HSBC Hails a Cab

The HSBC Group hopes to drive home its positioning as "the world's local bank" in a New York City cab. The Manhattan-based bank ran a May contest to crown New York's Most Knowledgeable Cabbie, with eight finalists answering questions in categories like "I'm from out of town" and "Traffic is murder."

The winner will spend the rest of the year giving free rides to HSBC customers in an HSBC-branded cab. New Yorkers flag down the cab and show their bankcard for a free ride. HSBC gets visibility—and goodwill; and 15,000 lucky HSBC customers get a lift.

Meanwhile, street teams dressed like cabbies will distribute 80,000 HSBC-branded neighborhood guides (styled to look like checkbooks) detailing one of four New York City neighborhoods. Neighborhood info also runs on HSBC's Web site, and signage in banks support the BankCab campaign, which runs through December. Renegade Marketing Group, New York City, handles.