Most people range from being mildly to massively unhappy with the service they receive from their bank. Very few have the motivation to do anything about it.

First Direct has one million 'very' or 'extremely' satisfied customers who enjoy a refreshingly different approach to banking. Their level of service is exemplary – open 24/7, always a real person answering the phone, proactively keeping customers informed via texting, free banking …Our brief was to convince warm prospects that they too could enjoy a hassle-free life and happy banking if they made a small effort to switch to First Direct.

Banking with First Direct is refreshingly simple and stress-free.'Zen and the art of First Direct banking' is a tongue-in-cheek way to tell warm prospects that the world of First Direct leaves you feeling totally calm. It's a place where time is of no importance, (they're open 24/7), it helps you see things in a new way (there are no branches or queues) and leaves you feeling relaxed (they anticipate your needs and are always there to talk). Furthermore, like Zen philosophy, First Direct colours are black and white to further underline its harmonious, simple philosophy and encourage prospects to take one simple step to everlasting happiness.

This is the last in a series of six communications that tries to convince warm prospects to take the plunge and convert to a better bank. The results were very positive. Even after five other attempts to get them to response the refreshing nature of the Zen pack produced results that where 1.4 times better than those achieved from previous follow-ups at this stage. (First Direct does not publish detailed results information.)