Judo Bank has again turned its brand platform into a public declaration of love through a Valentine’s Day campaign created by Thinkerbell.
The initiative puts SME customers right at the forefront of the brand’s narrative.
The integrated campaign launched this week, featuring personalised “love notes” across large-format outdoor, national press, and radio.
Developed by independent agency Thinkerbell, the work occupies emotional territory usually reserved for consumer brands, reframing banking through the lens of intimacy and recognition.
Public love letters
The campaign started with mysterious large-format messages celebrating the individual quirks of Judo Bank’s SME customers. Each note was signed anonymously, positioning the bank as a “secret admirer” of Australian small businesses.
On Valentine’s Day, the admirer was revealed as Judo Bank, completing a narrative designed to mirror a traditional romantic reveal. The creative extended to full-page national press ads, in which Judo bankers shared authentic messages with their clients.
The campaign also moved into audio, with CEO Chris Bayliss delivering poetic radio dedications to SMEs, including a special segment on JOY FM.
The execution reinforced Judo Bank’s central proposition: its strength lies in its closeness to and understanding of customers as individuals.
Judo Bank CEO Chris Bayliss. Source: Thinkerbell
Customer relationships as creative strategy
For Thinkerbell, the campaign extends Judo Bank’s experience-led marketing approach.
Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell, noted: “This is a great example of Judo Bank living its values. When the customer experience is built around backing businesses, the advertising becomes a natural extension of that commitment.”
Rather than relying on category tropes like interest rates, the campaign focused on demonstrating familiarity.
By highlighting specific customer stories, the bank built a sense of authenticity. Negar Ghadiri-Zare, Judo Bank’s GM of Marketing, said the campaign was grounded in the bank’s founding philosophy: “Judo was built on the belief that you can’t back a business you don’t truly know. This campaign demonstrates that strong relationships are the foundation of how Judo boldly backs business.”