- Bank unveils new brand positioning to deepen its engagement with customers
- MD points to empathy as the force at the core of the shift in Absa’s renewed purpose
GAZETTE REPORTER
Absa Bank has transitioned from its previous branding of “Africanacity” to a new, more personalised brand promise: “Your Story Matters.”
This is a strategic pivot to deepen its engagement with customers.
The change was recently announced by the Managing Director of Absa Bank Botswana, Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, highlighting a fundamental shift in the bank’s approach to customer service and corporate identity.
She said the new branding aligns with an updated corporate mission aimed at “Empowering Africa’s Tomorrow, Together,… One Story at a Time,” signalling a shift towards a more narrative-driven, empathetic engagement with customers.
Real-life situations
According to the MD, this rebranding is a reflection of Absa’s commitment to adapting its services and solutions to the real-life situations and challenges faced by its customers on a daily basis.
“The evolution of our brand allows us to be more relevant globally, across all markets, and is aligned with our business strategy to be emphatically guided by our customer’s needs,” she said.
Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane was eager to emphasise that the new rebranding initiative is not merely cosmetic, noting that Absa has revised its internal values and behaviours to foster a culture that is more in tune with its renewed purpose.
Cultural realignment
This cultural realignment is part of a broader strategy to reposition the bank as a customer-centric, empathetic and inclusive financial institution that goes beyond traditional banking services to create meaningful connections with the communities it serves.
“Our new brand positioning, ‘Your Story Matters,’ is a testament to our commitment to understanding and empowering the unique aspirations and dreams of each person we serve,” she asserted.
This commitment is grounded in the belief that every individual’s story holds immense value, and the bank’s role is to assist in making each of those stories – and values – a success through empathetic engagement and seamless customer experiences.
Social and economic fabric
The shift to “Your Story Matters” is envisioned as a step towards making Absa a leading pan-African bank that is deeply woven into the social and economic fabric of the communities it operates within.
The bank aims to be seen as a trusted, lifelong partner to its customers, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in digital banking and sustainable finance to meet the evolving needs of its stakeholders.
Pheko-Moshagane was keen to stress that this new brand positioning should be seen as an integral part of Absa’s strategic vision, and not a mere marketing ploy.
“This decision to review and update our brand identity is a critical component of our business strategy to have a future-fit brand that reflects our core values,” she stated.