ACTIVOBANK, Gearing up for the future

: a case study on promotion in a financial institution

Abstract

ActivoBank, a Portuguese banking institution part of the Millennium bcp group, was the company chosen to serve as the base for this marketing case study. An accompanying teaching note, to be used as a pedagogical instrument in undergraduate or graduate programs, was also developed. By the end of 2013, ActivoBank had finished implementing an ambitious restructuring program and needed to increase its client base in order to reach profitability. However, the circumstances of the country and the financial industry’s own history and limitations, meant that a very small number of options were available. The case follows Nelson Machado, the Chief Executive Officer of ActivoBank, as he tries to decide the best course of action for the bank. As the decision to invest in communication was taken, two key decisions arise: what should be the type of media used, above or below the line; and what should be chosen as the campaign’s key product, credit cards or consumer loans. Through the case, students are introduced to the history of the bank, the environment in which it operates and the tools available for banking institution to reach new customers. The teaching note will challenge the reader to use the relevant marketing theories, together with the case data, to solve the bank’s dilemma.

Date of Award	2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Gonçalves Marcos (Supervisor)