Wells Fargo is reaching out to North Carolina, its newest territory in the merged sea-to-shining-sea bank. If you haven't spied the new TV commercial that showcases icons from the states where the combined Wells-Fargo-Wachovia has a presence, take a look.
It's a pretty obvious pitch to be seen as a hometown bank in N.C.
You'll recognize the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, which is Wells Fargo headquarters.
And you'll also pick out the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at Buxton on the N.C. Outer Banks.
There's probably no more recognizable symbol of the Tar Heel State than that 208-foot historic light. (Here's a live cam Lighthouse cam.
But the PR honchos for this plug to think of Wells Fargo as one of us missed one detail. The commercial shows the familiar black-and-white spiral striped lighthouse perched on the sand, with the waves of the Atlantic breaking near its base.
Anybody from North Carolina - or who knows about North Carolina - knows the lighthouse is no longer on the lip of the Atlantic. Erosion threatened its base, and it was moved 10 years ago to a spot some half-mile inland. There are ponds nearby, but no lapping ocean.
Wells Fargo may know banking, but it apparently doesn't know North Carolina.
You'll recognize the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, which is Wells Fargo headquarters.
And you'll also pick out the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at Buxton on the N.C. Outer Banks.
There's probably no more recognizable symbol of the Tar Heel State than that 208-foot historic light. (Here's a live cam Lighthouse cam.
But the PR honchos for this plug to think of Wells Fargo as one of us missed one detail. The commercial shows the familiar black-and-white spiral striped lighthouse perched on the sand, with the waves of the Atlantic breaking near its base.
Anybody from North Carolina - or who knows about North Carolina - knows the lighthouse is no longer on the lip of the Atlantic. Erosion threatened its base, and it was moved 10 years ago to a spot some half-mile inland. There are ponds nearby, but no lapping ocean.
Wells Fargo may know banking, but it apparently doesn't know North Carolina.
Hometown bank? Not yet.
- posted by Mary Schulken
- posted by Mary Schulken
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23 comments:
Don't nit-pick. They're trying.
Wow! You wrote an article that did not belittle UNC Charlotte. What gives?
this article has the stink of provincialism and exonphobia that has plagued Charlotte for too long. I bet you are just so pissed that Wells Fargo isn't a northeastern based bank so you can't call them "yankees" that aren't up on the details of your precious state. Get over yourself. Not everyone knows that the lighthouse was moved. and like the poster above said, at least they are trying.
Dear Wells Fargo,
How dare you attempt to romanticize North Carolina's scenic landmarks! I am compelled to point out your errors.
sincerely,
Newspaper Blogger
and by the way, I am from North Carolina (was raised there and lived there for 22 years) and go back twice a year to visit family, and i did not know that the lighthouse had been moved. So your statement that "anyone from North Carolina" knows the lighthouse was moved is just plain wrong.
I wonder what images Chase will use when they buy out Bank of America.
One down (Wachovia), one to go. After that, alls you'll hear in Charlotte will be crickets chirping.....
Wow! YOu have nothing better to do or nothing better to write about than this? Get a life.
Wow! That's some "hard-hitting," quality journalism..... nit-picking TV commercials. Definitely news-worthy....Not!
My family has lived in Mecklenburg County since it was first settled, in the 1700s, and I am a native Charlottean. It is my opinion that this blog posting is one of the most stupid things that has EVER come out of the Observer. EVER!
Change of any kind brings on anxiety. Whether Wells is attempting to hold onto customers or to dissuade that anxiety, it is clear that they are approaching this takeover thoughtfully. Please give them a chance. I'm sure my ancestors gave the same to the writer's.
Wachovia obviously didn't know about California when it bought the worst of the worst loans that Golden West had been originating.
Wow - this has less meaningful information than a 'Paid to Party' blog.
They should really stop forcing you all to come up with three of these every week.
I lived in Charlotte for 27 years before moving to San Francisco. With a changed perspective on my hometown, I must say the constant little ego tantrums do not reflect well on it. I imagine Charlotte still ooohs & ahhhs when there's a national television presence in town too (like a Panthers game). Ya know what? National television crews go to places like Sacramento too. I really think Charlotte should have grown out of this behavior by now. Fact is, Charlotte has some bigger problems (banking meltdown) than these meaningless little image fits. I remember when the vaunted buzz-phrase was "world class city." Well, Charlotte needs a world class enema and a few glasses of red wine. Relax. For God's sake, stop sweating the small stuff, and show a little self confidence.
Wells will get it right and besides the sea to shining sea image was the point! Hatteras light was moved on rail muchs like the space shuttle and was the object of obsessive reporting when it was moved because of the delicate operation.
Someone ought to explain the concept of "stock footage" to Mary.
This really is a bit of ridiculous nit picking.
I think we will find over the next few years that Wells Fargo will remind us a lot of a great NC institution - the true blue Wachovia that was wiped away by the First Union takeover.
I've been with Wells Fargo before, and they are a great institution.
Seriously, grow up.
I'm sure you'll eventually see that the Wells Fargo-Wachovia merger will prove good for Charlotte. The folks I've had contact with so far are friendly, talented and very inclusive. No "my way or the highway" that I can see. Give it a chance.
Oh what little some know. Wells Fargo has been in NC for a long time, long before the merger was complete on 12/31. Trust me, they know what they're doing. And they're definitely not new to NC. Open up your phone book and look up Wells Fargo. Come on. I dare ya.
Anyone knows that wasn't a longleaf pine next to the light house. It was destroyed 80 yrs ago when hurricane wtf blew in and destroyed all the local banks and that single pine tree. Anyone from NC should know that. What a freakin stupid article.
Does anyone respect Mary Schulken?
I noticed the lighthouse error too and I must admit it annoyed me somewhat. But it wasn't Wells Fargo's fault. Their marketing firm goofed, and no Wells exec knew enough about NC to notice the error. And anyone who says they lived in NC for a long time seriously has had their head in the sand if they didn't know they moved the lighthouse. It was in the papers for months!
We stopped taking the Observer because of articles like this. Then I started reading all the newspapers on the web and posting in many of them. My husband said, enough! We now get the Observer again. I have not read it - too busy posting!!!
Seriously, my family on the west coast says Wells Fargo is an excellent bank. I did what the poster suggested and looked in the phone book. Holy Cow!!
That is the first thing I thought of when I saw the commercial!! (that the lighthouse was in its former spot)
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