Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Can NBK be more stupid?

About a month ago, Gulf Bank made waves with its new, fresh and personal take on how it relates to its clients and vice versa. For the first time, Gulf Bank came out with a poignant television commercial and advertising campaign (check them out here) that revealed the genuine and attentive care it has toward its clients and that it truly is a people’s bank.


Lo and behold! NBK comes along and copies the entire concept including the name of one of the characters in Gulf Bank’s television commercial, Bo Faisal (see NBK’s stupid, copycat ad below).

Whoever worked on this campaign, from the sorry advertising agency that “thought” it up to NBK’s careless marketing team, lacks originality, brains and obviously did not do any research regarding recent campaigns.


Copying a concept that was used in an advertising campaign is something many advertising agencies do here and everywhere else in the world. But creating something ridiculously similar to a recent one (and a competitor's concept at that!) and using the same name that was mentioned in the competitor’s (i.e. Gulf Bank’s) television commercial? Shame!


MP3’s for NBK’s ears…

Frank & Nancy Sinatra – Something Stupid

Redlight (featuring Roses Gabor) – Stupid

Fossil Cities – Stupid Things


Note to NBK: Here’s something that might help you out

at 8:30 AM

8 Comments

  1. Anonymous Anonymous posted at 12:24 PM  
    to be honest i was kinda thinking of making a parody out of their new campaign. the problem with me is i get all of these fantastic idea but them have no time to execute them.

    playing dirty is nothing new here erzulie, even in my line of work (which is systems engineering) our direct rival are, pardon my french, complete bastards; they would do anything just to sell ad get business (ass kissing, shiny gifts, free laptops)

    anywho... thanx for the music :>
  2. Blogger Erzulie posted at 1:58 PM  
    q80thug: it's more like playing dumb than dirty. And everyone in Kuwait is immune to any and all promos (!)
  3. Blogger Temetwir posted at 2:40 PM  
    the gbk young lady in the tv commercial was hot, well cast

    nbk never did a good ad/campagin, EVER.. save for the nabi 3eediya

    someone prove me wrong
  4. Blogger Erzulie posted at 7:05 PM  
    temetwir: that's because "nabi 3eediya" was done by a local ad agency...they know what content works for Kuwait
  5. Blogger Temetwir posted at 11:43 AM  
    that is awesome!
    whats the name of the agency if u dont mind me asking
  6. Blogger Erzulie posted at 1:52 PM  
    temetwir: Gulf Bank is with Impact BBDO...as for NBK, I don't know if it's with JWT or Leo Burnett. Either way, both (JWT & Leo Burnett) have struck out recently.
  7. Anonymous a2b posted at 11:24 PM  
    It's neither JWT nor Leo. Campaign created and produced by Caviar group
  8. Blogger Erzulie posted at 4:31 PM  
    a2b: Thanks for clearing it up! I really don't know what those guys are up to. First was the embarrassingly bad NBK Ramadan commercials that they did and now this! They started off fresh but now they seem like the ultimate yes-agency. Too bad.

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