Reminds me of brands that decide they need an app that’s basically a hidden doorway just opening their website. Not everything needs an app
3 Likes
Yeah, I’m sure it’ll essentially be a glorified web view, but better to have an extensive knowledge base online than adding unnecessary complexity of it being wrapped in an app.
1 Like
I can’t see it being used by many at all.
Some of the screens looked very basic to me, almost like looking at Apple Reminders and Apple Notes at times.
Then not all the information was on the app and some parts linked to the fd website. Quite a mismatch.
Yeah - my feedback was fairly brutal tbh. I sort of liked it and it was useful but I didn’t really see the value of this as a standalone app as it will vary massively depending on who you go with.
I think as an in-app help guide it’s probably really useful. Also the timescales were not at all helpful, they noted getting the mortgage would take 2-4 months and then next step 2 weeks. It’s the other way around!
3 Likes
Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me people actually BUY houses!
On a more serious note. I guess they must be pitching this for release not in the immediate future what with the projected slow down in the housing market etc? Or is this something a non-home owning millennial like me who’s given up hope of ever having any “wealth” would say?
First direct appear to finally be looking at in-app budgeting - I’d expect it will appear in the app sometime in 2025
4 Likes
I really loves this AD
I wonder if he ever grew into that jacket… 
looks like Tom Hanks at the end of Big
1 Like
Yea, seen it a few places now, it’s been mentioned that FD have a history of weird adverts but this one I don’t get
If they’re advertising on TikTok they must be trying to go for a somewhat younger demographic, and while I have zero knowledge on advertising, adverts like this always confuse me as there is nothing here to suggest what “first direct” actually is/what they do?
Also “when the sun is still out after 5pm” is such a cringe caption and just screams some advertiser trying to be relevant.
Not sure if it succeeded what they’re going for as most of the comments are jokingly commenting that they’re scared or asking wtf it is.
3 Likes
It’s them trying to get into the latest trend of producing content “so poorly made it’s actually good”.
While I’m not fully behind the skunk (and judging by some of the comments on fDesign neither are some of the customers 
) it may pay off for them in the end.
1 Like
I think advertising with something unrelated can work well - just for brand awareness
But I don’t get why banks are on Tik-Tok or Instagram say. I know Tik-Tok is growing at a huge rate and widely used with teenagers and young adults but is it the platform for what people use social media with banks for?
Which seems to ultimately be Facebook/Twitter to complain or try and get hold of someone…
Although I could deal with handling social media accounts for banks. Having a quick look on Twitter all you are doing is dealing with angry customers
2 Likes
I’m undecided on the whole skunk advertising side of things, but what I really don’t get is that fd appear to be trying to bring in a younger generation of customers, however in my opinion they don’t really have anything currently that would appeal to that demographic in terms of their products and digital offering.
If they had upped their game with their app and budgeting features for example, it would make more sense, as they would be prepared with something that might catch their target audience’s eye.
But at the moment, I just see people seeing that ad on Tik Tok/Instagram, probably thinking wtf is this. Maybe a small proportion might tap on a link to go to the fd website to find out more, but when they get there I can’t see they will be enticed by anything they find. Apart from perhaps the £175 switch offer.
FD appear to want to come across that they can do things differently, in a way that would appeal to this new target audience, but don’t seem to actually have anything to back that up.
I still find their mix of branding confusing as well, some places they are first direct with the old logo, elsewhere they are first direct with the fingerprint logo and sometimes they market themselves as “first direct bank”.
3 Likes
They do seem to be all over the place with their branding and audience. Those adverts don’t really reflect how FD comes across on their website for example. The only page that seems to be in the same “fun” and “silly” style as the skunk is the about us page which just looks ridiculous when compared with the rest of the website.
2 Likes
1 Like
I like FD but they are very barebones, they have nothing that makes me want to switch to my main account other than a nice simple app.
1 Like
I agree, it’s like when they say the following on that “Who are are” page:
“In our new advertising campaign we meet a Skunk with a nose for the stink of financial injustice. But with our helpful products, there’s a whiff of hope.”
I don’t get what is actually helpful about their products. No instant transaction notifications, limited transaction information, no pending transactions on credit cards and no real budgeting features - except their basic Insights.
On their website, some of the design varies page to page. For example if you click on Mortgages, then hover over one of the other products, the headers are in bold. Unlike if you click on any of the other products, where they are not bolded. At the footer of the page, their copyright dates are inconsistent, for example the footer of the bank accounts page says © HSBC Group 2022, whereas Mortgages says © HSBC Group 2018. I realise these are tiny inconsistencies that will go unnoticed for the vast majority of people, but having Aspergers I seem to pick them up and then I can’t unsee them. 
I think it’s the inconsistency that bothers me.
I contacted them the other day on live chat to ask about home insurance and was told they no longer offer the product. I referred them to their own website where the product was indeed being marketed. I was then given a rather confused response and told to call a number, which turned out to be incorrect.
All that being said, I do genuinely still seem to have a soft spot for FD. When I joined them initially in 2006 they really were a pleasure to deal with and a breath of fresh air from Santander who I actually worked for at the time. I really hope they can sort out their identity and bring their services into the modern era, as for me they do still have a unique charm about them and it would be nice to see them get back on track.
5 Likes
The best part of FD is if you have an issue within a few rings (my experience) I can speak to somebody.
Having had accounts with Halifax/Lloyds/HSBC it’s a min 10-25 min wait time usually if I do on the odd chance need to call or speak to someone as opposed to chat/email/app.
And for me personally that’s the most frustrating thing, hanging in a queue hearing “Your call is important to us. We are experiencing high call volumes at the moment…”
It is rare an issue crops up but when it does being able to get hold of someone quickly is a huge bonus
4 Likes
yes - I spent an hour on the phone with them a few weeks ago because their stupid app security meant I couldn’t log in. They actively block password managers and so I had to remember 2 or 3 different passwords as well as some other random information
So it was very helpful that they picked up quickly, but then had a fun game of phone ping-pong to finally get into the app
3 Likes
This is one of the main frustrations I had with FD - any other app, even HSBC, you could delete, re-download and log in without having to speak to anyone.
Not so FD - each time its resulted in a call in, having to speak to (pleasant in fairness) people just to log back in.
2 Likes