A Leeds agency has secured a three-year partnership with LHV Bank as the financial institution looks to sharpen its brand and scale its marketing activity.
Born Ugly’s remit will see the independent creative agency develop LHV Bank’s brand platform and deliver integrated campaigns for its savings-focused retail bank, as it enters its next phase of growth.
LHV Bank, which has offices in Leeds, Manchester and London, has reported strong momentum in its second full year since launch across both retail and business services, doubling deposits and loans in 2025. As it looks to build on that progress, the bank is seeking to create a clearer brand position and a platform capable of standing out in a competitive retail banking market.
The appointment signals a shift towards a more integrated approach, with LHV Bank looking for a single partner to connect brand strategy with campaign delivery.
Clare Deacon, Head of Strategy at Born Ugly, said: “At Born Ugly we believe the real risk for brands isn’t rejection, it’s being ignored. With the antidote to indifference being a brand-first approach, where brand drives everything a business does, making every action work harder. There’s a proven link between strong brand work and commercial success and it’s something our clients are increasingly confident in. Rather than managing multiple agency relationships, they’re looking for a single partner who can connect the dots, between brand, comms and campaign that makes the process simpler, more coherent and more consistent.
“With low levels of brand awareness in the UK, we knew LHV Bank needed to be understood before anything else. So we focused on creating meaning before scale. Building a sharp, memorable brand platform that people will understand, relate to, and act on. Not noise for its own sake, but a clear point of view on what banking should and shouldn’t be.
“What excites us most about the opportunity with LHV Bank is in how we tell this story, ensuring the ideas we create translate into campaigns that really deliver.”
Sally Rushton, Head of Marketing at LHV Bank, added: “We’re strengthening our retail offer and expanding savings products to bring laser focus to our proposition of fair value and clear rates for customers who want their money to work harder.
“Appointing Born Ugly as a brand and creative partner has been an essential step forward to help tell that story. We’re excited to develop the brand platform and create campaigns that will support our next stage of growth.”
LHV Bank provides retail banking for UK consumers, SME lending for UK businesses, and banking services for global fintechs. It is part of Estonia-based LHV Group.
