People all over Australia use CommBank ATM’s, but it’s a purely functional transaction. Our idea was to use the ATM in an entirely new way, by listening to people on important social and cultural issues.

In a first-of-its-kind use of an ATM network, CommBank asked customers the big societal questions that matter to all of us. Questions about real estate prices, our kids’ education, equality in society or innovation in business.

This formed the basis of a national conversation about the challenges we faced as individuals and society, and how we could create new paths forward together. Results were shared through integrated media giving people a snapshot of the national sentiment. This data is then used to create new opportunities, and guide existing initiatives to drive new ways forward and action for Australians.

The idea was launched at over 4000 ATM’s around Australia. As people answered questions via the ATM’s, this began to uncover a new world of public sentiment and opinion on social and cultural issues that matter to Australians.

Because of the widespread ATM network, CommBank were able to see data at both a micro and macro level, as the responses of individuals, communities, towns, cities, states and the country were uncovered. The data is then designed to be used by CommBank to help Australians.

For example, only 51% of Australians said they believe the property dream is still alive. CommBank has since responded with new products and advice unique to different parts of Australia.

The idea has transformed CommBank’s ATM network into a whole new platform to collect data across the country:

- The idea was activated at over 4,000 ATM’s around Australia

- 19.3% response rate

- Over 1.2 million interactions to date

- The idea is now an ongoing platform for CommBank to listen to Australians on important issues, and use the data to guide initiatives, new products and advice.

CommBank has more customers than any other bank in Australia. It also has the largest ATM network. We wanted to display a brand action that showed that CommBank is a partner for all Australians.

We partnered with Australians to capture the sentiment of the nation, on the ground in real time.

In order to ensure the accuracy, data collection was tied to our customer IDs which gave us demographic and location-based information for interpretation. We used our ATM network – to listen to Australians on social and cultural issues and use the data to create action from CommBank.

We had to change the way we acted, to change the way we would be perceived. No longer were we the authority, we had to be personal, a partner who empowers. We had to acknowledge that the world had changed; that there were multiple paths forward and we would succeed best if we partnered with Australians instead of just guiding them.

What better way to partner with Australians than to capture the sentiment of the nation, on the ground in real time. With the largest scale in Australia, our ATMs were the best data collection devices around, covering regional areas as well as coastlines and major cities.

In order to ensure the accuracy, data collection was tied to our customer IDs which gave us demographic and location-based information for interpretation.

We displayed the data, cut by age, gender and location on DOOH and the website in infographics, alongside verbatims gathered via social media. Australians could go and get a sense of the sentiment on not only the nation but those most similar to them.

2016/17 were tumultuous years. The state of the world was in question, social expectations in flux, cultural traditions challenged and a cautious outlook for the economy had people questioning who to turn to for certainty and security.

The sentiment of the nation shifted from negativity to uncertainty. As Australia’s largest bank we had a responsibility to act. Our objective was to reconnect with Australians. Show them we were the brand that understood them and the brand that could partner with them to find new ways to face challenges and reach their goals.