Case Study

HSBC UK uses First View and star power to fight fraud on Cyber Monday

Key results

3.5M
video views

50%
VTR

£0.01
CPV

The opportunity

#CyberMonday generates millions of Tweets each year, as businesses and brands boast about their best deals, and shoppers discuss their wish lists.

The day can also generate trouble, with fraudsters taking advantage of people who aren’t savvy about shopping online. To help people avoid online fraud, HSBC UK (@HSBC_UK) created a unique video campaign. Knowing that Twitter is where people go to talk about #CyberMonday, the bank put its message at the heart of that conversation.

The strategy

@HSBC_UK partnered with “Countdown” (@C4Countdown) presenter and Oxford maths graduate Rachel Riley (@RachelRileyRR) to show just how sophisticated fraudsters can be, and to share tips for staying safe. On the Saturday before Cyber Monday, @RachelRileyRR Tweeted the campaign’s first video, in which she confesses that she’s bad at maths. This totally convincing confession is actually a fake, created with manipulated sounds and images.

On Cyber Monday, @HSBC_UK followed up with a video revealing the fakery, and reminding shoppers to be sure before they click. By running a First View, @HSBC_UK made sure that everyone on Twitter in the UK saw its video in the top ad spot that day, #CyberMonday.

To reinforce its message later in the day, and through the lead-up to Christmas, @HSBC_UK retargeted users who had seen the First View with further video content.

Tags
  • Europe, Middle East, and Africa
  • Creative Canvas
  • Case Study
  • Financial Services
  • Audience Targeting

01

Channel celebrity hype.

Popular presenter @RachelRileyRR sowed the seeds of @HSBC_UK’s anti-fraud campaign with a message that would spark deep interest and discussion among her fans, and beyond.

02

Make headlines on big days.

With its First View on Cyber Monday, @HSBC_UK ensured its brand was top of mind on the busiest shopping day of the year.

03

Get more from your video.

Reworking its content for a shorter video, @HSBC_UK applied best practices: It included a sound-off strategy, with a strong visual message and persistent branding.

04

Build on new relationships.

By retargeting its original viewers with further content — like this behind-the-scenes video — @HSBC_UK extended the life of its campaign, and reinforced the connections it had forged.

The success

@HSBC_UK succeeded in bringing its anti-fraud message to a wide audience on Cyber Monday and into the Christmas shopping season. Its First View video was viewed 3.5 million times, with a 50% VTR (view-through rate) and £0.01 CPV (cost per view). The #CyberMonday fraud campaign also generated plenty of positive sentiment for the bank, which was clear from user Tweets and press coverage.

It was important to put HSBC at the heart of all conversation around online fraud. The First View positioned us at the forefront of one of Twitter’s biggest days of the year, and contextual relevance drove our success. Based on the results we achieved, this is something we would look to do again for a campaign of this nature.

Emma Staples, Senior Social Media Manager, HSBC

Solutions used

Creative Canvas

Brands are connecting with people on Twitter in unique and creative ways. And so can you.

Audience targeting

You want your message to be heard by the right person. Let Twitter’s targeting capabilities help.

Related content