Owais Crawford
Airports are a unique environment with growing customer numbers, making them an attractive media channel for global companies. HSBC, a multinational banking and financial services company, has been using airport advertising as a key strand of its global marketing strategy since 2001. The bank aims to engage with consumers throughout their end-to-end journey, including before they arrive at the airport, and has bought ad space in 48 airports in 24 countries, including jet bridges in 81 countries and territories.
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What You'll Learn
HSBC's global marketing strategy
The bank's global marketing strategy aims to connect with customers who have an international outlook, whether they are frequent travellers or work for global companies that require travel. By advertising in airports, HSBC is able to reach a diverse range of travellers, from holidaymakers to business professionals, and create a global presence for its brand.
HSBC's airport advertising strategy includes static imagery and dynamic digital signage throughout airport hotspots, such as dining, shopping, and waiting areas. The bank has also pioneered the concept of jet bridge ads, buying the rights to jetways across major localities in 81 countries and territories. Jet bridges are enclosed connectors that allow passengers to board and disembark aircraft without being exposed to harsh weather. By utilising these jet bridges, HSBC is able to capture the attention of travellers as they move between the airport terminal and the aircraft.
The bank's global marketing team works with agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Turner Duckworth to develop creative and engaging campaigns that align with the brand's tone of voice. These campaigns aim to showcase HSBC's role in "connecting the world" and promote its brand promise, "Together we thrive". The campaigns cover a range of topics, including trade, education, diversity, sustainability, and local stories such as rooftop farming practices in New York and community cycling in the UK.
HSBC's airport advertising strategy is part of its overall media plan, which includes print, TV, online, and other public spaces. By integrating its brand into airport lounges, terminals, and jet bridges, HSBC aims to serve the immediate needs of people in transit and create a seamless brand experience throughout their journey. The bank also utilises digital destination guides and links to travellers' smartphone apps to engage with customers before they arrive at the airport, emphasising its commitment to being a part of all steps of their journey, not just the final ones.
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Jet bridge ads
HSBC has been utilising jet bridge ads as a key component of its global marketing strategy since 2001, when it pioneered the concept at London's Heathrow airport. Jet bridges, or jetways, are enclosed connectors that link an airport terminal gate to an aeroplane, enabling passengers to board and disembark without being exposed to unfavourable weather conditions. By purchasing the rights to jet bridges in 81 countries and territories, HSBC has been able to showcase its brand to travellers worldwide.
The bank's extensive airport advertising campaign aims to engage consumers throughout their "end-to-end journey". This includes the use of DOOH (Digital Out-of-Home) screens that link to travellers' smartphones and "digital destination guides" that offer tips for globetrotters. By integrating its digital efforts with commuters' airport journeys, HSBC strives to be a dynamic presence in these spaces. The bank's ads feature diverse topics, such as rooftop farming practices in New York, community cycling in the UK, and food markets in Hong Kong, all viewed through the lens of HSBC's "hexagon" logo.
HSBC's jet bridge ads are part of a broader strategy to connect with customers who have an international outlook. The bank recognises that airports are unique environments with growing customer numbers, making them ideal locations to showcase their brand to a global audience. This strategy has been so successful that HSBC has become known as the "go-to bank for the consumer in transit".
The bank's global marketing team, in collaboration with agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi and Turner Duckworth, has created a framework for the campaign that allows local markets to propose creative ideas relevant to their audiences while maintaining the brand's "tone of voice". This approach ensures that HSBC's messaging remains fresh and engaging for travellers, encouraging brand awareness and recognition in various markets.
In addition to jet bridge ads, HSBC has also explored other airport advertising avenues, including static imagery in tunnels and DOOH signage throughout airport hotspots. By integrating its digital presence with physical spaces like airport lounges and terminals, HSBC aims to serve the immediate needs of travellers while promoting its brand and services. The bank's comprehensive airport advertising strategy underscores its commitment to reaching and connecting with customers worldwide.
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HSBC's role in connecting the world
HSBC has been utilising airport advertising as a key strand of its global marketing strategy since 2001. The bank aims to promote its role in "connecting the world" and boost awareness of its "Together we thrive" brand promise.
