BCR Wins Five EFFIE Awards for Redefining the Banking Experience and Community Engagement
BCR Wins Five EFFIE Awards for Redefining the Banking Experience and Community Engagement Banca Comercială Română (BCR) has received five awards at the 23rd edition of the EFFIE Awards Romania, one of the country's most prestigious competitions recognizing excellence in marketing and communication effectiveness. The awards acknowledge two of the. . .
BCR Wins Five EFFIE Awards for Redefining the Banking Experience and Community EngagementBanca Comercială Română (BCR)has receivedfive awardsat the23rd edition of the EFFIE Awards Romania, one of the country’s most prestigious competitions recognizing excellence in marketing and communication effectiveness. The awards acknowledge two of the bank’s flagship initiatives that demonstrate how meaningful customer engagement and real-life impact can transform the banking experience:ZBOR, Romania’s largest youth community network, and theGeorge Benefits Programme, the country’s first banking loyalty programme rewarding customer engagement. BCR was also shortlisted for theGrand Effie, the competition’s highest distinction, for its“I Know Better”campaign promoting the George Benefits Programme. BCR’s Awards at the 2026 EFFIE Awards RomaniaZBOR – “Trust in Today’s Young People” campaignSilver– Positive Change: Social Good – BrandsSilver– Youth MarketingBronze– Engaged CommunitiesGeorge Benefits Programme – “I Know Better” campaignGold– Marketing DisruptorsBronze– FinanceGrand Effie Finalist– the competition’s highest recognition“The five EFFIE awards, which placed BCR second among Romania’s most awarded brands in 2026, confirm that marketing creates value when it starts with people and delivers a real impact on their lives. While awards are always appreciated, they represent only a moment of recognition. What truly matters is how we are transforming the banking experience and rewarding customer loyalty through the George Benefits Programme, offering preferential interest rates on loans and deposits, with benefits that grow over time as customers deepen their relationship with us. Likewise, through the ZBOR hubs, our goal is to give young people the confidence that their voices matter and that Romania is a country where they can build their future. Our greatest achievement remains the fact that our projects contribute to people’s prosperity, stronger communities, and a Romania worth believing in and investing in,”saidIonuț Stanimir, BCR’s Marketing and Communications Director. ZBOR: Investing in Young People’s PotentialThe awards received byZBORfor the“Trust in Today’s Young People”campaign validate BCR’s long-term commitment to investing in Romania’s younger generation. The programme is built around young people’s real needs, including access to education, supportive communities, and personal development opportunities. Developed with an investment of€5 million, ZBOR is the first large-scale youth recognition and empowerment initiative launched by a bank in Romania. Today, ZBOR includes:12 active hubsacross11 Romanian cities: Constanța, Iași, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Ploiești, Târgu Jiu, Baia Mare, Vaslui, Timișoara, Craiova, and Bucharest;A digital learning platform and mobile application providing access to online courses and events;A community of more than120,000 young people, trainers and mentors;More than70,000 participantsattended over3,000 workshops and educational eventsduring 2025 alone. George Benefits Programme Rewards Customer LoyaltyThe two EFFIE trophies awarded to theGeorge Benefits Programme, together with its selection as aGrand Effie finalist, recognize BCR’s efforts to redefine customer relationships in the highly regulated banking industry by rewarding responsible financial behaviour. TheGeorge Benefits Programmecurrently serves1. 86 million customersand is structured around five membership levels—Go, Advanced, Pro, Max, and Max Invest—encouraging customers to diversify their financial portfolios while reducing banking costs. Figures from2025highlight the programme’s impact:More than50% of BCR customersused operational benefits related to payments and cash withdrawals;420,000 customersbenefited from preferential interest rates on loans and deposits;61% of customerswho set financial goals within the programme chose to save by opening a savings account. Seven Finalist NominationsBCR reached the final stage of the2026 EFFIE Awards Romaniawithseven nominationsacross three campaigns:ZBOR – “Trust in Today’s Young People”in thePositive Change: Social Good – Brands,Youth Marketing, andEngaged Communitiescategories;George Benefits Programme – “I Know Better”in theFinanceandMarketing Disruptorscategories;The “Non-Spenders” campaignin theBranded UtilityandFinancecategories. The seven nominations and five awards reinforce BCR’s commitment to delivering communication that drives measurable improvements in financial behaviour while strengthening customer trust. Organized by theInternational Advertising Association (IAA) Romania, theEFFIE Awards Romaniais the country’s benchmark competition for marketing and communication effectiveness, recognizing campaigns that demonstrate measurable business and societal impact. More information about BCR’s initiatives is available atwww. bcr. ro. About BCRBanca Comercială Română (BCR), a member ofErste Group, is one of Romania’s leading financial institutions, providing universal banking services including retail, corporate and investment banking, treasury, capital markets, leasing, private pensions, and housing finance. BCR operates a nationwide network comprising20 business centres,18 mobile banking officesdedicated to corporate clients, and289 retail brancheslocated in most Romanian cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants. Approximately72%of its branches are cashless, with transactions conducted exclusively through self-service equipment. The bank also operates one of Romania’s largest banking infrastructure networks, with approximately14,000 ATMs, multifunctional machines, point-of-sale terminals and payment devices integrated into public transport systems, while offering comprehensive digital banking services through Internet banking, mobile banking, phone banking and e-commerce platforms. 06. 07. 2026 / Editor, Andreea DraganThe diplomatic daily newspaper Nine O’Clock does not assume responsibility for the information received and published on the public website. The responsibility for the content lies solely with the issuer of the press release. The diplomatic daily newspaper Nine O’Clock cannot be held accountable for false information transmitted by the recipients of the press releases/announcements. 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