French bank reaches young people on the move with mobile advertising (February 22, 2007).

French bank Crédit Agricole is stepping up its mobile internet strategy to communicate more effectively with young, active people who are strong consumers of mobile services.

ScreenTonic, a pioneer in mobile advertising, and Crédit Agricole have teamed up to design and launch a mobile Internet site aimed specifically at the younger generation. The site is being promoted through a major mobile media campaign backed by SMS direct marketing activity. The campaign was jointly built up by ScreenTonic and the agency MediaContact.

The new mobile site allows customers to do much more than check their bank balance. It provides anytime, anywhere access to detailed information about Crédit Agricole and its services by navigating through the various sections:

• Solutions Jeunes Actifs (Solutions for the young and active)

This contains information about the bank's products and services. Each month, a feature focuses on a special offer that addresses key concerns of young people. Crédit Agricole places a premium on maintaining close daily links with customers so mobile internet users can sign up to receive expert personalised information. They can also contact a banking advisor directly using the WAP-to-Call function.

• “Envie d’Agir”: A helping hand with personal projects

This section showcases “Envie d'Agir”, a French support programme developed by Crédit Agricole in collaboration with the French Ministry of Youth, Sport and Non-Profit Organisations. The aim of “Envie d’Agir” is to encourage and help young people to get personal projects off the ground and provides targeted assistance to launch business or community-based initiatives. The support depends on the type, scale and maturity of their project and visitors to this section will also find videoclips and personal testimonials from people who have taken part in the programme.

• Game

ScreenTonic has developed a game-based module to develop visitor loyalty on the mobile Internet site. Each month, Crédit Agricole will organise a quiz with attractive prizes, such as mobile phones and tickets to major sporting events including the France/Austria soccer international on 28 March at the Stade de France in Paris. To win the prize of the day, players have to answer a question relating to the world of banking.

• Account management

The site provides a link to ca-mobile.com, the account management website for Crédit Agricole customers.

Large-scale mobile media campaign launches the site
A huge media offensive got underway at the end of January on the portals of France's mobile phone operators. During the month-long campaign, banners featuring Crédit Agricole's strap line – "Une relation durable, ça change la vie" – were combined with off-beat humour to help build closer relationships with the target audience.

Other advertising campaigns will be organised to promote the site on a regular basis. ScreenTonic has also organised a "WAP-Push" campaign, targeted at more than 20,000 contacts to publicise the site more widely.