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While other leading banks were struggling and seeking government funds to survive during the recent credit crunch, Standard Chartered was quietly going about its business and strengthening its position in the 70 markets in which it operates.

But despite a heritage that stretches back 150 years, Standard Chartered had an image problem, which chief executive Peter Sands summed up. People who banked with Standard Chartered knew it well and what the brand stood for; but the trouble was that not enough people knew it.

Gavin Laws, head of corporate affairs at Standard Chartered, explains: 'The advantage of the recent dislocation in financial markets was that it gave us the chance to push our brand forward. But we needed a clear and simple way to promote our brand. There was also no point in doing anything if our employees and customers did not believe in the brand.'

Over seven months, interviews were conducted with a wide range of stakeholders, including analysts, clients and frontline staff across the globe, to determine what made Standard Chartered unique and different from its competitors.

Three key messages soon emerged. Standard Chartered is committed to the countries in which it operates. While it may have scaled back operations in the past due to changes in political regimes (and, consequently, prohibitive rules on foreign ownership), the bank has never pulled out of a country. For example, despite immense political pressures over recent years, it is Zimbabwe's oldest bank and currently employs 900 staff in the country. 'If we pulled out, it would not be in the interest of the country nor our staff or customers,' explains Laws. 'Zimbabwe needs a strong banking system to grow.'

Standard Chartered is also committed to building long-term relationships with customers and clients, and continued to offer support and assistance during the economic downturn.

And finally, the bank is committed to good governance and to running a sustainable business that has a positive impact on communities, with local partnerships with microfinance institutions to corporate responsibility schemes offering advice and assistance on subjects ranging from health to the environment and financial literacy.

'We went on a brand journey with our staff,' says Laws. 'We know our name but we had to get to know what it stands for, and to deliver that experience every time somebody touches our brand.'

Sands adds: 'Our brand is all about commitment. We're here for the long term. We don't run when things get tough. We don't dodge tough decisions and trade offs. That's the way we do business.'

The new brand promise that emerged from all the discussions was that Standard Chartered was 'here for good'. Laws says: 'It is supported on three legs - we are 'here for good' - here for our people, here for progress and here for the long run. All stakeholders fit in one of our three pillars. Everybody finds something that resonates.'

It also complements the bank's strategy of leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and its five values, which were defined just over three years ago when Sands was appointed chief executive - creative, responsive, international, courageous and trustworthy.

Brand new campaign

The new brand promise launched in March, just months before Standard Chartered's sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club goes live on 1 July. It is the first time that the bank has sponsored a sports team. 'The English Premier League reaches one billion people across the globe,' explains Laws. 'Liverpool's biggest support, for example, comes from Singapore, which is a key market for us. This is a better critical fit for us than some other football teams, and from the moment we met Liverpool, they talked to us about partnerships. It is the way we do business.'

The sponsorship has also engaged Standard Chartered's 75,000 employees, who are eligible to enter special competitions to win tickets to games and also free Liverpool sports tops. 'It is an emotional connection with our brand,' says Laws. 'It appeals to staff at all levels.'

The new brand positioning has been backed by both a display and television advertising campaign. The design of the display adverts is drawn from Standard Chartered's footprint in Asia, Africa and the Middle East which is seen through a silhouette trustmark-shaped window. It is Laws' ambition that, one day, Standard Chartered's trustmark logo will be so intrinsically linked with the brand that it does not need to be physically positioned beside the bank's name to be recognised.

There are 25 different variations of the display advertising to cater for different local market sentiment, focusing on the brand's three pillars. (Billboard advertising can create tremendous brand awareness in some African countries, where televisions are less commonplace, and people walk long distances.)

The new positioning is also backed by a television campaign, featuring advertisements directed by four people representing Standard Chartered's diverse footprint. 'Here for progress', for example, is directed by African artist Ezra Wube, who uses new technology to animate his paintings; a story about heritage and longevity (illustrating 'Here for good') is directed by renowned filmmaker Tian Zhuang Zhuang while Jordanian documentary producer Sandra Madi directs a story about 'Here for people'. The television advertising campaign has been put on hold during the World Cup.

In a statement, the bank said: 'The very simplicity of the expression entirely disrupts the conventions of banking industry communication, which have traditionally focused on power claims - of scale, claim of service, range of products or innovation. Here for good is intended to be a new manifesto for a new era of banking - one in which trust is the common currency and those with humility are poised to lead.'

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