This case used Oriental Bank's clients as the main advocates and a strong media relations program to prevent client attrition during the process of acquisition of BBVA operations in Puerto Rico.

In late 2012, news about the acquisition of BBVA Bank operations in Puerto Rico by Oriental Bank was leaked to local media. Soon the competition saw the opportunity to capitalize by trying to convince clients from both banks to switch financial institutions.

Objectives:

Prevent client attrition from both Oriental and BBVA banks during the acquisition transaction period.

Strengthen Oriental reputation as a Bank that provides excellent service to their clients.

We decided to infiltrate actors disguised as sales representatives from the competition in our branches to persuade our clients to switch bank offering them special offers and promises.

We recorded this real life conversations with clients and create a television ad, that was placed on national stations and shared through the bank's webpage and YouTube.

A media relations program was created around the real life interaction with clients, emphasizing in the Oriental's benefits that are most valued by their current customers and the loyalty they demonstrate.

Results:

As current (Oriental+BBVA) and potential (other banks) clients heard from people like them about Oriental’s strengths, we conquer the main goal of 0% client attrition from both banks during the transaction period.

- 1.8 earned media impressions were obtained.

- Over $150,000 advertising equivalency in earned media obtained.

Media coverage analysis demonstrated that our main messages were covered accurately.

Against the potential risk of attrition, how can we emphasize our strengths and tell our success history in a reliable way? Letting our satisfied clients become our voice and tell in their own words Oriental’s strengths and success history.

As current (Oriental+BBVA) and potential (other banks) clients heard from people like them about Oriental’s strengths, we conquer the main goal of 0% client attrition from both banks during the transaction period.

- 1.8 earned media impressions were obtained.

- Over $150,000 advertising equivalency in earned media obtained.

Media coverage analysis demonstrated that our main messages were covered accurately.

In January 2013, Oriental officially acquired BBVA making it the biggest financial transaction in the history of Puerto Rico. All of this without losing a client.