A little roast of Airtel’s “Safe Second Account” advertising.
I recently watched an Airtel Payments Bank advertisement where a woman is sitting inside a police station, complaining about her bank account being hacked.
Not exactly the kind of place where you expect to discover your next payment solution. But that’s where the ad takes us.
The story eventually leads to Airtel Payments Bank, positioning a second account as a way to keep your main bank account safe.
And I get the idea. Really, I do.
Keeping a separate account for everyday payments can be a sensible way to manage your money. You don’t necessarily want all your savings sitting in the account you use for every small transaction.
But here’s where I started thinking.
Are we explaining a smarter way to manage money, or are we making people nervous about using their existing bank account?
Because there’s a difference.
The problem isn’t the second account. It’s the way we sell it.
Let’s be clear. Having a separate account can have practical benefits. If you keep only a limited amount of money in it for everyday payments, you may reduce the amount of money directly exposed in certain situations.
Fair enough. That’s a reasonable proposition.
But when the advertising begins with a hacked bank account and ends with “KEEP YOUR MAIN ACCOUNT SAFE,” I start wondering what message the viewer is supposed to take home.
Is it:
“Hey, here’s a convenient way to separate your spending money from your savings.”
Or is it:
“Careful! Your regular bank account is in danger. Better open another one.”
Maybe I’m reading too much into it. But if the ad wants to talk about security, then let’s talk about security properly.
Because your bank account doesn’t get hacked only because you used it to make a payment.
It could happen through a phishing link. Someone could trick you into sharing an OTP. Your phone could be compromised. You could fall for a convincing scam call. There are several ways criminals attempt to get access to money or sensitive information.
And unfortunately, opening a second account doesn’t make you immune to any of these problems.
The hacker isn’t going to see your new account and say, “Oh, they’ve diversified. Let’s leave.”
If only cybersecurity were that simple.
A payment account is not a magic shield
I am not saying Airtel Payments Bank doesn’t offer security features. I’m also not saying every payment method carries exactly the same risks.
My point is much simpler.
When a brand uses the fear of a hacked bank account to sell a payment solution, it should be clear about what that solution actually protects.
Does it help limit exposure to funds in your main account? Potentially, depending on how the account is used and the controls available.
Does it prevent phishing? Not automatically.
Does it stop someone from tricking you into sharing an OTP? No payment app can promise that simply because you opened a second account.
Does it guarantee your money is safe? That’s a much bigger claim, and one that deserves more than a reassuring advertisement.
The difference matters because customers may not always separate a product’s actual security features from the emotional message of an ad.
Show someone sitting in a police station after losing money, then introduce a “safe second account,” and the message can start to feel bigger than the product’s actual protection.
That’s where I think advertising needs to be a little more responsible.
Tell me what you protect, not just what I should fear
If Airtel wants to promote a second account, why not explain the practical benefits?
Tell customers how the account works.
Explain what security controls are available.
Show how separating funds may help with day-to-day money management.
Tell us what the product can and cannot protect against.
That would still be a compelling message.
And probably a more useful one.
Because customers don’t just need to hear that their bank account is at risk. They need to understand how to protect themselves, regardless of which payment app they use.
A good financial services advertisement should leave people better informed, not simply more worried.
My two cents
I like the underlying idea of managing spending money separately. It’s practical, and I can see why someone might find it useful.
But I am less comfortable when the selling point appears to lean on the fear of a hacked bank account without making the limits of that protection clear.
A second account can be a useful financial safety measure. It is not a substitute for basic cybersecurity awareness.
So, Airtel, by all means, tell us about the second account.
Just don’t make the first one sound like it’s waiting for a criminal appointment.
Because sometimes the safest thing you can give a customer isn’t another account.
It’s a clear explanation of how to keep the money they already have safe.
