The loan market as a whole is highly competitive and often dominated by rate comparisons and incentive offers. Bridging loans, however, are a slightly different beast. They're more about recognising different life circumstances and problem solving. Other short-term bridging loan specialists had emerged and launched strong brand campaigns. Our key challenge was to create a brand that focuses on solutions and creatively positions Funding among its competitor set as a short-term loan company with a difference.

In order to educate the market on when a bridging loan might be required and then provide differentiation for Funding, it became abundantly clear the campaign required a creative and catchy hook to drive interest and memorability. The strategic solution was to centre on a theme of ‘build a bridge’. This theme was seen to be positive and proactive, with language that borrowed from colloquial usage and even had humorous undertones. Strategically, it provided a strong platform and foundation to work on creatively and talk to the target audience in a very authentic way.

The creative development process, as it always should, started with a strong consideration of the target audience. Knowing that a lot of the target market were parents, we decided to let the innocent wisdom of children shine through by delivering the ‘build a bridge’ solution. Children can turn the complex into simple through thought and action, which is exactly what we showed in this campaign—the drawing of a bridge from one home to another, which created a visual hook. The viewer is drawn in by the surprising nature of the child explaining the product in just a few words, and then left with a smile as she demonstrates it in permanent marker.

The first rule of advertising is to get noticed, which this campaign achieves by not looking like a bank or finance ad. The impact of the campaign is created through pure relevancy, showing real family people in real situations. The messaging is loud and clear and helped to educate the market on the nature of short-term bridging loan options and drive traffic to the Funding site.