Deposits Aren’t This Bank’s Only Assets

Usually when banks merge, people worry about branches closing, tellers getting laid off and other customer-service snafus.

But last week’s announcement that Santa Monica Bank is tying the knot with Newport Beach-based Western Bancorp raised a different question: What will happen to the hilarious ads that SMB places on Santa Monica city buses?

For nearly two decades, Westside residents have been entertained--and occasionally provoked--by such slogans as: “Camp sock-a-lotta-moolah,” “Old and wrinkled is beautiful, especially in large denominations,” “Experts on the reproductive habits of the North American greenback” and “Loans. No sniveling, groveling or bootlicking required.”

The bus ads, which change monthly, have become such icons that two were included in the movie “Speed”: “Save the clams,” and “It’s only money. Yeah, right.”

For the moment, however, their future is in limbo.

“It’s far too early to tell if they will continue,” said a representative for bank boss Aubrey L. Austin, who will reportedly stay on as president and chief executive of Santa Monica Bank once the proposed merger is completed next year.

But David Trim of Hajjar and Partners, the agency that handles SMB’s ad campaign, sounded a hopeful note: “We anticipate a positive effect on the ads,” perhaps involving expanding the campaign to newspapers and other media.

Trim believes that the unorthodox ads, which have been compiled with photos for a possible book, help the 69-year-old bank stand out from competitors. “Financial institutions typically are very conservative,” he says. “It’s been pleasant to work with someone who really understands the power of getting people’s attention.”

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Occasionally, however, that attention is less than favorable.

Pat Robertson, the ad agency rep who has shepherded the SMB account almost since its inception (when the bank shared bus space with a mortuary), recalls having the Great Expectations matchmaker service picket the bank for “We handle more zeros than a dating service.”

And feminists were miffed at “Girls just wanna have funds.”

How did the bank react to the criticism? “We ran both of those ads twice,” Robertson says.

A few other slogans, however, never saw the light of day.

The proposed book devotes a chapter to the rejects, including: “Assets Kissed Daily” and “Congratulations on your settlement, Ivana Trump. We open at 10:00.”

Maybe that one can be dusted off for Marla Maples.