No offence to the geeks, but why is Financial advertising / communication so boring? Is it because the creatives can't come up with fresh ideas for age old services or is it because the business itself is such that no client wants to risk the 'Traditional, solid' image and experiment with bold new ideas.

In any case, it doesn't matter where the blame rests. What matters is financial advertising / content can be quite a pain with all the lagalese involved.

Consider this paragraph -

"In the event of loss of Money relating to Business or Profession due to accident or misfortune happening during the currency of the Policy, the Company hereby agrees subject to the terms, condition and exclusions herein contained, endorsed or otherwise expressed hereon, to pay to the Insured the amount of loss in the circumstances or situations as set out in the Schedule, provided always that the limit of the Company's liability for any one loss shall in no case exceed the amount specified against the respective Item in the said Schedule."

uhhh.... exactly!

But it can be beautifully done too.

The Virgin Money 'Say Yes' campaign, the Discover card 'Elf' campaign, and one which I made - the HDFC Securities "Blinded / mystified / Extendable" can be regarded as one among the really few which break from the mould.

So - financial advertising can be great - if the creatives are given certain amount of leeway and the clients themselves can be more experimental / not so constricting in their approach.

That said, I gotta go wop somebody for that paragraph! Laters.