People's United Bank Unveils New Brand Messaging

BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- People's United Bank, subsidiary of People's United Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: PBCT), announced today it is launching a new marketing and advertising campaign based on research conducted with customers, employees and other stakeholders. The campaign highlights the traits of "empathy" and "expertise" that, as the market research demonstrated, characterize People's United among its constituents.

The bank is unveiling the new brand messaging on Feb. 5 in a television commercial directed by Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. The first of two advertisements will debut on NBC networks across New England during Super Bowl XLVI. They will feature the new People's United tagline: What know-how can do(SM).

The new tagline reflects how the bank's customers described their experience with People's United – one in which empathy and expertise combined to create results. The term "know-how" uniquely captured the pragmatic planning and problem-solving approach they've come to see as the bank's signature style and approach to a customer relationship.

The new commercials tell stories that illustrate that spirit of "know-how." They follow a typical People's United banker who, on the way to work, observes and solves small problems and helps people along the way, cheerfully and without hesitation.

"Our new brand messaging is about being genuine," said Jack Barnes, President and Chief Executive Officer of People's United. "It reflects our 170-year commitment to bring, not only experience, knowledge and proficiency to the table, but to do so in a productive and a personalized way," Barnes said.

"We are the largest independent bank headquartered in New England," he noted. "Our size and strength, along with our local leadership and local decision-making, are certainly important components of a customer's decision to bank with us. There is, however, more to a choice as important as your personal or business banking relationship. In our case, customers are consistently impressed by the 'know-how' and 'can do' attitude of our employees. We are especially pleased with how our employees have embraced the new brand messaging because they are, above all, the ones who bring the brand to life with our customers every day."

People's United worked with its partner, The VIA Agency of Portland, ME to translate customers' experiences into the new campaign.

The new tagline and brand messaging is being introduced at People's United locations; in print, radio and TV media; on billboards; at the company website at peoples.com and on the bank's Twitter and Facebook sites. The rollout will take place across the bank's footprint over the next several months.

People's United Bank is a subsidiary of People's United Financial, Inc., a diversified financial services company with $28 billion in assets. People's United Bank, founded in 1842, is the largest independent bank headquartered in New England and provides commercial and retail banking, as well as wealth management services through a network of 373 branches in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine. Through its subsidiaries, People's United Financial provides equipment financing, brokerage and insurance services.

People's United Bank. What know-how can do.(SM)

SOURCE People's United Bank