Barclaycard: Sliding Your Way Into a Greater Share of The Future

In the late 1990s, a new set of competitors changed the dynamic of the credit card market, leaving Barclaycard’s original communications model outdated. By 2005 Barclaycard was suffering a decline in volume transactions, market share and share of new customer acquisition. In response the brand radically changed the core brand proposition and used communication to engage with a new generation of credit card holders. The creation of ‘the world’s biggest waterslide’ across multiple channels including TV, online, and an iPhone game, captured the public’s attention. This paper demonstrates how effective methods of communication have driven new customer acquisition and added value of £22m to the Barclaycard business, delivering a payback of £2.50 for every £1 invested.