THESE are “extraordinary times in the banking industry” and Standard Chartered (StanChart) is “in the right markets at the right time” to capture the opportunities, says Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd managing director and CEO Osman Morad.

“The rise of Asia, Africa and the Middle East on the global stage, burgeoning new economies, new trade corridors and new ways of doing business... Now is the right time to tell our story and broaden our appeal; to build on our strong financial performance and further differentiate the bank from our competitors,” he said.

Standard Chartered — which celebrates its 150th anniversary globally and 135th anniversary in Malaysia this year — derives around 90% of its income and profits from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

On March 31, it launched a new global brand campaign with the brand promise “Here for good”.

According to Osman, the brand promise was developed based on interviews with StanChart management and staff, discussions with analysts as well as brand and marketing customer research.

“It is developed with the understanding of what makes Standard Chartered unique. We analysed our values, behaviour, strategy, history and ambition,” he said in an email interview yesterday.

The campaign was launched on March 31 across 70 markets, with print, outdoor, social media and TV advertising in major markets. Advertising (billboards, posters and television ads) and marketing (booklets and brochures) collateral will reflect the new brand promise beginning mid-April, said Osman. The campaign was developed by creative agency TBWA, which holds the bank’s creative account globally.

The brand promise was also communicated to staff via internal branding initiatives run by the respective countries’ operations. Standard Chartered Malaysia held its bi-annual “Town Hall” event on March 26 at the bank’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur where Osman and senior management gave employees a preview of the brand promise prior to the public announcement.

“There will also be a ‘Here for good’ award for extraordinary and outstanding staff, as well as competitions and games for staff to discuss how they live out the brand promise every day, either at home or at work,” added Osman. He declined to say how much was invested into the campaign but said it was “a big investment”.

“‘Here for good’ will help reinforce stakeholders’ understanding about what Standard Chartered stands for and it will also serve to focus employees on what they should live up to every day,” he said.

Other branding initiatives lined up for the year include the bank’s sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club from July onwards and the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2010 on June 27, he added.

Listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, StanChart recorded its seventh successive year of record income and profit, with net profits increasing 4.7% year-on-year to US$3.28 billion (RM10.63 billion) in 2009, according to its group earnings statement on March 3.

This article appeared on the Media & Advertising page, The Edge Financial Daily, April 6, 2010.