OOH media has played a pivotal role in Yes Bank’s visibility strategy: Nipun Kaushal

At the e4m Neons OOH Conference 2025, Nipun Kaushal, Chief Marketing Officer of Yes Bank, delivered a compelling account of the bank’s branding transformation, rooted in resilience, purpose, and a collective national spirit.

Kaushal recounted the tough road Yes Bank navigated in recent years, marked by trust deficits and skepticism. “It was not easy for this brand to reach out to customers,” he said, emphasising that brand rebuilding is neither swift nor solely dependent on any one medium. Instead, he advocated for purpose and consistency as the cornerstones of brand equity.

In May 2023, Yes Bank launched its refreshed identity and campaign “Life Ko Banao Rich”, not to glorify monetary wealth, but to celebrate meaningful experiences. “Every transaction builds memories,” Kaushal shared, highlighting emotionally resonant examples like home EMIs and vacation spending as touchpoints of happiness.

This ethos culminated in the bank’s nationalistic Olympic campaign “Milkar Jeetenge”, a rallying cry that positioned the bank as a proud partner in India’s collective journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Developed by McCann and Prasoon Joshi, the campaign underscores how a minuscule fraction of India’s population makes it to the Olympics, yet they represent the spirit of a billion-plus. “As a nation, we will win together,” Kaushal declared, explaining the campaign’s purpose-led storytelling.

Out-of-home (OOH) media played a pivotal role in Yes Bank’s visibility strategy. Kaushal reflected on the evolution of outdoor advertising and emphasised targeted placements, near branches, in residential zones, and in high-footfall areas like malls and airports. He praised creative innovations such as branded buses in Mumbai and installations at Delhi airport that drew considerable media attention.

While acknowledging the rising importance of digital, Kaushal cautioned against a “spray and pray” approach, urging for sharper audience targeting and synergy across platforms. “You see it in your society, then outside, then in the newspaper, and on television, you create a media fabric,” he explained.

He also challenged the OOH industry to step up its game: “Please build a matrix... be a little more innovative... don’t just print a flex and light it up.” Kaushal pushed for better measurement tools, impact-driven budgeting, and more public relations efforts to elevate the perceived value of OOH media.

In an era of fleeting attention and high media fragmentation, Yes Bank’s CMO made it clear that authentic messaging, national relevance, and media innovation are not just marketing tactics, they’re integral to rebuilding trust and brand identity.