Corporate Image Advertising in the Banking Industry

Corporate image advertising seeks to improve the reputation of a business, rather than promoting products or services. This study presents a descriptive analysis of corporate image advertising in the banking industry. Advertising by major banks from 2012 to 2019 is examined by content, usage, and audience response. Six advertising themes are identified: corporate image/values, philanthropy, community, support for youth/education, environmental responsibility, and reparation. Public perception of the banking industry dramatically improved, from a net negative perception to a net positive perception. This improvement may be at least partially due to a heavy usage of corporate image advertising by major banks.