Starling Bank Off the Ground

B2B campaigns are notoriously dull and ineffective. A study by System One and LinkedIn showcased how 75% of B2B creative had 0% impact on long term market share gain. We wanted to avoid this.

A competitor audit of small and medium enterprise (SME) business banking campaigns showed that nearly all the B2B work fell into the trap of celebrating SMEs as the ‘life blood of Britain’ with idealised representations of small businesses where everything was plain sailing.

After conducting interviews with over 40 SMEs across the UK, and an analysis of data sources such as Companies House we concluded that starting and running a small business was anything but plain sailing. 21.5% of small businesses fail in the first year, 30% in the second and 70% by the 10th year.

Still of shed flying from campaign video

We therefore saw an opportunity for Starling to play a much more active and emphatic role in understanding and helping small businesses.

This led to the brand campaign of ‘Helping Business Fly’ where we could showcase the highs and lows of setting up a business.

Starling went on to become the fastest growing business bank in Europe.

Off the ground campaign adverts for Starling
Still from campaign of shed flying over seafront

Results

  • Starling went on to become the fastest growing business bank in Europe.
  • Signed up over 310,000 business accounts, a 400% YoY increase.

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