Nina Bibby: Steering Barclays' New Direction

There are likely to be very few more experienced global big brand marketers operating today who hail from the UK than Nina Bibby.

When Bibby rejoined Barclays in the newly-established position of group chief marketing officer two years ago, the bank was undergoing a broader restructuring. Two years on, and it has embarked on a new brand direction (Bibby had previously served as the Global CMO for Barclaycard from 2010 to 2013).

Led by a campaign titled ‘Moments of Progress’, created by its recently appointed global agency partner VCCP, the new direction follows the insight that progress is an innate desire for everyone, but that it cannot be achieved alone in today’s volatile economy. Step forward Barclays, underlining its 330-year heritage as a solution.

Central to the messaging are two hero films directed by David Shane through O Positive, supported by VCCP’s content studio Girl&Bear. Meanwhile, VCCP and its digital experience agency Bernadette have created a suite of branded B2B assets aimed at C-suite and business leaders that highlight familiar moments within corporate life.

Commenting on its release, Bibby said: “Delighted to see this campaign come to life, heroing those moments in life and business when people choose to move forward and the role Barclays plays to support them, from getting on the property ladder to building financial confidence."

Focused across the UK, it’s the ambitious type of work Bibby will have become accustomed to her teams producing throughout her career, having also served as CMO of O2/Telefonica UK for eight years, before joining Verizon, where she was SVP, consumer segment marketing. In fact, one of her final acts at O2 was to launch a consumer-focused brand platform that introduced the brand mascot Bubl, also created by VCCP.

She is every bit the modern marketer, championing creativity while also credited with the application of consumer data to inform strategy and drive marketing success while at O2. This is an approach she has continued.

Another legacy from those O2 days saw Bibby reunite with Simon Groves, who is now Group MD of brand, creative and media at Barclays.

Explaining the strategy behind 'Moments of Progress' Groves said: “We set out to redefine the role Barclays plays in modern British life. Not just as a financial institution but as a genuine enabler of progress. This campaign is about recognising the real, often messy, moments when people decide to take action and showing how Barclays can be there at those pivotal points.”

Bibby has also continued to drive Barclay’s sporting endeavours through sponsorship, most recently signing a deal that introduced a new cricket competition for state schools: the Barclays Knight-Stokes Cup.

“This competition is part of our £5m annual investment into grassroots cricket, football, and tennis, helping young people build skills for life through sport,” she explained.

Barclays is also currently the title sponsor of the Barclays Women's Super League, the title sponsor of the Barclays Women's Championship, the Official Banking Partner of the Premier League, and has recently renewed its partnership with The FA, to further invest in grassroots football.

That commitment was further exemplified this summer through the 'Moments That Matter' campaign focused on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Through Centre Court, the work dramatised the pivotal role of support that the right partner plays.

With VCCP at her side, Bibby seems to have found the ideal creative ally.