• by Karl Greenberg , April 22, 2013

An official NBA sponsor since 2010, Sunbelt-centric bank BBVA Compass has been using the Web to expand its geographical footprint via an online banking program. Now the financial institution is extending the TV portion of the campaign with a new execution. 

The company, which launched "NBA Banking" in February as part of a drive to be a sports-aligned, national bank, signed NBA All-Stars Kevin Durant and James Harden to global, multiyear deals as brand ambassadors. 

As part of the deal, Durant and Harden were featured in ads timed with NBA All-Star 2013 in Houston. The February launch included a digital campaign centering on #realfan hashtag, intended to get consumers to post team-pride photos to Instagram and Twitter. Voting on the top ten ends this week with the winner getting a trip to each game of the NBA Finals after fan voting.

The new ad is part of a program running through the end of the NBA season. It supports another element of the bank’s digital expansion strategy: a branded mobile app that lets you bank with a smartphone. The company, now in 37 states, also has a national surcharge-free ATM network, Allpoint, that serves as a banking transaction (beyond getting cash).

The new spots talk about how customers of “NBA Banking” can use the new banking system to see game scores and headlines on the online account interface, plus check schedules and scores via mobile devices. 

There is also a promotional game where consumers can vie to earn NBA merchandise each time they process transactions online. Customers can also get a team branded debit card. In the spot an uber fan gets the benefits of all of these things, and since he is depicted as also having won the competition, he hangs with Durant during a game. 

In other sports, the bank hosts college football's BBVA Compass Bowl, and last year opened BBVA Compass Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo.

Sears also signed a deal with the NBA around an in-game experience for the All-Stars this year. SAB signed on as a sponsor last year. Kia, which has been the NBA's auto sponsor since 2008, extended for another three years last year.