HBOS is one of the most recognisable names in banking. The
Halifax International offshore banking service was launched in 2008
with a proposition as the bank that is with their consumers "every
step of the way". Halifax wanted to create a service that would
allow Halifax International to make a real connection with its
audience. A sponsorship that would provide an online home for the
Expat community, and take branded content to a new level.
Realising that expats turn to digital channels as a source of
information about the life they left behind, Halifax teamed up with
UK newspaper The Sun. They worked together to create The Sun Expat
channel. Set within The Sun online, the newspaper featured the four
key sections, with a dedicated journalist employed to regularly add
stories and features of interest, gradually building a vibrant
world map for the expat community. The site encouraged expats to
upload their tales via Expat TV, comment on features and share
their lives with other expats through photo competitions. Halifax
International's presence was assured through 100% of ad formats
acquired by their offshore services, functioning as a constant
branding platform. Click through ads displayed the latest rates,
driving traffic to their site. The finance section served as a key
content feed for all Halifax press releases and dedicated financial
editorial, reflecting the key concerns that Expats have about life
abroad and functioning as a further revenue source for Halifax
International with its brand platform.
Two weeks following launch, the paper reached its first year
target of impressions of 300,000. Within a month it had been
exceeded twenty times over. In some months the targets were
exceeded by 1500% at 1,556,140. After 6 months a total of 1,528,539
unique users spent an average dwell time of 3.2 minutes on the
site. With ad rates converting at four times the expected
click-through rate, The Sun Expat created nearly 200 applications,
with half of those converted to sales.