For The Drum’s Finance & Utilities Focus, we take a look at the 20 biggest budget-holders in the UK financial services sector.
Lloyds Banking Group, American Express and Co-Operative Group lead the way as the UK’s biggest-spending financial services companies, according to research revealed as part of our special focus on finance industry marketing.
Compiled with media spend data provided by Winmo, the sales intelligence platform designed by and for professionals in advertising, media and agencies, the list provides a snapshot of the biggest budget-holders operating in the UK.
Want to go deeper? Ask The Drum
As The Drum detailed this week, Lloyds, which holds the top spot with an annual media spend exceeding £50m, has just undergone a major brand refresh designed to “create a bank that is fit for the future.” That’s according to its chief marketing officer Suresh Balaji, who told us the rebrand isn’t a mere “CMO vanity project” but something much more foundational.
American Express, in second spot, has also been a focus of our coverage this week as we explored the value it derives from brand partnerships.
All of the companies in this top 20 had an annual media spend upwards of £5m in 2023. The ranking comprises a mix of companies across the financial services spectrum but is dominated by banks, building societies and insurers.
|
Rank |
Company |
Media Spend |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lloyds Banking Group | £50m+ |
| 2 | American Express Company | £20m-£50m |
| 3 | Co-Operative Group | £20m-£50m |
| 4 | Moneysupermarket Financial Group Ltd | £20m-£50m |
| 5 | Nationwide Building Society | £20m-£50m |
| 6 | Barclays | £20m-£50m |
| 7 | Intuit | £20m-£50m |
| 8 | Aviva | £20m-£50m |
| 9 | Direct Line Insurance | £10m-£20m |
| 10 | Go.Compare | £10m-£20m |
| 11 | Confused.com | £10m-£20m |
| 12 | Staysure | £10m-£20m |
| 13 | National Westminster Bank | £10m-£20m |
| 14 | Bupa | £10m-£20m |
| 15 | Santander UK | £10m-£20m |
| 16 | HSBC | £10m-£20m |
| 17 | Capital One | £5m-£10m |
| 18 | Age Partnership | £5m-£10m |
| 19 | Petplan | £5m-£10m |
| 20 | Barclaycard | £5m-£10m |
Total annual estimated media spend, 2023. All data © Winmo LLC, used under license 2024.
Winmo is the most widely adopted sales intelligence platform designed by and for professionals in advertising, media and agencies to drive more wins by targeting the right decision-makers with precision. With verified contacts, brand insights and estimated media spend as key indicators, Winmo enables users to identify high-value prospects and connect at the ideal moment.
For more on how the UK’s biggest financial services companies are deploying their marketing budgets, check out our special Finance & Utilities hub. There, you’ll find features on challenger banks’ growing pains, the outlook for cryptocurrency brands and insights from the world’s most disruptive financial marketers.