Every now and again, I come across a piece of advertising copy…

…usually a headline or tagline of some sort…

…that is absolutely breathtaking in its utter inanity and stupidity.

Bear in mind, that as a direct response copywriter I read a lot of ads and see a lot of mediocre advertising.  So I’m not easily shocked.

However, when I saw this…

“We’re whatever direction you’re heading.”

…from a major bank prominently displayed on a huge outdoor billboard…

…I really was stunned.

Why? Well think about this for a minute.  They might just as well have said…

“We don’t have a clue who we are and what we stand for, so you tell us”

…and while you’re at it, why not take advantage of our utter cluelessness?

Statements like this are completely at odds with any idea of focus and positioning.

As I’ve emphasised before, marketing  strategy, positioning and focus is as much about what you choose to NOT do as what you choose to do.

And the idea of a bank being whatever a customer wants them to be is just plain foolish.

(Not to mention dangerous.  Part of the cause of the current financial crisis was banks chasing business indiscriminately.)

Now, I’m guessing the bank in question doesn’t really mean this and that they’re really trying to say something else.

Because I notice that this is part of a campaign with the theme…

…“We’re a bank you can bank on”…

…which on the face of it isn’t too bad a concept in the current uncertain environment.

But it’s a little bland and in any case what kind of a bank is it that you can’t rely (bank) on?

What does it really mean?  Does it mean that whatever I need from them they’re going to come up with the goods?

Don’t think so.

Look, I know that coming up with a sound strategy and positioning and a compelling USP isn’t easy.

But when you don’t have those things worked out…

…you end up with inane advertising that relies on vague generalities and “feel good” type statements that does absolutely nothing for the bottom line.