It started when Sterling Bank shared a brilliant yet jarring ad portraying its top rivals as retrogressive and archaic in their methods.
The ad showed Access Bank, GTBank, First Bank and Union Bank moving towards a goal, using their individual logos as their undoing. The far from subliminal ad immediately went viral on Twitter Nigeria today and has been the subject of conversations on the platform all day.
Shoot for the moon, become a star – it’s the least you deserve. Welcome to #SterlingBank 😊 pic.twitter.com/Jt7M5AkSSb
— Sterling Bank Plc (@Sterling_Bankng) July 20, 2018
This Twitter user was the first to provide an enlightening analysis of the messages Sterling Bank clearly passed across with the ad:
Let me try to analyze the NOT SO OBVIOUS subs on this crazy art.
1) it is like a movement from Regression (access) to Utopia (Sterling)
Regress-Stagnant-Walk-Run-Fly with different banks representing each stage. #Brilliant but too harsh on 1st bank IMO 🤦🏽♂️ pic.twitter.com/lcxmdj3bjZ
— Prof. Yinka (@GalacticoHD) July 21, 2018
But laslas, the brand dealt with most cruelty here is GTBank. Why??
1) The Innoson lawsuits might have been the reason for the Jail image. FELON
2) Constant complaints by GTB customers – albeit unwarranted most times – of various “unsolicited” charges mean customers are in jail pic.twitter.com/8mOttS6LIp
— Prof. Yinka (@GalacticoHD) July 21, 2018
The first bank’s jab is also heavy.
“Old & Big for Nothing” cuz it can’t get you what you want in another 80yrs – NO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT.
Remember the First Bank jokes of having granny cashiers who won’t collect your money if you use left hand?
Guy is Bald too 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/w1vSx9sm5M— Prof. Yinka (@GalacticoHD) July 21, 2018
Thanks to tweeps, I just realized that the background is Marina and has other banks HQ.
Then the most poetic of all; The Skye Bank Jab.
“Shooting For The Moon (not Skye).One thing is sure, One Man didn’t design this masterpiece. pic.twitter.com/9GM2Bx80g4
— Prof. Yinka (@GalacticoHD) July 21, 2018
Yes this is epic, but Sterling Bank was probably not ready for the comebacks from its targets:
Union Bank was the first to make a move:
Heading to the moon without a spacesuit…journey mercies🚶🏾♂️🚶🏾♂️#simplersmarterSAFERbanking
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
Then Access Bank came back with a very wordy but scathing response:
We will travel on an imaginary rocket too, if we were a one-customer Microfinance Bank; but with ten million customers and counting, we rather bring the galaxy to you! #YouAreWorthIt #TakeTomorrow #KnowYourElders pic.twitter.com/pBGuW8JaLo
— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) July 21, 2018
The ‘drops mic’ gif was literal for Access Bank but Union Bank was far from done:
When the elders speak… #SimplerSmarterSAFERBank pic.twitter.com/xCgYbcniDm
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
And another one, because the pain runs deep:
There’s no coming back after “Ether” or “Story of Adidon”…settle down now, take a deep breath. Back to counting this Naira, Dollars and Pounds… #SimplerSmarterSAFERBank pic.twitter.com/LGSRSsOPtw
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
So, here comes First Bank (as the elephant takes longer to travel):
What an elder sees while sitting, a child cannot see even if he travels to the moon. #RespectYourElders #YouFirst
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
But that didn’t tap, so the team regrouped for this:
… And straight into the trash can. #RespectYourElders #MoveOver #NextPlease #YouFirst pic.twitter.com/tkyZe9FVgc
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
OUCH!!!
It has been a really long weekend for the digital teams of all the banks involved especially those of at GTBank who are yet to respond; but we can trust them to put an end to all of this when they finally decide to bless our timelines.
Trust that Nigerians have been having a field day and the reactions have been… we’ll let you decide:
Whoever designed the Sterling Bank advert content is one creative thinker & a smart marketing strategist. Any company should want him/her on board #bankwars
— S H E C O N V E R S E (@sheconverse) July 21, 2018
#BankWars
Sterling Bank: Innovative Ad that threw shades at other BanksFirst Bank: Swept it away with “Sho mo age mi”
Union Bank: Eats Jibowu pancakes while watching another “Berger to Ajah” trip
Access Bank: Gave a micro shade
GTBank: My mummy said I should not fight pic.twitter.com/2qbKKlBMAE
— Olagunju Oladele👓🆗 (@deleconcept) July 21, 2018
The sweetest thing to ever happen on twitter today is this #BankWars Gotta respect whoever came up with that Sterling bank artwork. Now just look at the strength of unusual PR on display
— A. Ayo-Adams (@theayoadams) July 21, 2018
#BankWars
Because of this bank war going on don’t even try going to another bank ATM with another Bank ATM card if not na to swallow, destroy and masticate your card. 😂😂🙆 pic.twitter.com/fOpp3ThzFl— Phleshmann™ 👑🌿 (@bright_adim) July 21, 2018
Next time somebody tells you ‘you can’t kill two birds with one stone’, tell them you were alive when Sterling Bank killed multiple banks with one tweet #BankWars
— AbdulAfeez Irekeola (@Irekejunior) July 21, 2018
