Quirky Campaign Stands Out

Customers may have noticed a new bank advertisement during the evening television news.

First Security Bank President Jim Taylor is dressed for a barbeque in one scene and in his jolly-best golfing ensemble in the next. There is no traditional bank president’s coat and tie.

Taylor, president for the statewide chain’s northwest contingent, is pitching the bank’s “we’re everywhere in Northwest Arkansas” campaign.

“We wanted to stand out,” said Tracy Jones, assistant vice president and marketing director of Northwest Arkansas for First Security. She said the campaign is meant to be funny and different from conventional bank ads.

She said the bank is running a statewide campaign, but “we’re everywhere” came from a need for the bank to focus on the northwest market since its 2003 buyout of First National Bank of Springdale. That buyout was estimated at about $45 million.

Taylor said response from the television ad has “been pleasantly surprising.”

“We’re a different bank,” he said about the unique approach the ads take on the traditionally dry occupation.

“We don’t want to be an old stodgy bank,” he said. “We want to be creative in our banking style.”

Taylor said First Security’s in-house marketing department in Little Rock wrote the ads.

The campaign has one television ad, three print ads and two radio spots, running on various media throughout Northwest Arkansas.

The bank plans to keep the campaign for the foreseeable future. “‘We’re everywhere’ is something we are going to carry forward,” Jones said.

On June 10, First Security will break ground at a location in Lowell. That will open in about a year, Taylor said. He said a temporary location will open at 400 W. Monroe Ave. in that town during the first week in July.

Last year, First Tennessee National Corp. of Memphis sold its First National Bank of Springdale charter to First Security Bancorp of Searcy. The buyout added three offices and seven ATMs to First Security’s locations, Jones said.

First Security had $1.1 billion in total assets at year-end and about $510 million in Northwest Arkansas deposits as of June 30, 2003, including the acquisition of First National.