How HSBC has created a 170-year legacy by embracing India in its entirety

HSBC, one of the world’s leading international banks, has had a strong presence in India for over 170 years, supporting Indians in their financial journeys both locally and globally. As it completes 100th anniversary of its Kolkata branch in India, the bank continues to reinforce its legacy of innovation, customer-centric services, and market leadership.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Sandeep Batra, Head of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC India, shares insights into the bank’s successful campaigns and upcoming initiatives. Batra highlighted how collaborations with global icons like Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Virat Kohli have resonated with a broad audience, especially through high-impact campaigns such as the “Meal with a Movie Star”, which garnered over half a billion views, in the first 72 hours of the launch. He also speaks about HSBC’s focus on Gen Z, the role of AI and technology in enhancing banking services, and the bank’s plans to celebrate its 100-year milestone of its Kolkata branch in India with new marketing strategies that will continue driving brand visibility and engagement.

HSBC India’s campaigns featuring global icons like Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Virat Kohli have resonated with a wide audience. Could you share how these campaigns align with HSBC’s broader strategy to support Indians on their global journey?

That campaign has been a smashing success! We’ve had over 550 million views, which has exceeded our wildest expectations. We knew it would make an impact, but even we were blown away by just how much people connected with it. I’m told it is now one of the most-watched videos on Instagram, which is incredible. It goes to show that when you tap into something people deeply care about, it resonates.

For this particular campaign, we focused on the theme of dining and how food can bring people back to the feeling of home. Priyanka, as an icon who has taken Indian culture, films, and art global, was the perfect fit. We shot the campaign in London, and there are a few different versions – one focusing on HSBC’s international presence and another that highlights our NRI banking services. Both aim to address the challenges faced by people who are moving or living abroad, particularly when it comes to managing money.

Personally, I lived outside India for 18 years, so I know that moving to a new country can be difficult. You miss home, and there are many things you give up. One of the goals of this campaign was to highlight how HSBC can make that transition easier, especially with our seamless international banking services. With features like instant global money transfers, we try to make the financial side of moving as smooth as possible.

It was a simple campaign, executed well, and I’m thrilled that it might become the most-watched video ever – it would be stunning! Even when I was watching it myself, I found it quite powerful. It starts with Priyanka talking about the chef, the food, and the meal, which really sets the tone for the whole campaign, connecting emotionally with the audience.

What aspects of this campaign do you believe have contributed to its success and emotional impact? How does it reinforce HSBC’s role in helping expats feel at home abroad?

I think it speaks to a shared experience, especially for someone like me, a former NRI. As Indians, we all have a deep love for food. Whether we’re at home or abroad, food holds a special place in our hearts. Even within India, when we move to different regions, we often crave the flavours of home. Whether you’re from Bihar, Punjab, or Kerala, you want a taste of home, and that resonates across cultures. The three couples we featured in the campaign are from different parts of India, and in some cases, the couples themselves came from diverse regions, like a Bengali married to a Punjabi.

Secondly, Priyanka Chopra, being the global icon she is, adds to the campaign’s appeal. She’s had such an incredible career, and her presence brings a strong emotional connection. Lastly, HSBC is the only bank with a Main Street presence in so many countries. Whether you’re in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, or New York, you’ll find HSBC.

HSBC has been there for over 170 years in India, connecting companies and individuals across the globe. This campaign, in its simplicity, captures that globality and emphasizes that while you may leave home, you never really leave home. That’s powerful.

Could you give us some insights into the media mix for this campaign and walk us through the creative process? Was it an internal campaign, or did you partner with an agency?

Yes, we did partner with an agency. However, there was also a lot of internal brainstorming. This campaign is well thought through and designed, with inputs from not just our team in India, but also from our teams in the UK, Australia, Singapore, and Dubai. We’ve rolled it out globally, not just in India. Social media has been at the center of our strategy, and surprisingly, a lot of the engagement has been organic. You can’t just buy this kind of reach; people genuinely loved the campaign.

Last year, we had a very different campaign featuring Virat Kohli, shot in London, where he surprised Indian students playing cricket abroad. That was also a big hit.

We cater to a diverse segment, with 32 million Indian expats around the world. So, there’s a lot of consideration that goes into deciding whether we focus on cricket or food. As Indians, we love both. We cheer for our teams, and we’re passionate about our food. We’re also increasingly championing other sports and we are a sponsor for the Athletics Federation of India.

