John Cleese and Host create new ‘Making banking easier’ national campaign for Bankwest

Iconic comedy legend John Cleese stars in a new campaign for Bankwest Retail and Business which launched nationally on Sunday.

Four spots, co-written with Cleese, highlight the ways Bankwest are on a mission to make banking easier. He appears as a cantankerous customer, always suspicious of the bank’s motivations, until eventually won over by Bankwest staff member Katie.

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The campaign, via Host Sydney, reflects some of Cleese’s own personal issues with banks and, in particular, their attitudes towards customers.

Cleese said: “I am very pleased to help any bank that is trying to support its customers by giving a good banking service; as opposed to the norm these days, which seems to be to squeeze every last dollar out of them while treating them with a mixture of avarice and cynicism.”

“Hearing that John liked the idea and was keen to be in the campaign was great,” said Host ECD Bob Mackintosh. “Learning that he actually wanted to write the scripts with us was even better. It was a crazy experience – he’s a taskmaster and very particular in his ways. But that’s what makes him so brilliant.”

Paul Vivian, Bankwest General Manager of Customer Communications and Brand, said: “This is an important evolution for our brand as we focus in on what truly matters to our customers – making their banking easier for them. John was perfectly cast as our grumpy customer – and we’re delighted with how Katie successfully wins him around.”

The new campaign marks a new direction for Bankwest away from its successful animals campaign, which had run since 2008. Vivian said ‘Happy Banking’ remains the underlying theme for Bankwest and market research had identified making banking easier was a key way of delivering that promise.

The spots were directed by LA based Aaron Stoller through Revolver, with legendary Aussie DoP Russell Boyd, through Revolver.

Credits

Photographer: Chris Searl