Bank creates a memorable character--Mrs. P--to star in its ad campaign.

Faced with tough competition from larger banks, a community bank in New York state decided to create a "persona"--in the form of a typical customer--to articulate the bank's message in a brand-driven multimedia campaign.

The character--Mrs. P--was developed by Provident Bank (assets: $2.8 billion; 33 locations), based in Montebello, N.Y.

"Mrs. P is an approachable, accomplished woman of today," says the agency, Austin & Williams, Hauppauge, N.Y. "Mrs. R does it all. As she balances family, work and play, she depends on Provident Bank to keep everything going well."

Consumers and business owners in the marketplace--Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan and Putnam counties in New- York state and Bergen County, N.J.--are exposed to hundreds of financial services ads monthly in print and electronic media, notes Connie Martin, vice president and director of marketing.

"In selecting Mrs. P. as the 'persona' of Provident Bank, our goal was to stand out in our marketplace using a different approach from our competitors to appeal to a broad range of consumers, while showing how we deliver the bank's brand values and service excellence to our customers."

Mrs. P is described as a 40-something woman who knows what she wants in a bank, has her own business, a family and a penchant for living life to the fullest--often leading to light-hearted scenarios.

Using focus groups and other research, the bank and the agency- determined that Mrs. P. had widespread appeal to a broad range of audiences, including male and female consumers and business owners. The campaign also includes additional characters, Mrs. P's family and friends, in various financial scenarios to broaden its appeal and demonstrate additional financial challenges Provident Bank has met.

The campaign, which took about 12 months to develop, was launched this autumn. The campaign consisted of print, cable television, radio, Web site banners, mall sky murals, an airport billboard, a statement stuffer and branch merchandising.

The campaign was preceded by a series of "teaser" print and TV ads, followed by the full-blown campaign three weeks later.

The campaign is built around a series of vignettes that emphasize how important Mrs. P's relationship to her bank is to her overall life.

The vignettes incorporate graphics to reinforce the bank's brand. In one scene of a business banking ad, where Mrs. P's morn is working in her bakery making cookies and her daughter makes a discovery--a huge order for purple flour--the television audience later sees her mom's clever purple and red cookie design, which is the bank's logo.

In another vignette, Mrs. P is playing paint ball with the splashing of purple and red paint ending up in the shape of the bank logo.

When Mrs. P takes to the racing circuit, she's driving none other than a Provident Bank-branded car with the bank's tag line and purple and red logo.

The bank intends to use the racing car in community events and parades as another means of extending and positioning the brand.

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Mrs. P herself--who was chosen for the part from among 100 candidates-will be making selected appearances in the community as well.

The agency, Austin & Williams, will be monitoring the campaign throughout the year and will provide the bank with a complete analysis at the conclusion of fiscal year 2008.