For banks, new customer acquisition is one of the top business challenges in 2025, according to industry association BAI, which referred to acquisition as “a daunting test in 2025 amid the increasingly competitive banking landscape.”
Compelling creativity, combined with a smart media strategy, can help banks and financial institutions connect with customers across geographies and demographics. Innovative media strategies are taking outside-the-box approaches to connect with customers and power new customer acquisition.
Here are three creative media strategies for financial institutions to reach new customers:
- Take a hyper-local approach: For financial institutions seeking to increase affinity and connect with new customers in key markets, shifting from national advertising to a more regional, hyper-local magazine and newspaper strategy can yield powerful results. One bank client which adopted this strategy saw a sharp rise in brand awareness and overall brand growth. Bonus: the client also saw cost savings through added value and bonus opportunities, improving year-over-year rate efficiency while at the same time increasing impressions.
- Leverage unexpected placements: Financial institutions can make an impact by deploying surprising media placements. Quoted in Ad Age, JPMorgan Chase’s chief media officer said, “We really focused on unexpected placements, like putting ourselves where fashion brands belong,” noting their “media strategy … is an ode to OOH and print.” The article cited cover wraps on newspapers and strategic OOH takeover such as one at Grand Central as key examples of how JPMorgan Chase is leveraging bold and unexpected, yet highly strategic and targeted, media placements to drive results.
- Make a statement with airport advertising: HSBC has long been known for leveraging airport advertising, an approach it has relied upon for decades. Talking to The Drum, about why HSBC focuses on airports, head of marketing at HSBC noted that airports are an “amazing media channel,” explaining, “Airports are one of those unique environments, one of the spaces that are actually growing as far as customer numbers are concerned.” The research supports the power of airport advertising; according to airport media company Clear Channel Airports, “Travelers actively engage with airport advertising. In fact, 83% of frequent flyers notice airport ads, 69% take the time to read them, and 47% can recall them afterwards.”
How Mediaspace can help
Mediaspace brings extensive expertise in delivering high-performing media strategies for financial advertisers. Mediaspace's combination of proprietary data and research tools optimize targeting, while the team’s excellence in media negotiations also gives clients a competitive advantage.
From hyper-local buys targeting high-value, high-priority zip codes to expertise in OOH, newspaper cover waps and FSIs (Free-Standing Inserts), Mediaspace has the breadth and depth of expertise to craft, negotiate and execute out-of-the-box media strategies for financial advertisers to connect with new customers and stand out in a highly competitive industry.
