When the promoters said First Bank was “truly the first,
many grudgingly agreed. But deep inside its competitors – the possible grudging
camp – is the truth regarding the extreme distance the bank has given others in
performance and people relevance of its operations! They knew the bank was not
bluffing. Not only has it rediscovered itself, but the ability to shed its ancient
mindset in terms of operations and blend with modern trends in banking have
left many agreeing that perhaps, the saying that the older the wine the better
it gets in taste actually applies to First Bank.
Its new television commercial (TVC) says it all: a
combination of historical renaissance and quite prescient validation of the
innovation that usually drives its bewitching communicational ads. From the
groundnut pyramids of the north, which was the symbol of the regions commercial
edge and the cocoa bean mountains of Western Nigeria to the rubber plantations
of the East and Mid-eastern region, First Bank has applied its new campaign to
remind its decades-old patrons, customers, and even competitors, that the beat
has refused to abate.
Throughout the campaign, First Bank subtly registers itself
in the minds of the banking public that it’s entirely Nigerian – past, present,
and the future. The well-crafted historical simulation captures how First Bank
opened its first branch in Lagos in 1894 and started helping merchandise and
local traders to grow their businesses. The excitement and enthusiasm on the
faces of the bank’s early customers after getting their cash books from the
Lagos office say it all. Like someone who has gotten a glimpse of what the future
holds with banking, the customers express surprises and happiness. The
commercial captures the mood and goes back in memory lane on how the bank has
helped many people succeed in their ventures. Subtly, the narrator takes
viewers to Kano and reveals how the then richest men in the commercial city
were making their deposit of 20 bags of Silver in an atmosphere that looks like
the first operational day of the bank.
Perhaps the beauty of the commercial lies more in the way it
strikes a balance between the ancient and the modern days through setting and
swapping of background colours. This was cleverly explored by those who
conceptualised the TVC, especially in referencing the way the bank transformed
into an online haven, driven by technology.
While reminding the patrons of the bank’s transformation and
technological advancement, the narrator is quick to talk about the expansion of
the bank beyond the shores of Nigeria to the West-African region and beyond.
The TVC also positions FirstBank as a socially responsible brand by touching on
various initiatives it has embarked on. Specifically, First Bank’s contribution
to Sports through its support for football and athletics is captured very well.
For all these achievements, the narrator narrows the story
to the bank’s ability to produce two governors of the nation’s apex bank –the
Central Bank of Nigeria, apparently referring to Dr. Joseph Oladele Sanusi and
Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. It will be recalled that Dr. Sanusi was appointed
by the Federal Government as the Governor of CBN in May 1999 by President
Olusegun Obasanjo, serving until May 2004. Sanusi was picked as a safe and
conservative banker. He resumed the same day the former President Obasanjo was
sworn in on May 29, 1999. He assembled his team of “eggheads” as Deputy
Governors, a perfect mix of public and private sector experts. The Central Bank
made remarkable progress under his leadership.
Then on 1 June 2009, the second First Bank product, Lamido
Sanusi was nominated as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria by President
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua; his appointment was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on 3
June 2009, during the global financial crisis. It is on record that against all
odds, the new helmsman superintended the transition and consolidation in the
then wobbling and ailing banking sector into a virile and solid financial
transactions sector.
Sanusi remained in office and continued his wonders until
former President Goodluck Jonathan took over. In this position, Sanusi won the
prestigious international award of “Central Banker of the Year.” Succinctly
speaking, the TVC captures the 126 years history of First Bank.
It also shows that the bank’s long years of existence
notwithstanding, its handlers haven’t allowed complacency to dampen the drive
to position the nation’s number one financial institution as the best and one
of the best brands that are making Africa proud. For 126 years, FirstBank has
navigated Nigeria’s banking landscape, supporting businesses and building other
brands.
But the FirstBank story is that of not giving up despite all
odds. However, the greater story hasn’t been told by those who daily promote
it, but the hope of financial security it has consistently given to the
ultimate owners of the brand – the banking public – continues to resonate. This
explains why, in a country where the mortality rate is high in the market, the
brand still remains a reference point, when it comes to building an enduring
African brand in all the years of its existence.
Last, year, the Bank commemorated its 125th anniversary, and
the event created a unique opportunity for it to distinguish itself quite
clearly from other Banks and organisations in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
Through the anniversary celebrations, the team was able to reiterate that
FirstBank has been part of Nigerians, enabling them financially and securing
their businesses through needful supports and advisories, ultimately achieving
their customer-centric goals. FirstBank has today become a pivotal integral of
Nigerians as individuals and Nigeria’s corporate history.
According to them, this sets the brand clearly apart in a
space of its own, as a Bank that is beyond comparison – one which has woven
into the fabric of the society for many years and has continued to be relevant,
relentlessly and unrelentingly.