• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, March 16, 2009

There once was a time when a handshake or verbal agreement was all that was needed to forge a business arrangement.

Nowadays, trust is harder to earn, especially for companies in the banking and financial industries.

Countybank, located in Greenville, South Carolina, was looking for a way to promote BizKit, a new business banking package customized for individual business needs.

But how does a bank convey trust, security and understanding at a time when people's mattresses resemble a more practical banking option?

The answer lies in the product name: BizKits. Biscuits.

Before the biscuits came a clever outdoor teaser campaign created by the Zlotnick Group. Media Man Worldwide handled the media buy.

Week one billboards said "How do you like yours?" There was no company logo or URL for curious passersby to visit.

The following week, residents saw the question posed on the previous week's billboard turned into a Web address. HowDoYouLikeYours.com read the ad.

The third week, Countybank revealed itself as the company behind the teaser campaign. "The BizKit," says the final ad, along with the URL, Countrybank logo and the tag line, "business banking the way you like."

But "how do I like my what?" A visit to the Web site finally answers the question initially asked in the teaser ads. Biscuits. How do I like my biscuits.

The site is very plain (also a biscuit option) containing only a few lines of copy. And a clickable biscuit.

"If you're a business owner or manager, just tell us how you like it and we'll get cookin'. Enjoy a fresh biscuit breakfast or lunch for you and your employees, just the way you like. Why? We'd thought it'd be a nicer way to say hi and introduce the BizKit, business banking custom-made to your business. That's it, no purchase required, no strings. Just mouth-watering biscuits, the way you like," reads the site.

Once the biscuit is clicked, it opens up to reveal the types to choose from (plain; sausage; sausage, egg and cheese; and bacon, egg and cheese) and the time of day to have them delivered. A phone call is placed to confirm biscuit delivery, and before you know it, you're breaking biscuits with your local bank. I was curious to know how many Greenville residents took Countybank up on its offer, but sadly, I was stonewalled. Maybe if I offered them a biscuit...