Hate your credit card? Visit Kotak online

Kapil Ohri | agencyfaqs! | New Delhi, May 05, 2008

Kotak Bank recently ran a teaser campaign on the Internet, called I Hate My Card. The website, www.IHateMyCard.com, featured a poll in which visitors could select the problems they face when using a credit card.

According to Subrat Pani, business head, Kotak Credit Cards, “The aim of the campaign is to inform credit cards users that Kotak Cards are different – we have tried to address the pain areas of credit card users. Our focus lies on customers and we have no intention of saying anything against our competitors.”

Telling agencyfaqs! why the company chose a teaser approach to the campaign, Pani says, “We have not branded the site to get complete, impartial and unbiased feedback from consumers, stakeholders and industry people. We also wanted to cut the advertising clutter and get consumer attention before the launch.”

The site acted as a tool to cut the advertising clutter, generate excitement and get consumer attention as Kotak Bank prepared to launch its own credit card. The feedback received through the poll is being studied by Kotak Bank to improve its own offering. The two major problems identified by the poll were Useless Offers on Credit Card and Complicated Charges on the Card.

Pani says, “Kotak credit cards are different because they offer simplified fees and benefits which are relevant to customers and also because they do not have any hidden charges.”

LBi, a UK based digital agency, which has recently set up office in India, has developed the website. The problem areas related to credit cards featured in the poll were identified through qualitative research conducted by the research agency, IMRS, in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai in July 2007.

Kotak Bank used Internet marketing (banner and search ads) and outdoor advertising to create awareness about the website. Srikanth Sarathy, country head, LBi India, says, “Display advertising was carried on Yahoo! and Rediff. Ad network Tyroo, Google and prominent blogs were used for search marketing.”

In addition, an outdoor campaign was launched in 10 cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore and Hyderabad. JWT is the creative agency behind the outdoor campaign.

Although the poll ended on April 27, the website is active and directs users to www.KotakCards.com, which was also launched and developed by LBi. Around 23,000 visitors participated in the poll and consumers are still being allowed to vote.

Pani says, “We will continue using IHateMyCard.com, but we will change its format and use it as an interactive platform to communicate with our consumers and engage them with the Kotak brand. The site will be used for further product testing.”

The Internet will be used by the company to generate leads through search marketing and banner advertising. Pani says, “We will be spending around 10-15 per cent of our total advertising budget on the digital medium.”

Kotak Bank is also planning to promote its credit card through offline advertising. A TV campaign will be launched at the end of May, followed by a print and BTL (below-the-line) campaign.

© 2008 afaqs!

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