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Troubled Banks Go Ahead With New Ad Efforts

Damn the credit crunch and housing slump, it is full ad-speed ahead for many banks and financial services companies. Among those launching new campaigns into this dismal market is Washington Mutual, with a new effort that highlights it consumer and small-business products under a tagline "Whoo hoo!" that is meant to show how the company's customers feel when they get an unexpected, added service, according to CMO Genevieve Smith.

She notes that the lighthearted approach comes as money worries mount, but says the message of no-fee ATM use at any bank and free checking "provide value." Indeed, an economic downturn can be a good time for bank advertising, says Barbara Sullivan, a marketing consultant for financial companies: "People still need financial services. For smart marketers, this is a great opportunity."

Read the whole story at Gannett News Service via HartfordBusiness.com »

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