HSBC's global marketing campaign includes a series of 79 different creative executions across 17 airports in nine countries, including Heathrow and Gatwick, covering 1,500 jet bridges and 94km of passenger walkways. The campaign aims to showcase HSBC's business priorities, such as trade, education, diversity, and sustainability, through the lens of its "hexagon" logo. For example, ads may feature rooftop farming practices in New York, community cycling in the UK, or food markets in Hong Kong.
By advertising in airports, HSBC engages with consumers throughout their "end-to-end" journey, utilising DOOH screens that link to travellers' smartphones and digital destination guides offering tips for globetrotters. This allows HSBC to be a part of travellers' journeys from the planning stages to their time in the airport and beyond.
HSBC's presence in airports worldwide helps reinforce its position as a global bank that serves customers with an international outlook. The bank aims to be where its customers connect, and airports, with their ever-growing customer numbers, provide the perfect physical expression of this.
Through its airport advertising campaigns, HSBC strives to connect with travellers, showcase its brand promise, and emphasise its role in facilitating connections worldwide.
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Brand positioning and awareness
Airports are a unique environment with growing customer numbers, making them an attractive media channel for global bank HSBC's marketing strategy. HSBC has been focusing on brand positioning and awareness by targeting consumers with an international outlook, such as those who work for global companies and need to travel for work.
The bank has been working to improve its brand awareness in each market, as it found that in some places, people did not know what HSBC was or what it stood for. For example, in Tokyo, HSBC's creative featured pictures of food, and many people thought it was a catering company.
HSBC has staked its claim as the go-to bank for consumers in transit with ad buys in 48 airports in 24 countries. The bank's airport advertising has been a key strand of its global marketing strategy since it pioneered the concept of jet bridge ads at London's Heathrow in 2001. Jet bridges are enclosed connectors that allow passengers to board and disembark without being exposed to harsh weather. HSBC bought the rights to jetways across major localities in 81 countries and territories.
In 2019, HSBC planned its biggest OOH campaign to promote its new brand positioning and boost awareness of its "Together we thrive" brand promise. The campaign aimed to bring to life HSBC’s role in "connecting the world" by showcasing global scenes relating to the bank’s business priorities through its "hexagon" logo. The campaign covered 1,500 jet bridges and 94km of passenger walkways across 17 airports in nine countries, including Heathrow and Gatwick.
HSBC is also looking to engage with consumers throughout their "end-to-end" journey by integrating its digital efforts with commuters' airport journeys. This includes DOOH screens linking to apps on travellers' smartphones and "digital destination guides" offering tips for travellers worldwide.
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Customer research and understanding
Airports are unique environments that are growing in customer numbers. HSBC's global marketing strategy has included airport advertising since 2001, when it first introduced the concept of jet bridge ads at Heathrow. Jet bridges are enclosed connectors that allow passengers to board and disembark without being exposed to harsh weather. HSBC bought the rights to jetways across major localities in 81 countries and territories.
The bank has continued to develop its airport advertising strategy, aiming to engage with consumers throughout their "end-to-end journey". This includes DOOH screens linking to travellers' smartphones and "digital destination guides" offering tips for travellers. HSBC wants to be present throughout the entire travel planning process, not just at the airport.
HSBC's airport advertising is tailored to the specific airport and customer base. Customer research is undertaken to understand the type of passengers likely to be greeted by the ad. For example, the creative content will vary between holiday and B2B hubs. Regional agencies collaborate to find the most interesting stories HSBC has to tell, such as sustainable farming practices in New York or the food scene in Hong Kong.
The bank's global marketing team works with agencies to ensure the tone of voice remains consistent with the brand while allowing for local creativity. The ads aim to surprise and delight consumers, making them stop and think. This might include unexpected humour or wit that makes consumers pause and think, "Oh".
HSBC's airport advertising has been so successful that it has become known as the "go-to bank for the consumer in transit". The bank has ad buys in 48 airports in 24 countries, allowing it to reach a global audience and reinforce its position as a global bank.
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Frequently asked questions
HSBC has a global marketing strategy that includes advertising at airports. The bank aims to connect with customers who have an international outlook and may need to travel for work.
HSBC advertises in 48 airports in 24 countries. The bank targets international travellers with ads on jet bridges, in airport lounges and terminals, and on DOOH screens linked to travellers' smartphones. The content of the ads varies depending on the type of passengers at each airport.
A jet bridge is an enclosed connector that allows passengers to board and disembark an aircraft without going outside. Jet bridges provide all-weather dry access to aircraft and enhance the security of terminal operations.
