Factors shaping attitudes towards UK bank brands: An exploratory analysis of social media data

Figures & data

Table 1. List of banks, links to the videos and brief descriptions

Bank and advert link	Comments	View	Description
NatWest http://on.fb.me/1YLrtB4	319	1,114,614	Through featuring a father trying to keep his household bills down, NatWest advertises their new rewards account whereby customers get 3% cashback on household bills
Barclays http://on.fb.me/1PrS8lH	224	2,779,802	Barclays acknowledges that the future is being driven by the kids of today, so they show their efforts in teaching kids how to code and improve their IT skills
Santander http://on.fb.me/1mJkOLX	168	357,393	Advertises the deadline for the Individual Savings Account (ISA) as a tax-free way to save or invest, suggesting that the majority of people aren’t aware of the benefits
Nationwide http://on.fb.me/1ZwgQo6	151	534,331	Not advertising any particular product but using the metaphor of a scarf passed down through generations to present how supportive they have been to their customers
Halifax http://on.fb.me/1YHfGcd	116	1,081,100	Advertising their efforts in providing fun articles and useful jargon busters to help explain the ins and outs of owning a home
HSBC http://on.fb.me/1OSJTdW	75	913,020	Through featuring a runner buying coffee for a young girl, the ad shows how to make fast, easy and secure payments using HSBC card with Apple Pay
First Direct http://on.fb.me/1kmOAEk	64	61,413	Advertises an app that transfers £1 to customer savings accounts for every swear word they utter, as a means of promoting the use of voice recognition on the mobile application
Lloyds http://on.fb.me/1PrS59y	50	661,286	A thank-you ad to all the schools, children and volunteers that have raised money for BBC Children in Need
TSB http://on.fb.me/1Ogl8Mt	5	3,280	Animated illustration advertising the TSB Plus account and its benefits
Standard Chartered http://on.fb.me/1VlInpQ	4	2,368	An ad highlighting Standard Chartered’s efforts to reduce their impact on the environment through changes big and small

Table

Positive Attitude	I got money back from my bank to well done Natwest. And thanks to the lady at Rochdale branch for sorting out my new mortgage
	Lloyds Bank is very good bank. I like most its customer service quick and provide us valuable information. For me it’s a best bank. Lloyds were fantastic when I reported money gone from my account fraudulently
	Can you please send me more info about this please best bank going!! In my eyes English call centres as well which is added bonus
Negative Attitude	Absolute disgraceful customer service in the St Helens branch today. Seriously considering closing my account after 25 years
	The worst customer service what bank could ever provide!! Need to sort themselves out!! Definitely changing bank…
	Very very angry. Nationwide are as bad as Barclays and the other entire nasty bank. I have just received a letter … I have been crying since I opened this letter. I have had 3 days holiday and this is what I come back to. Self-employed, work every hour I can and you can’t catch a break. Due to some algorithm invented in an office by someone who has never actually done a day’s proper work in their life
	Always been impressed with Natwest, however when my 32 year old husband passed away recently very unexpectedly, the bank have been beyond appalling. They are looking into my complaint and said I would be contacted by the end of the week, but surprise suprise no call! Very very upset by Natwest and this already very upsetting time!

Table

Positive Attitude	We have 2x 123 accounts a joint one & a single one. Best account on the high street thank you Santander
	123 account is very good. Glad I changed bank to Santander
	This is amazing!! Well done for a great idea. We are getting over £13 per month
	Fantastic idea I have just applied for this account to transfer my current account over. Banked with Barclays for 20 years and never been given anything
	I’ve had 17pound back so far! Well done Natwest. Great idea
Negative Attitude	The Loyalty Saver is now very poor value with an interest rate of only 1.2% as a reward for 15 years or more of customer loyalty. It’s a pity that Nationwide isn’t as loyal to its customers as they are to it. The best readily available rate for an easy access account with no loyalty prerequisite is now 1.6%
	Santander, I already have a substantial ISA with you and you have chosen to reduce the interest rate several times. I will therefore reduce my business with you

