HSBC Campaign Helps You Cut the Strings of Financial Control

Wunderman Thompson UK has launched the next phase of their integrated Financial Abuse campaign entitled ‘Control’, featuring a hard-hitting TV ad and through-the-line activity, which highlights the struggles that those trapped in economically abusive relationships face and how the bank can help.

Wunderman Thompson UK’s latest integrated campaign follows on from the out-of-home and social campaign which ran earlier this year, raising awareness that every HSBC UK branch is a ‘Safe Space’ where those experiencing domestic abuse can take their first step to financial independence by seeking specialist advice and support.

Working with domestic abuse charity Hestia and its 'UK SAYS NO MORE' campaign, HSBC UK is one of the largest high street banks to participate in the Safe Spaces scheme, with specialist training to help support victims delivered to over 4,000 employees. The Safe Spaces are open to everyone, whether they are an existing HSBC UK customer or not.

The campaign is headed by a 30 second film, which dramatises how financial abuse is used to control and trap victims and brings to life how HSBC UK can help them regain their financial independence.

In it, we see a woman in a darkened room, with her arms and legs attached to strings which limit her movement. A credit card is dangled from the ceiling on one side of the room, but as the woman walks towards it, she’s pulled back by the strings and the card is pulled away. A phone appears on the other side of the room, but again the woman is constrained by the strings and the phone is pulled out of her reach. As she becomes more desperate, she heads towards the door, but is stopped from walking through it by the strings as she fights against them. The screen fades to the message ‘When an abuser controls your finances, they control you’, and a voiceover says ‘if you need help regaining your financial independence, speak to us’, as we see the woman freed of her strings and leaving the room behind her.

The film will air across online and on-demand video, with a bespoke All4 on-demand ad directing viewers to their nearest HSBC branch through a dynamic store locator function, and HSBC UK will be one of the first brands to feature on Netflix’s new ‘Basic with Ads’ subscription plan. It will be supported by radio and out-of-home - which will feature across a range of discreet formats with high dwell time, where users are more likely to be on their own, and include a QR code so people can find out how to get help – along with impactful higher footfall outdoor locations.

To drive awareness for underrepresented audiences who statistically are less likely to report being victims of financial abuse and may be more isolated, the campaign will also utilise ads within community press publications to enable it to be seen as widely as possible. 

Becky Moffat, CMO at HSBC UK, said, ‘Escaping an abusive relationship isn’t as simple as walking out of the door – something our hard-hitting ‘Financial Abuse'’ film brings to life. Victims need financial independence to help them build a new life and we’re proud to be able to offer that first step at every one of our HSBC UK branches. We hope to build awareness of the link between domestic violence and economic abuse and control, offering our services to those who need it through targeted placements to spread this message as far as possible.”

Mike Watson, creative director at Wunderman Thompson UK, said, “Financial abuse is one of the most sinister forms of control. Without access to money, there’s nowhere to go. It’s one of the main reasons people return to an abusive partner. We wanted to highlight the importance of being financially independent while promoting the services HSBC offers that can help people regains theirs. We hope our campaign helps give as many people as possible a way out of these coercive relationships.”

Patrick Ryan, CEO at Hestia Housing and Support, comments, “This powerful campaign launches at a critical time. At Hestia we see and support survivors every day. Many are telling us that their abusers are exploiting the current cost-of-living crisis to intensify control. Although community services are more stretched than ever, we must raise awareness of the support that is available. By providing Safe Spaces for people to access across all its branches, I have no doubt that Hestia and HSBC UK will save lives. We’re delighted to partner with HSBC UK to spread this vital message and support victims.”