Come Home Like You Never Left
Naairah Sharma
Project Overview:
The objective of this project was to encourage Non-Resident Indians to enroll in HSBC India's NRI banking services. The campaign was designed to highlight the seamless banking experience offered by HSBC, emphasizing ease of access and connectivity to India. By deploying a transmedia approach, the campaign narrative was consistently communicated across various digital platforms, ensuring a broad reach and engagement with the NRI community.
Home in Every Sense:
The HSBC India NRI Services campaign aimed to connect with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) by addressing their unique challenges and highlighting HSBC’s seamless banking solutions tailored for them. How even abroad, they can still be at home.
Campaign Thought and Theme
Theme:
The campaign’s core thought revolved around "Homecoming is sensory"—highlighting the emotions and sensory experiences that NRIs associate with their homeland. The theme tapped into the deep nostalgia and connection NRIs feel for India, even when far away. HSBC positioned itself as more than a banking partner—it became an enabler of these sensory experiences, seamlessly integrating convenience with emotional fulfillment.
Key Idea:
"Home isn’t just a place; it’s a feeling, experienced through every sense—sight, sound, taste, color, and culture. HSBC brings NRIs the feeling of home while simplifying their banking needs, making their return as comforting as it is seamless."
Unique Campaign Elements
Sensory-Driven Approach:
The campaign was structured around the five senses, each representing a unique aspect of "home." This emotional, multi-layered storytelling was fresh and deeply relatable to the NRI audience.
Digital and On-Ground Integration:
Airport activations (Sense of Sight) created immediate emotional connections by showing familiar faces or nicknames on digital banners.
Digital platforms (Sense of Sound, Taste, and Festivities) amplified these experiences, connecting NRIs globally through influencers, collaborations with food delivery platforms, and festive giveaways.
Hyper-Personalization:
Using nicknames and family photos during airport activations added a personal, warm touch.
Custom festive kits, like kite boxes for Makar Sankranti, reinforced the idea of HSBC being more than a bank—it became a part of cherished traditions.
Humor and Relatability:
Highlighting sounds like clanging plates, gossip, and nagging parents made the campaign humorous and relatable while contrasting it with the ease of banking.
Cultural Nostalgia:
The focus on Indian food, festivals, and traditions gave the campaign an authentic feel, making it culturally resonant for NRIs who miss these experiences abroad.
UGC + Collaborations
Using Transmedia
Airport Activations:
On-ground executions with digital banners and live OOH spaces featuring nicknames and photos created immediate emotional resonance.
Collaborations on Social Media:
Collaborations with influencers to recreate nostalgic Indian sounds (like clanging dishes or family conversations) made the experience relatable and interactive.
Food Collaborations:
Partnering with Swiggy/Zomato to offer discounts on Indian delicacies for HSBC NRI customers reinforced the connection between food and home.
Geo-targeted Messages:
Collaborating with Google maps and famous local vendors for push notifications to NRIs in the area
Festive Giveaways + UGC
Red kites and festive kits for Makar Sankranti celebrated vibrant traditions, tying HSBC’s services to joyful moments.
Encouraged user-generated content like unboxing videos and photos, which were shared across social platforms.
Airport Activation
Impact of the Campaign:
Emotional Engagement: It created a deeply emotional connection with NRIs by tying HSBC’s services to the sensory pleasures of homecoming.
Increased Sign-Ups: By addressing not just banking needs but cultural and emotional desires, the campaign drove sign-ups for HSBC’s NRI services.
Brand Association with Nostalgia: HSBC positioned itself as a brand that understands the Indian diaspora’s needs, both functional and emotional, strengthening customer loyalty.
Social Media Buzz: User-generated content like kite flying videos and festive unboxing posts increased organic reach and engagement.
NRI Deposits Growth: Between April and June 2023, NRI deposits in India were projected to exceed $2 billion, highlighting the increasing engagement of NRIs with Indian financial services
HSBC's Performance:
International Revenue Growth: In 2023, HSBC reported a 41% increase in revenue from Wealth and Personal Banking (WPB) international customers, rising from $7.2 billion in 2022 to $10.2 billion in 2023.
Market Leadership in India: HSBC was recognized as the #1 market leader and best service provider in India in the Euromoney Cash Management Survey 2023, reflecting its strong position in the Indian financial market.
The "Home in Every Sense" campaign by HSBC India showcased an innovative and emotionally resonant approach to engaging Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). By leveraging sensory storytelling and culturally relevant activations, the campaign positioned HSBC as not just a banking partner but a bridge to the familiarity and comforts of home.
Although specific sign-up numbers are not disclosed, the campaign likely contributed to HSBC's strong performance in India, aligning with a $2 billion growth in NRI deposits in 2023 and a 41% rise in international customer revenue. With its personalized messaging, multi-platform engagement, and focus on cultural nostalgia, the campaign set a new benchmark for connecting financial services with emotional storytelling.
This effort underscores how creative transmedia strategies can drive business outcomes while fostering deeper customer loyalty, cementing HSBC’s role as a trusted partner for the global Indian diaspora.
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Posted Jan 7, 2025
Blending creativity, culture, and digital innovation, we transformed banking into an experience of belonging, and positioned HSBC as a trusted partner for NRIs.
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