As consumers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant noise in financial services. Interest rates, switching bonuses, cashback offers… the sheer volume can paralyse rather than empower. Many consumers don’t know what to do for the best outcome, so they simply stick with the status quo. This inertia is dangerous for both brands and customers, especially at a time when money needs to work harder than ever.

So, how can financial services brands stand out and build trust and loyalty in an increasingly crowded space?

Stand for Something 

Trust in financial services has been fragile for years. YouGov research shows that despite high awareness, financial services brands suffer low popularity. Cutting through the noise isn’t about shouting louder – it’s about showing, clearly and consistently, what a brand stands for.

When brands move beyond transactional offers and communicate what truly gets them out of bed in the morning, they don’t just get noticed. They start building the kind of trust and differentiation that makes people want to spend time with them. This, in turn, can help consumers feel more confident and empowered when it comes to their money.

Consistency Builds Trust and Differentiation

Monzo is a great example. From the start, it positioned itself as transparent and community-driven — a challenger to traditional banks. They clearly state that their mission is to make money work for everyone and they have been consistently communicating this from the day they launched. Recently, their Book of Money has become a best-seller, proving that consumers can see real value in the brand beyond banking products.

Meanwhile, Starling Bank has recently unveiled a new rebrand, but this isn’t just a vanity exercise. It’s rooted in insight and designed to make everyday money management easier. Their research has revealed that many people struggle with financial tasks, so the refresh is built around helping customers build positive habits. The changes are practical and purposeful, a bolder, simpler icon, a more legible font to avoid confusion between characters like ‘O’ and ‘0’ and redesigned cards that meet the highest accessibility standards. It’s a rebrand that works harder for customers, setting Starling apart in a meaningful way.

But it’s not just the fintechs who are getting this right. Nationwide has also shown the power of consistency (although Building Societies do tend to generally fare better in the trust stakes). Its “A.N.Y. Bank” campaign focuses on what it means to be member-owned, with recent work highlighting anti-fraud services like the 24/7 Scam Checker. However, despite changing creative agencies, which would normally mean ripping up and starting again, Nationwide stuck with this distinctive brand asset because it was working. Kantar praised the brand for being “meaningfully different” and guided by a clear “magnetic north”, a vision that helps it cut through in a crowded sector. Not only that, but commercial benefits are clear. In Q4 2024, Nationwide recorded the highest net gains in current account switching of all retail banks in the UK. 

Consistent Campaigning Helps Consumers Too

What unites these brands is authenticity. They don’t just ask people to trust them — they demonstrate what they stand for through consistent actions, experiences, and campaigns. The results are twofold:

• Trust: customers know what the brand stands for and see proof of it in action.
• Differentiation: purpose, not just products, becomes the unique selling point.

But the benefits go further. Authentic campaigning can also help consumers feel more in control of their finances and build healthier money habits. This has a positive impact at both a brand and a societal level.

The Opportunity Ahead

For financial services marketers, the opportunity is not to simply add to the noise. Instead be clear about what your brand stands for, be consistent and be authentic. The brands that succeed won’t just win attention — they’ll earn trust, inspire loyalty, and ultimately help people live more confident financial lives.