darling, I don't know what it is but it just seems like we're not talking any more. At first I thought you were upset with me for running off with your son's best friend, I mean, your best friend's son or both of them, but that's the past. Besides, my husband is in town and you know how protective he is over me. I would never dream of misbehaving. I love you and I'd never do anything to betray your trust, but I just feel you can't get over it. (Accusingly) Or maybe you're having an affair?
ECKARD: (Reprise from intro) It's none of that darling. I just can't seem to manage my finances.
SANDRA: Why don't you just get a One Account?
ECKARD: A One Account?
SANDRA: Yes. How much is our home loan for?
ECKARD: 2 million Rand.
Our guy (who is now the waiter) brings the specials board across and, as they mention the figures, he writes them down.
SANDRA: And what does that cost you?
ECKARD: About R20 000 a month over 20 years.
SANDRA: Now, with a One Account, because your salary goes straight into your account you'll save about R2 000 a month on interest.
ECKARD: Really?
SANDRA: And, if you keep that R2 000 in your account every month, in total you'll save about R825 000 over the term of your loan.
ECKARD: R825 000? Just think of all the things I can do with that money.
We go to a dream sequence with Eckard sitting in the same restaurant, only with a much younger woman. We return to reality.
ECKARD: But I own my own business. I don't technically get a salary.
SANDRA: Self-employed people also qualify. You'll just be required to submit the financial statements of the business to enable FNB to assess the income you earn through your business.
SFX: Dramatic Music.
We have a dramatic close up of Eckard pondering over his wife's words.



Editorial contact

C-Cubed Communications
Petra Peacock
(021) 852-7198

23 Nov 2005 09:57

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