Your First

Case Study: Zanaco "You First" Campaign (2025–2026)
1. The Challenge
Despite being Zambia’s largest indigenous bank, Zanaco faced increasing competition from agile fintechs and international banks. Customer perception often leaned toward "traditional and bureaucratic." The bank needed to pivot from a product-led approach to a customer-centric identity to retain its market lead during a period of national economic shifts and an energy crisis.
2. The Goals
Brand Reinvigoration: Transform the "People’s Bank" image into a modern, empathetic partner.
Deposit & Loan Growth: Incentivize borrowing and savings through high-engagement promotions.
Digital Penetration: Shift heavy foot traffic from physical branches to digital channels and the Zanaco Xpress agent network.
Social Responsibility: Align the brand with national priorities (Sustainability and Energy Security).
3. The Tactics (The "How")
The "15K for You" Promotion: To drive loan uptake, Zanaco launched a lottery-style incentive where 70 customers received a 10% cashback (up to K15,000) on their personal loans. This gamified the borrowing process.
Hyper-Localized Infrastructure: Instead of just building new branches, they refurbished strategic hubs (like the UNZA Main Campus) to cater specifically to student and faculty needs, proving the "You First" promise through better physical environments.
Solar & Agri-Financing: Recognizing the 2025 energy crisis, the bank launched specialized credit facilities for solar equipment and grain purchases (Maize/Soya), positioning themselves as a "problem solver" rather than just a lender.
Massive Agent Expansion: They scaled the Zanaco Xpress network to over 36,000 agents, ensuring that "You First" meant banking was never more than a few minutes away, even in rural areas.
The "Plant A Million" Initiative: A flagship CSR tactic to plant one million trees, linking the bank’s corporate success to Zambia’s environmental health.
4. The Results
Record Profitability: The bank achieved a historic K2 billion profit after tax for the 2025 financial year, a direct result of increased transaction volumes and loan interest.
Customer Validation: Awarded the "Voice of the Customer Champion" (2025) by the Chartered Institute of Customer Management, proving the shift in public perception was successful.
Shareholder Value: Increased dividend payouts by over 11% (from K632m to K704m), demonstrating that the "Customer First" strategy also delivered for investors.
Market Dominance: With a 25% share of the banking population and the largest agent network in the country, Zanaco successfully fended off fintech encroachment by becoming a "digital-first" hybrid.