Itaú Bank and Grey Argentina Open First Bank Account 100% Operated via WhatsApp 

In Latin America the use of WhatsApp has practically replaced texting. Just in Argentina, 84% of cell phone owners use WhatsApp as their main messenger channel, so nowadays, conversations via this app are part of daily life and go through mostly all social interactions. From meetings, collections for gifts up to chats of school´s parents, this way of communication has its own codes and etiquette where we feel comfortable and safe, because it represents a friendly mode of communicating, practical, free, and easy to use. 

These same attributes are now offered by the new Itaú Chat Account: the first bank account in Argentina to be opened, operated, and closed directly via WhatsApp, free of charge for life and without the need to download any app, resulting in a totally innovative and unique product on the market. 

The campaign, created by Grey Argentina, is anchored in two presentation spots and a promo that, with humorous tone and dizzying script, tour the most recognisable places of our interactions at WhatsApp, highlighting how it is possible to use that same familiarity to conduct banking operations. 

"The pandemic and home office made it clear how chaotic, and how difficult to follow a WhatsApp group can be. Not to even mention when money issues are included. Chat Account comes to help us dealing with all that in an easy, already familiar way. But, above all, it comes to change all we knew about trading with a bank. And it’s  great for us to be part of all this." said Hernán Kritzer, CCO of the agency along with Alejandro Devoto 

With Chat Account it is possible to transfer money up to $100,000 per day, consult balances and movements, reload the subway and cell phone cards, buy in digital form with a virtual debit card or generate an order of withdrawal of cash without card from ATMs. Also, in the near future, it will be possible to make QR payments in stores and receive personalised attention to queries. 

This account aims to attract new customers, and to help banking in overall. It is not necessary to have an account in any bank or financial knowledge. It is very simple to operate, and you only need to have the WhatsApp application downloaded on your cell phone. And in turn, it is ideal for younger people accustomed to managing their finances in a virtual way because it has a simple and easy to understand language. And Itaú customers can also do operations using WhatsApp as a channel.

Carolina Belzunce, marketing manager of Banco Itaú commented: "Continuing with the commitment to put people at the center of everything we do, we present this development that involves not only integrating the bank into the context of the digital life of people already accustomed to using WhatsApp for everything, but also encourage financial inclusion with a product that has simple access and is easy to operate. Chat Account is much more than an account, it is an experience that transforms the way you link with the Bank."