17/07/12..Thame company supports ‘Bank of Dave’

THE staff of local digital marketing agency, STW Search & Marketing, watched a new Channel 4 documentary last Thursday (12/07) with special interest. They were on the look out for the show?s supporting stars ? two cash machines supplied by their client, leading ATM deployer InfoCash.

Over two episodes, the ATM?s will play a central role in ?Bank of Dave? which follows the progress of entrepreneur Dave Fishwick who, fed up with stories of greed, corruption and bankers bonuses, sets out to take on the banking industry and prove that there is another, better way to do business. Putting his money where his mouth is, Dave decides to open his own bank to help inject new life into local businesses. With just 180 days to see his bank turn a profit, it?s a huge challenge for a man who, while extremely successful in business, is the first to admit that he knows very little about the banking system.

Oxfordshire based InfoCash is the third largest ATM deployer in the UK and has been a client of STW for three years. Cat Young of STW said: ?Bank of Dave is an interesting project and it?s great that InfoCash have been selected to be involved. It?s not often that an ATM gets cast for TV, but these cash machines have a key role to play in this experiment.?

InfoCash supplied Bank of Dave with two cash machines to use in his epic quest. One ATM was installed in the premises Dave used to set up his bank; the other was fitted into a specially converted coach to provide a mobile banking service to customers. Both machines dispensed cash free of charge to users.

Speaking about his project, Dave Fishwick says, ?There are businesses and individuals out there who are hardworking and honest but through no fault of their own, can no longer get loans. They are being ignored and let down by the banks, while bankers still pay themselves enormous salaries and bonuses. My bank may be tiny but it will be better than a High Street bank. I want to show how banking can be socially responsible and not greedy and reckless and I’m going to do what the High Street banks just can’t bring themselves to do – give away any profits to charity.”

The documentary promises to be compelling viewing with the possibility of further shows following the fortunes of the businesses that Dave invests his money into ? assuming of course, that Bank of Dave succeeds in taking on the established competition……..