055 Jay Safdar
Performance Engine Lead, Consumer Marketing, Lloyds Banking Group
Jay Safdar 🚀 is Performance Engine Lead, Consumer Marketing at Lloyds Banking Group. He has also had various marketing roles at HSBC, Barclays, and American Express. You can go deep with Jay on his episode of The Places We’ll Go Marketing Show or in his interview in The Drum.
“The real impact comes from doing fewer things phenomenally well, anchored in a clear brand vision and purpose.”
The interview
What’s your coffee ritual?
An espresso pre-gym to kickstart the day, followed by a couple of quick instant black coffees for efficiency - strictly before 3pm.
What was your first marketing job?
I joined the graduate scheme at American Express, where I led the expansion of the Platinum Cashback card to grow penetration among mass affluent audiences, alongside the Costco Wholesale cashback proposition.
What finance apps do you have on your home screen?
Lloyds Bank (obviously the only one you need!), plus four other banks to keep an eye on the industry. I’ve also got a couple of price comparison (aggregator) apps - I’m slightly obsessed with doing the occasional soft search to see what I’m eligible for.
Which newsletter, podcast, or book do you recommend most?
The CLIMB Show - I love hearing other people’s “squiggly” career journeys and insights, as well as knowing everyone’s got challenges.
What’s an underrated growth channel in fintech?
YouTube. It can bridge driving brand and acquisition objectives if used intelligently as a content hub. You don’t have to always drive people to your website but can meet your audience where they are.
What keeps you up at night?
Not much, I tie up my loose ends and plan the next day’s priorities and plans before bed. Getting a good night’s sleep is super important!
What are the most useful measurement tools you use in your work?
The key is to not get too obsessed with any one source of truth and using a multitude to get a more rounded perspective - from MMM, to regular experimentation, and platform studies. Qualitative insights from customers can be just as useful as the numbers.
What’s one fintech brand (other than your own) that’s getting marketing right?
I’ll always have a spot for American Express because it’s where I started out, but their attention to customer experience is standout. Everyone’s cottoned on to how important it is now for revenue generation.
Why is marketing so hard?
Because we try to do too much. The real impact comes from doing fewer things phenomenally well, anchored in a clear brand vision and purpose.
Whose answers to the above questions would you most like to read?
Nobody of note - I’d rather hear from a real customer; they’re far more interesting!