Sterling Bank late Friday posted a tweet that apparently took a stab at some rival Nigerian banks. The tweet has ignited tweet responses from rival banks and has engulfed twitter Nigeria with many seeing the fun side of the banter.
The tweet read, “Shoot for the moon, become a star – it’s the least you deserve.” included a graphic showing a person, perhaps a customer, on a space ship shooting for the moon. In this case the moon is a Sterling Bank logo.
The graphic also included a boy slaking on a board with what seemed like an Access Bank board. It also included someone looking out of a window of a cube looking house with a color similar to GTB. Two boys each rode on an elephant and horse respectively in subtle shade to First Bank and Union Bank.
See tweet and image
Shoot for the moon, become a star – it's the least you deserve. Welcome to #SterlingBank ? pic.twitter.com/Jt7M5AkSSb
— Sterling Bank Plc (@Sterling_Bankng) July 20, 2018
Banter in advertising is not new in Nigeria especially in the telecoms sector where GSM companies throw subtle shades at each other. However, Nigerian banks are more conservative and hardly go toe to toe with each other with advertising.
Union Bank responds
In response, Union Bank responded with their own tweets claiming “Heading to the moon without a spacesuit…journey mercies”
Heading to the moon without a spacesuit…journey mercies??♂️??♂️#simplersmarterSAFERbanking
— UNION BANK (@UNIONBANK_NG) July 21, 2018
Access Bank also responded to the tweet;
We will travel on an imaginary rocket too, if we were a one-customer Microfinance Bank; but with ten million customers and counting, we rather bring the galaxy to you! #YouAreWorthIt #TakeTomorrow #KnowYourElders pic.twitter.com/pBGuW8JaLo
— Access Bank Plc (@myaccessbank) July 21, 2018
First Bank responds
… And straight into the trash can. #RespectYourElders #MoveOver #NextPlease #YouFirst pic.twitter.com/tkyZe9FVgc
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
What an elder sees while sitting, a child cannot see even if he travels to the moon. #RespectYourElders #YouFirst
— FirstBank Nigeria (@FirstBankngr) July 21, 2018
GT Bank is yet to respond to the tweet but twitter users are apparently enjoying the banter and appear to want other banks to tweet their own response.
Some twitter commentary
@sterlingbankng Oh Nana look what you done started. pic.twitter.com/YKjSkvsih8
— Abolaji Adekeye (@Picaxso) July 21, 2018
Oboy see sub. @myaccessbank @gtbank @FirstBankngr @UNIONBANK_NG Coman pack una sub ooo.
— Emmanuel (@Omogidigangan) July 21, 2018
You guys are mean…. I feel like banking with you guys. ????
— KingMicahOkorogba (@MicahCT) July 21, 2018
Amazing artwork…..simply phenomenal. ?? ?? ??
— IamToluwa (@LFCboya) July 21, 2018
Whether they reply or not, they will deduct our fees, cos sterling bank has already stressed them by dragging them in, so let them reply, so we will know what exactly we are paying for
— Social Baby (@SocialBaby1) July 21, 2018
