The core of the creative idea is “show, don’t tell”.

Rather than talking-head experts or interviews with senior bank staff, the team wanted convicted financial criminals to talk first-hand about financial crime. To reveal how they work and how they can be stopped by inquisitive bank staff at all levels.

The idea was to produce shocking and honest films that would catch the attention of employees and help them get inside the mind of a financial criminal.

The team then had to convince the bank’s senior management that engaging directly with convicted criminals was a good idea. This was no easy task considering the bank is under a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice.

There was considerable resistance but the team persisted and managed to secure full support from the Group Chief Executive.

This was a very complex project to execute. Finding appropriate criminals was a serious challenge.

The HSBC commercial bank asked the team to focus on accounting frauds. After extensive research the producers found an accounting fraudster who had used false documents to commit one of the USA’s biggest ever frauds. He explained how inquisitive bank staff could have easily spotted his crime just by asking simple questions.

The team then focused on human trafficking, a major issue for retail banking. The UK’s leading anti-trafficking charity said they knew of nobody who had ever found a trafficker who would go on camera. The team persisted. Producers travelled to Montenegro and located a former trafficker. He revealed how he used the banking system to enslave his victims and how banks could have stopped him.

The completed films were distributed across the bank and in team meetings in every branch and office worldwide.

MEDIA OUTPUTS

On the HSBC intranet, these films achieved record audience figures. Each one was watched more than 100,000 times. The films were also played in every team meeting worldwide so staff members could watch and discuss.

TARGET AUDIENCE OUTCOMES

The films yielded exceptionally strong employee feedback:

• “People are responding to the shock, honesty and transparency of it” Jim, HSBC Asia Pacific

• “It is generating a real buzz … making people sit up and think.  It has brought ‘doing the right thing’ into focus” Ka Ho, HSBC Asia Pacific

• “Procedures and E-learning are fine as tools, but this is so powerful to bring the message to life. It’s the real impact.” Jenny, HSBC UK

• “Thought provoking, pitched perfectly, because it told the story, and that starts a movement.” Sean, HSBC UK

The films were also praised externally including by the director of the EU’s law enforcement agency:

“I am impressed by the initiative taken by HSBC to raise awareness among staff”

…and by the UK’s leading anti-trafficking charity:

“We have been very impressed and heartened by the commitment HSBC is showing to addressing the issue of modern slavery through its communications to staff”.

BUSINESS OUTCOMES

Because of the films, HSBC is changing its policies to make sure victims of human trafficking are helped as much as possible. The bank has also commissioned further films to cover subjects including drug trafficking, terrorist financing and bribery.