You are now entering Ad Space, a realm of commercials, brought before us so we might examine how they work, and discuss why we both love and hate them so. So it is written …

The Product:
UOB Private Bank

The Promotion:

The Pitch:
We’ve been serving you faithfully for years – we’re entitled to slack off a little.

This ad … I don’t think I’ve seen its like before.

It’s not trying to draw in new customers, but is aimed squarely at UOB Private Bank’s existing customers, encouraging them not to switch to a competing bank. That in itself is outside the norm, but not unprecedented. What sets this ad apart is the argument the bank makes for itself.

Because it doesn’t argue that it’s better than the competitors. It makes clear, most people would rather go to the slick new operation in town rather than stick with the elderly barber (who represents UOB in this allegory), and that sometimes, yeah, they’ll be closed at inconvenient times, while their competitors offer round-the-clock service. They’re not denying that they’re inferior to other banks out there.

But, c’mon! You’ve been banking with us for years! There’s a relationship here! I mean, I thought we were more than just bank and customer – I thought we were actual friends. We’re counting on your business to keep our doors open. Do you really want to abandon us like that? Is that the sort of person you want to be?

That pitch … it’d make sense coming from a small, local business like the barbershop in the ad. But UOB is, y’know, the opposite of that – it’s initials stand for United Overseas Bank, and it’s one of the largest banks in Southeast Asian, with dozens of branches in Singapore alone. A large corporation trying to invoke underdog sympathy like that …

I mean, it’s become a cliche to say reality now feels like we’re living in an Onion article, but I couldn’t watch this ad without being reminded of Southwest Airlines’ “Loyalty Goes Both Ways” initiative.