LaSalle Bank gives way to Bank of America
ADVERTISING | Another Chicago icon gone
With a curious print ad featuring an image of Chicago's iconic, very retro 60-year-old Superdawg hot dog stand, Bank of America on Monday said goodbye to a big chunk of local banking history that was LaSalle Bank and welcomed itself to the neighborhood. Monday was the official changeover day when the green and gold LaSalle Bank signage at scores of branches throughout metropolitan Chicago was replaced with the bright red and blue Bank of America branding. Bank of America acquired LaSalle last October.
Monday's ad with the Superdawg image from BBDO welcomed Chicago to "more Bank of America," which the copy went on to describe as "more of a good thing." Certainly it will take awhile for Chicagoans to decide just how much of a good thing Bank of America may be for our city. Whatever proves to be the case, it won't be easy for many lifelong Chicagoans to immediately forget LaSalle Bank or that brand's 80-plus year history in Chicago. Few could dispute that LaSalle -- over the years -- worked hard to be a highly visible hometown bank that supported many worthwhile causes from theater to classical music and, of course, major sporting events like the LaSalle Bank Marathon.
*1940 -- Renamed LaSalle National Bank.
*1979 -- Bought by Algemene Bank Nederland -- ABN.
*1988 -- Acquires the holding company of Northbrook Trust & Savings Bank, Northwest National Bank, Lake View Trust Savings Bank and Bank of Westmont.
*1990 -- ABN acquires parent company of Exchange National Bank and Exchange Bank River Oaks.
*1991 -- ABN Bank and AMRO Bank merge to form ABN AMRO Bank.
*1992 -- ABN AMRO North America buys Talman Home Federal Savings and Loan Association.
*1994 -- LaSalle Talman Bank acquires 26 Savings of America branches.
But it will be up to Bank of America now to decide what local initiatives it wishes to support. BofA apparently isn't immediately turning its back on theater. On Wednesday, the LaSalle Bank Theatre will formally be rechristened the Bank of America Theatre with new marquee signage. And BofA already has signaled it will continue its affiliation with the high-profile marathon. The bank also is making a grant to the Art Institute to underwrite new education facilities and admission to the museum for students and their families. No doubt there will be more such largess in the months to come as BofA looks to win over Chicagoans.
From an advertising perspective, the last years of the LaSalle Bank era in Chicago were certainly surprising at times and -- on occasion -- quite inspiring. We won't soon forget the exquisite "Wishes" commercial from Energy BBDO/Chicago that LaSalle unveiled several years ago. It featured a montage of people making wishes in a variety of styles and in striking settings.
The images in that spot were tied together with a dreamy musical underscoring that made the memorable commercial a joy to watch. And though it might not have been the kind of advertising a lot of people expect from a bank, Cramer-Krasselt/Chicago really pushed the envelope with some wacky but amusing print, outdoor and television executions for LaSalle Bank in the early years of the 21st century. It was fun stuff that will always be fun to recall, even though the LaSalle Bank brand has faded from sight.
Harris Bank is expanding its presence at the United Center beyond its Chicago Bulls sponsorship. On Monday, the city's third-largest financial institution said its name will be affixed to a new luxury club under construction at the United Center.
Slated for completion this summer, the new Harris Club will function much like a luxury suite at the United Center, but it will allow sports fans to purchase individual passes to the club, rather than the 12 to 14 seats that are factored into the cost of a suite. A $15,750 season seat in the Harris Club buys admission to all Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks preseason and regular season games, along with a food buffet and all beverages and a parking pass for every two seats purchases. The facility also will be decked out with couches, flat-screen televisions and a pool table.
All kinds of sponsors are lining up to get naming rights to high-end lounges at sports facilities. Last month, United Airlines inked a deal with the Chicago Bears for naming rights to an upscale club facility at Soldier Field that was formerly known as the Cadillac Club. Justine Fedak, senior vice president at Harris Bank, said the bank wanted to help establish a facility at the United Center that would create a relaxing environment for Bulls fans, many of whom are bank clients.
Steve Schanwald, senior vice president of marketing for the United Center, said there has long been a demand from visitors to the arena for a suite-like facility that didn't require the purchase of large numbers of seasons tickets.
