As an official partner of TeamGB, UK bank, NatWest, faced a challenge: how to cut through the noise and make its association with the team stand out. With 19 official partners vying for attention and a financial services category that's often seen as low-interest, NatWest understood it needed to be innovative.
NatWest and TeamGB’s partnership is grounded in shared values: championing potential and encouraging people to achieve their goals. And as a result, NatWest is able to create campaigns that aim to inspire and resonate with audiences, whether in sports or everyday life.
The bank partnered with Meta to build these customer associations for a year-long programme based on experimentation, agility, and diversity…to impressive results.
Experimentation: testing the waters
Rather than launching a broad campaign, NatWest took an iterative approach, running tests to understand what performed best on Meta’s platform. The bank incorporated Reels, Meta's fastest-growing format, finding it particularly effective in driving engagement.
NatWest also tested varying attention levels, comparing the outcomes of campaigns optimised for video views (longer viewing) versus reach objectives (shorter viewing). A combination of both strategies yielded the best results, enhancing brand impact.
Reels activity resulted in a 7.1pt lift in awareness of NatWest as a TeamGB partner, outperforming industry norms by six times. These results highlight the benefits of exploring innovative campaign methods.
"We're absolutely thrilled with the results we've seen from our Meta TeamGB campaigns, it's completely transformed the way we think about our partnership amplification, and we're excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible on the platform."
Robert Anderson, head of social media, NatWest
Agility: seizing the moment
NatWest capitalised on the time-sensitive nature of the Olympics by using Meta Moments. This feature allowed the campaign to reach over 7 million more people than a standard Meta campaign during pivotal moments, such as wishing TeamGB athletes good luck and celebrating their medal wins.
This approach contributed to a 4pt lift in favourability, a figure six times higher than the financial services average. By aligning messaging with real-time events, NatWest achieved meaningful engagement with its audience.
Diversity: mixing it up
To enhance audience connection, NatWest produced a variety of tailored ads, including AR lenses, interactive games, and meme-based content. These formats leveraged the creative potential of Reels, offering an authentic and playful representation of the partnership.
One standout element was an AR lens that allowed fans to interact with the campaign and participate in the excitement of the Olympics. Additionally, real-time ads filmed in Paris with athletes brought a fresh and engaging perspective to the campaign.
The results: gold!
The campaign led to a significant increase in NatWest’s association with TeamGB, with over 1 million additional people making the connection. These results underscore the value of strategic experimentation, real-time adaptability, and creative diversity in financial services advertising.
"NatWest is leading the way in financial services advertising with this work. Their willingness to experiment, be agile, and try new things has paid off in a big way, and we're excited to see what they do next."
Rachael Ives, head of industry, Meta