
Exhibits
The Corporate Archives curates physical and digital exhibits from our collections to tell BMO’s story over the years. Our aim is to provide a better understanding of the defining moments in our history.
The evolution of advertisements at BMO
As Canada’s first bank, Bank of Montreal has produced many different advertisements over its 205+ years of history. In this exhibit, we take a look at different advertising styles over the years, from the first notice published in newspapers in 1817 to 21st century digital advertisements. Marketing and advertising campaigns have come a long way since the early-nineteenth century, let’s see how they evolved at BMO!

BMO’s first advertisement
Prior to the opening of Bank of Montreal (then known as the Montreal Bank) on 3 November 1817, a notice was printed in the Montreal Herald on 23 October 1817 to advertise the first bank in Canada.
The advertisement is short, factual, and to the point. It simply states basic information customers would need to know about the bank: the opening date, hours, and that Discount Days are on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Advertising in the early 20th century
Most advertisements for the bank during the nineteenth century were confined to small blurbs in the newspapers. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that advertising began to change.
In the early-twentieth century, advertisements were primarily text-based, only occasionally featuring drawings. These drawings were often of the exterior of the Montreal Main branch, a recognizable landmark, as seen in this advertisement. The tagline most often featured on early ads like this was simply “Established 1817” or, after the centennial in 1917, “Established over 100 years.” It was an accomplishment to have a century of service and this was proudly shared in advertisements printed in newspapers, periodicals, and even theatre programs.

Telling a story
Soon, advertisements began to include more imagery, often creating fictional stories between depicted characters. This advertisement from the 1930s depicts two fishermen having a conversation about how they use Bank of Montreal to help manage their fishing businesses. These types of advertisements would set up a scenario for the fictional bank customer to explain why Bank of Montreal was the best bank for their wide variety of needs, from personal to commercial banking. These stories represented customers from all walks of life, and gave customers the opportunity to see how the bank would best suit them.

Around the Campus with Egbert
By the 1940s, marketing departments became more integrated in bank operations and with this development came the introduction of stylized logos, slogans, and advertising campaigns. The bank introduced the “‘My Bank’ to a Million Canadians” slogan in 1945. The slogan was featured in print advertisements, giving the bank a unique identity.
Between 1946 and 1950, the bank ran a series of advertisements aimed at university students entitled “Around the Campus with Egbert.” The series ran during the school year in university publications across Canada and were often comedic. They all featured fictional student, Egbert, as he navigated university life, and highlighted the importance of savings accounts for students. Some examples include Egbert lamenting how he missed his Freshman dance, cramming for exams, selling his textbooks for extra pocket money, and struggling through a student production of Hamlet.

Introducing FIL (Farm Improvement Loans)
Advertising campaigns continued to develop into the 1950s, as can be seen through the creation of FIL, a character designed to advertise Farm Improvement Loans.
FIL was depicted as a small, elven creature, who suggested various ways the short-term and intermediate loans could be used for improving farms, such as implementing electricity or purchasing tractors and milking machines.

Catching the eye
Mid-century advertisements incorporated more colour than they had previously. While this advertisement for the Family Finance Plan uses colour sparingly, the pops of red succeed in making it eye-catching.
Advertisements around this time often included an image of the pamphlet or booklet that related to what was being advertised so customers would know what to look for when visiting their local branch. It also became more common for ads to feature minimal wording, letting the images and titles speak for themselves.

The vibrant ‘70s
The 1970s brought even more colour to advertising. This Home Financing pamphlet from 1974 uses many bright colours, including the bank’s trademark BMO-blue, that would have stood out on brochure stands.
The introduction of the M-bar logo in 1967 further unified the bank’s branding. The M-bar would often be paired with other slogans, like “Let’s talk!” in the 1970s, which encouraged customers to come into branches and speak to a banker about their individual banking needs.

Meet Fred, the BMO mortgage mascot
Introduced in 1984, Fred, the mortgage mascot, became the face of mortgages for Bank of Montreal. He represented the average homebuyer at the time. In 1985, Fred was used on the Mortgage Control Handbook, walking customers through the different mortgage options offered by the bank.
Fred wasn’t used just in print advertisements; he was also used as a life-sized cardboard cut-out in branches to promote mortgages. He can be seen in many interior branch photographs from this time period. His affable appearance reassured prospective homeowners that Bank of Montreal could turn their homebuying dreams into reality.

Can a bank change?
Many were shocked when Bank of Montreal launched its television campaign in 1997 asking the rhetorical question, “Can a bank change?” It wasn’t so much the question itself that created controversy, although it was a provocative theme for its day. No, it was the soundtrack: Bob Dylan’s iconic, “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” the anti-establishment anthem of the 1960s. The campaign set BMO apart from its competitors – at a time when most saw little difference among Canada’s big banks.

Simple, but effective
In recent years, BMO’s marketing has simplified. Modern advertisements often feature a bright photograph paired with simple white text on a BMO blue background. In the fast-paced world of the 21st century, advertisements need to convey their purpose quickly and pack an entire idea in a small amount of text. By showing more than it is telling, these types of ads encourage customers to seek out more information at their local branch to get a more personalized banking experience.