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Positive Attitude	Excellent bank helped me in hard times to pay off my overdraft with no interest will stay with them forever
	I have been with Santander since it was Bradford and Bingly, I have never had any problems at all never had bank charges as I always make sure the fund’s are available for my direct debits so that I don’t bank charges they have always helped me the staff are amazing in the Rochdale and bury branches i would never leave my bank
Negative Attitude	He won’t be happy when he grows up and gets a bank charge for £15.00 for being overdrawn for 15 min
	It’s a shame you are not so quick to give the ridiculous bank charges back! I filled in an online complaints form, was told I would have a telephone appointment to go through everything with an advisor; nobody ever rang at the time…
	Forgive me if I find the … “we always try to treat customers experiencing financial hardship fairly and sympathetically” hard to swallow!
	Yeah how about giving me back my £3,192 of overdraft charges!
	NatWest, what did you ever give me except letters charging me £15 a go when we were overdrawn back in the 80’s. Now, I’ve got a few bob, moved to Santander and your bank never even questioned why I wanted to change. Now you know

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Positive Attitude	Love Barclays because there is no need for me to walk into a branch anymore. All my banking activities are done through my app including paying in cheques. Thanks
Negative Attitude	Not impressed with service received from Barclays following a faulty ATM … 3 weeks later still waiting for my money back!! Farce
	Why did I have to queue up 30 min yesterday to withdraw £500—I’ll tell you why, because you’ve sacked most of the cashiers and replaced them with machines that nobody uses because people like to do banking face to face? If you actually did market research you’d know this
	Been with Natwest for 30 years, now they have changed our branch into an amusement arcade, (nothing but machines) that they frog March you towards whether you want to use them or not. Not happy at all. The only reward we want is some service, if we want DIY we will go to B&Q

Table

Positive	Is there any need for branches these days? I find the app, the Internet and phone banking more than adequate. I don’t have a branch in my village either … but if I did need to speak to someone in person I would do it at the same time as a visit to town
Negative	Natwest, it would have been nice if out local branch wasn’t being shut down next month and I will have to travel 9 miles to get to a bank
	Historic town of Glastonbury is having all its 4 banks closed … 2 have already closed … you just can’t help at all can you? Lloyds bank … so please don’t post your stuff on my wall
	Now how about pensioners in need? Having decided to close our local branch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Positive Attitude	Use them for business stuff and brilliant. Not owned by public very small fees and don’t continually try and sell you wrong products
	I don’t know what happened with you … but I am sure it was an oversight. I’ve been with this bank since they took over Abbey National and I would never consider leaving. They have been so helpful, advising me to change to a 123 account. LIFESAVER bank for me
	First Direct is amazing. Would never move
	I recently swapped to Halifax after Santander put a £5 monthly charge on … Halifax seems very easy to use online and has great bonuses
Negative Attitude	Last day yesterday for my business and personal accounts with Barclays. Very happy to have left and gone with another bank. Savings of 1,500 a year. You lot are crooks
	Worst bank in UK been dealing with same complaint for over four months. Just go to HBOS or Barclays
	Barclays?? Even a fool won’t give them their money

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I am leaving Barclays and support a boycott until they divest from and ceases trading in shares in Elbit Systems, the major Israeli military company and drone manufacture whose technology killed, maimed and made orphans of hundreds of children in Palestine last summer

Still investing in Elbit? Things aren’t so rosy for Palestinian kids. Why do you pretend to care about children? Oh aye: ££££££££££££££££s

Sweet Barclays, dropping bombs on children in Gaza…

By investing in a coal port that will destroy the Great Barrier Reef, instead of renewable energy?

Ah, yes. Sure you are reducing your impact on the environment … By destroying the biggest frigging reef on earth!

You are helping destroy the RAIN FORREST! Where is the help with the future????