HSBC and Shelter address vicious circle of banking when homeless
HSBC is stepping up to provide financial services to people experiencing homelessness who are locked out of the banking system by raising awareness of its No Fixed Address Service.
In partnership with Shelter, Vicious Circle is a hard-hitting new campaign devised by Wunderman Thompson that seeks to break the cycle of disenfranchising people with no fixed abode, who often struggle to open a bank account, gain a job or access benefits.
The piece documents a disoriented woman who is rebuffed repeatedly by employers, bank clerks and government agencies, all for lack of a home address.
As this plays out, an incessant monotone chant of “No home? No address. No address? No bank account. No bank account? No job. No job? No home...” plays in a loop, highlighting the frustrations of a system that lacks the flexibility to adapt to individual circumstances.
The revolving nightmare only comes to a rest with a voiceover announcing that HSBC is working with charities such as Shelter to provide bank accounts for people experiencing homelessness.
Mike Watson, Wunderman Thompson creative director, said: “The creative execution conveys the isolation and futility that many feel if they are denied a bank account simply through having no fixed address. The stripped-back execution aims to convey, powerfully, the emotions that this situation can bring about.”
James Allen, assistant director of marketing and content at Shelter, said: “Home is everything. Yet hundreds of thousands of people don’t have one – leaving many to face the horror of homelessness, including sleeping rough. On top of the dangers of life on the streets, imagine facing a constant battle to receive wages or access financial support. Not having a bank account makes it nearly impossible to escape the cycle of homelessness. So this game-changing service is giving more people who have fallen on hard times a helping hand towards gaining financial independence and re-building their lives.”
The sixty-second TV spot launched exclusively on Channel 4 and is supported by a nationwide out-of-home and print campaign through June, including dedicated podcasts.
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HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational banking and financial services holding company, tracing its origin to a hong in Hong Kong.
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