To bring the problem of financial control to life in radio, a male voiceover takes control of the ad halfway through and changes the narrative. What starts out as a young woman explaining how she carefully manages her money transforms into him telling you how he ensures that none of ‘his money’ is wasted on the things she likes to do. The ad resolves with English actor, Juliet Stephenson (representing the bank), saying, “When an abuser controls your finances, they control you. If you need help regaining your financial independence speak to us.”

Domestic abuse is a prevalent, yet hidden crime in the UK. The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds, but less than 24% of cases are ever reported. The problem becomes more sinister when you explore the role finance plays.

Physical and emotional abuse are the weapons abusers use to torment their victims, but finance is the tool that makes it impossible for victims to leave. Economic abuse occurs in 95% of domestic abuse situations but 69% of the UK don’t understand the link between the two.

Our brief was to raise awareness of how finance traps victims in abusive relationships. And to highlight that all 352 HSBC UK branches are now ‘Safe Spaces’ where those experiencing domestic abuse can take their first step to regaining control through specialist advice and support. Even if you don’t bank with HSBC UK.

Domestic abuse is a prevalent, yet hidden crime in the UK. The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds, but less than 24% of domestic abuse crime is reported. The problem becomes more sinister when you explore the role finance plays. 95% of domestic abuse situations include an element of economic abuse. Being financially independent therefore underpins your safety.

Yet 69% of the UK don’t understand the link between financial abuse and domestic abuse. Our brief was to raise awareness of how abusers use finances to trap their victims. And to show how HSBC UK can help people cut these hidden strings of control, regardless of who they bank with.

Visits to the ‘Financial Independence’ landing page increased by 1400% during the campaign period, further educating the public and connecting victims to the help they need.

Spice Girl, Melanie B also lent her voice to the campaign, thanking the bank for their support and understanding of abuse, increasing our message’s reach.

The campaign drove an increase in consideration, which grew by 4% at a Nat-Rep level, driven by the younger 18–34-year-old audience, which saw an 8% uplift during the quarter. This was ahead of the category.

Perhaps most impactfully, the campaign created change within the bank, rallying its divisions in support of tackling economic abuse. The bank realised abusers were misusing payment references to send abusive messages to their victims. To combat the issue, HSBC implemented a warning system, which to-date has driven a 40% reduction in the number of abusive messages sent on HSBC’s banking platforms.