In Britain's First Municipal Savings Bank (1927), J P Hilton describes the early methods of advertising the Bank:
'That the Bank
Committee realise the value of advertising is well known. A compliment was paid to our activities in this direction by the Daily Express
in December, 1924.
'In March, 1920, the Bank had a stand at the National Trades Exhibition at Bingley Hall, which was the means
of 1,125 depositors being enrolled; the following year the experiment was repeated. In July, 1920, a stand was taken at the Exhibition
held under the auspices of the Royal Sanitary Institute; while in 1925, 1926 and 1927 the Bank was in evidence at the
British Industries
Fair at Castle Bromwich.
'Picture-house and theatre screens, and billposting stations have been used to advertise the Bank, while
the publicity afforded by the newspapers, and by magazines having an important local circulation, has not been overlooked.
'The
great opportunity which our tramcars and omnibuses provide for effective advertisement has been seized, and a visit to the city will
soon acquaint the visitor of the fact that we have a Municipal Bank.
The photograph tells its own story. The registered key of the
Bank is neatly worked in the glass panels of the doors of tramcars, and constitutes a permanent advertisement. The Bank is indebted
to Mr. Alfred Baker, the General Manager of the Tramways Department, for his hearty co-operation in this respect. The vehicles which
take house refuse to the destructor have, likewise, pointed out the advantages of the Bank.
'Notice-boards at the various railway
stations have been used to make the Bank well known; the gardening calendars distributed by the Estates Department to Municipal tenants
remind one of the Bank; the police band programmes, throughout the summer season, tell us about it, while publications by the Baths
and other Departments often contain a reference to the Bank. The large keys of the registered design fixed outside our branch Banks
and at Head Office, illuminated at night, are very effective.
'Lectures illustrated by lantern slides, are frequently given by
members of the committee and senior officers of the Bank. There is scarcely a Labour organisation in Birmingham which has not included
in its programme a lecture on the Bank - some of them, like Oliver Twist, have asked for more. Unionist organisations have also enlightened
their members by arranging Bank lectures, while numerous religious and social bodies continually call for similar lectures. Although
financial subjects are not, as a rule, very interesting to an audience, we appear to be able to make our lectures interesting, judged
by the repeated requests for them. The great advantage we possess, in being able to call upon members of the City Council to give
these lectures, is invaluable. That is a service which a Municipal Bank can command; it is something which a private organisation
lacks, and the explanation is simple - these speakers are talking about something which is their own.
'But the greatest advertisement
of all is the Bank pass book in the possession of our citizens; it is a constant reminder of a Bank which exists for their benefit
and is a real friend to them.'