SANTANDER PORTUGAL: “NOSSA CONTA”
Capturing young consumers at a pivotal life milestone
Nuestros sectores
Servicios financieros
Cliente
Santander Portugal
Soluciones
Programas de captación, Programas de engagement
Ubicación
Portugal
Overview
Every September, as new university freshmen begin their academic year, a window of opportunity opens for banks. Thousands of young adults are making their first major financial decisions – choosing where to open their university account, who to trust with their first savings, and which brand will accompany them through the next series of life milestones.
For Santander, this moment was too important to lose. So, to compete in a crowded market of student offers, the bank needed a proposition that genuinely mattered to Gen Z. Relevant rewards, credible value, and a brand experience that felt tailored to them.
The “Nossa Conta” campaign was born.
The Challenge
Santander needed to spark immediate action among 18+ students at the point of enrolment. Open a new account – or switch to the university segment – with a minimum €55 deposit.
The start of the academic year is one of the noisiest periods in the student calendar. Campuses are often flooded with competing campaigns, many offering discounts, small cash perks, or sign-up incentives. Cutting through that saturation demanded a powerful hook.
At the same time, the Gen Z audience is highly selective, gravitating toward brands that show they understand their lifestyle. Traditional financial bonuses don’t resonate in the same way, and Santander needed something that aligned with how students actually live, explore, and reward themselves.
Why TLC
Santander selected TLC for its strong track record in designing results-oriented reward campaigns with high perceived value, particularly for Gen Z audiences. With deep insight into lifestyle drivers and access to top-tier brand partners, TLC offered a creative solution that engaged students effectively without exceeding budget constraints.
Collaborating with TLC also made campaign curation frictionless. TLC’s expertise in blending data-led insights with strategic creativity allowed the banking institution to deliver a personalised, seamless experience to every student.
The TLC Approach
TLC Worldwide developed a highly-personalised, experience-led acquisition campaign designed specifically around Gen Z interests. Instead of offering cash or generic discounts, students were rewarded with access to a curated selection of high-value lifestyle experiences.
The reward package included gift cards for Fnac, Adidas, Xbox and EA Sports, plus a flexible credit students could use across mobility (Cooltra, Link), learning (Superprof), food, or dining. This breadth ensured thousands of students could access something meaningful and relevant, to them.
The campaign was digitally enabled, easy to access, and supported by a dynamic reward catalogue that evolved over time. High-impact brand names such as Apple and Sephora were added mid-campaign, boosting desirability and sustaining momentum at a critical time. By continuously refreshing the reward landscape, TLC kept the offer exciting and competitive across the full enrolment period.
The Results
This high-value, relevant offer captured attention immediately, drove engagement, and motivated account openings within a very short timeframe.
40%
Of the semester
acquisition target achieved in just 2 weeks
2x
Reward
value per customer compared to bank investment
Named
Santander’s
Top acquisition campaign of 2023
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