Launched on 30 January 2008, www.mylostaccount.org.uk is the free, 'one-stop shop' website to trace bank, building society and NS&I savings accounts. Designed to make it quicker and easier to search for lost accounts, the website brings together the existing tracing schemes from the British Bankers' Association (BBA), Building Societies Association (BSA) and NS&I.
www.mylostaccount.org.uk was promoted by an extensive online and print campaign that commenced on 4 February 2008. The campaign was fronted by a cartoon image, 'Fetch' the dog, designed to appeal to a wide audience.
Ayesha de Silva, Online Marketing Manager at NS&I who collected the award last night said, "To receive the award is a real honour for all of us at NS&I and our partners, the BBA and BSA. The website www.mylostaccount.org.uk has certainly proved popular with the public in 2008 and the concept of 'Fetch' was a straightforward and fun way to make people aware of the new website."
The campaign identity and advertising was developed and produced by CST and media buying handled by OMD UK. The website was built by Wrenhill.
In the first six months of www.mylostaccount.org.uk, more than 140,000 people submitted search forms for money left unclaimed in dormant bank, building society and NS&I accounts. This compares with 44,000 claims in 2007, via the BBA's, BSA's and NS&I's own tracing services, prior to the launch of the website.
The free website has also averaged over 760 claims per day since its launch, as savers have become more aware of this easy way of checking whether any of the estimated £1 billion lying in dormant accounts is rightfully theirs.
The Financial Services Forum Awards for Marketing Effectiveness, introduced in 2002, are dedicated to recognising and rewarding proven success in the presentation and promotion of financial services and products. Last night, the site was also Commended for two other awards, in the Digital Activity and New Product, Service or Innovation categories.