Earlier this year, we also featured Virat Kohli in campaigns for events like the India-Pakistan World Cup and Wimbledon. Virat highlighted how HSBC benefits its Indian clients in areas like mortgages, global investments, and salary accounts in a fun, relatable way. For instance, Virat would talk about reducing your home loan installment, similar to lowering your cricket run rate, or how you could get 5% cashback with HSBC.

With HSBC’s 100th anniversary in India approaching, what special initiatives or celebrations are planned, and how do they contribute to HSBC’s legacy and future vision in the Indian market?

Actually, we’ve been in India for 170 years, not 100. Imagine that – 170 years of continuous presence in India. We are celebrating 100 years of our Kolkata branch at Dalhousie Square, which has stood the test of time. It’s witnessed India’s Independence, and various other historic moments.

We are also celebrating 75 years of our MG Road branch in Mumbai. If you visit our branches in or Mumbai or Kolkata, you’ll see beautiful history walls showcasing not only HSBC’s legacy, but also the history of the area surrounding these branches. We’re very proud of our heritage. But beyond that, we’re continually investing in India. Whether it’s our campaigns featuring Virat Kohli, or opening a new branch in Bangalore, or our acquisition of L&T Mutual Fund, we’re committed to the future.

Additionally, we’ve launched a new metaverse branch focused on NRI banking. So, while we’re proud of our legacy, we’re also firmly rooted in the present and looking ahead to the future.

How is HSBC India creating awareness and engagement with Gen Z and the younger audience? What strategies are you implementing to connect with these demographics and ensure your brand resonates with their preferences and values?

Well, I think, you know, instant gratification is key. Don’t we all love getting things immediately, right? For example, our credit card approvals used to take four or five days. Now, if you apply through some of our channels, we can approve them instantly. All our banking features are available on our app. We’re the only bank that allows you to open an account here in India, in Singapore, or anywhere else in the world, whether you’re planning to study abroad even before you land. A lot of Gen Zs are pursuing overseas careers, so we have that proposition.

We also offer exciting experiences. For instance, Dua Lipa is coming to India on November 30, and the only way to book a pre-sale ticket was with your HSBC card. We’ve just launched Live Plus, a new card in India with dining deals across the Asia-Pacific. We also offered pre-sales for Bryan Adams concert. While that might not be Gen Z’s genre, I’m told Gen Z loves Bryan Adams too. If you open the ‘BookMyShow’ app, you’ll see the HSBC Lounge, offering several experiences. Gen Z has shifted more towards experiences, and we’re bringing those experiences to our clients.

We’re also involved in sports, cheering for our athletes, and we sponsor the Athletic Federation of India.

We’re also working with ‘BookMyShow’ and ‘Zomato’ to ensure we’re where Gen Z is, but we’re also helping them understand how to save, invest, and think about their future. Ultimately, we have a fiduciary role, and over the 170 years of our presence, we've seen several generations, each driving change.

Did you know that the first ATM in India was brought by HSBC? From that to our involvement in digital currency and the fintech space today, we celebrate our legacy while preparing to serve the future generations.

Since you mentioned AI earlier, how is HSBC India leveraging technology and AI to enhance its services in the BFSI sector?

First of all, we have 42,000 colleagues in India. Some of the best technology around the world is being developed in India, whether it’s for cyber protection, cutting-edge tech development, or AI use cases.

We are embracing AI with open arms, but ensuring it is done ethically. We test various AI use cases rigorously to ensure they genuinely add value to our customers’ lives.

In terms of the BFSI sector, could you highlight some recent trends you’ve observed, and how HSBC, as a leading legacy brand, is adapting to these trends?

Honestly, digitization is at the center of everything. The importance of customer experience is growing. People increasingly care about how seamless their digital experiences are. Globalization is also a major trend – we care about how US markets perform, commodities, and how global factors influence both the Indian economy and the world at large.

Additionally, India is becoming more globally integrated. With the rise of the middle class and increasing affluence, our focus is on helping people manage their money better.

Finally, what key innovations or tools is HSBC implementing to improve consumer experience, streamline operations, and stay ahead in this competitive landscape?

There are very few global banks that genuinely embrace India in its entirety. We serve everyone – individuals, startups, large corporations. Digitization is a major focus, and we’re upskilling our people and using social media where appropriate.

You may have seen our Priyanka Chopra campaign, which is stunning, right? We’re being where our clients are.
There’s so much happening – new ideas, new features – but at the core is our long-term commitment to serving Indian corporates and clients.

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