Commonwealth Bank has revealed that it was behind the CAN’T/CAN teaser campaign which has been across billboards and digital media this last week. Dropping their “determined to be different” slogan in favour of CAN.

Chief Marketing Director, Andy Lark, has thanked hi-jackers because they added “fuel to the fire” around the campaign. Basically:

• Heritage bank were the first to hi-jack the campaign, buying Google keyword CAN’T
• Greenpeace followed suit – also buying key words and re-skinning it’s Facebook and website.

My biggest concern is that the only people who really noticed this campaign work in the industry. No body else cares who was behind the real campaign and have probably been more confused by the hi-jacking than anything. Being in the industry, I probably noticed the campaign more than most, so to me it seems like a huge build up to deliver a very soft message.

The hero ad of the campaign is this 60 second TV ad featuring actress Toni Collette and the poem ‘An ode to Can.’

If CommBank really wanted to show that they ‘CAN’ they should have announced a rates cut in line with the campaign.

Instead you’re taken to a website that tells you how they:

• CAN try to connect with average Australians.
• CAN promote their same old service.

The poem seems intended to create emotion and connect with average Australian’s… something that wouldn’t be easy for any of the big 4 banks. The website is basically an app download and information centre for services they already have. It really just shows that CommBank doesn’t need a reason to spend “many millions” on advertising.

I’m actually interested to see how long it takes the new slogan to backfire on them. The newspaper’s are going to have an easy job.

For the short term, I would expect interest rates to continue to tumble with the economic uncertainty. The question is…

• CAN they pass on rate cuts to home owners?