Commonwealth Bank 'Fan Mail' direct mail campaign

Commonwealth Bank financial planners have always been pigeon-holed as just helping elderly retirees with financial problems. However, a new financial planning product meant this was no longer the case. 

The bank challenged its agency, BMF, to create a piece of internal communication which would shift perceptions among its employees that retirement planning is just for older people.

People who are in the business of helping others achieve their dreams are pretty popular. So the idea was to send fan mail to Commonwealth Bank planners and branch staff.

Each letter was a real testimonial from actual customers of different ages detailing how their planner had helped them to achieve their personal financial goals.

Fan Mail helped shift the perception of Commonwealth Bank financial planners from helping old people to helping people of all ages with their life dreams. It led to an average increase of 6.1% (year on year) in the number of referrals created.

Also, the first increase in the referral rate for four years, from -9.16% year on year decline to a + 9.92% growth.