Battle of the Brands | Round Three
Welcome to Battle of the Brands, where marketing isn’t just about making noise, it’s about making an impact. Some brands grab attention and turn it into long-term customer growth. Others? They fade into the background.
The game isn’t won by who spends the most, it’s won by who spends smart. That’s why we’re putting marketing performance on stage, breaking down who’s leading, who’s lagging, and who’s actually driving real business results.
Powered by our DCMN Brand Tracker, which tracks 400 real consumers in Germany every month across 20 categories, we analyse brand awareness, usage, and impact, so brands can stop guessing and start winning.
After tackling crypto heavyweights in Round One and challenger banks in Round Two, we’re shifting focus to the investment platforms. In a category built on trust, who’s winning investors’ confidence and who’s failing to convert recognition into action?
In Round Three, it’s Trade Republic vs. Scalable Capital. One played it bold, the other played it smart. But only one walked away with both awareness and real customer growth.
Battle of the Brands: Round Three | The Investment Titans
Investing isn’t about hype, it’s about trust. The brands that win in this category aren’t just competing for attention; they’re competing for long-term loyalty. In Round Three of Battle of the Brands, two heavyweights stepped into the ring: Trade Republic and Scalable Capital. One played it bold, the other played it smart. But only one walked away with both awareness and real customer growth.
Who dominated investor attention in 2024? And who struggled to convert recognition into action? Let’s break it down.
Trade Republic: The Unshakable Force
Trade Republic was the immovable force: never dropping below 27% awareness and holding steady at 30% by year’s end. But the real flex? Usage surged from 6% to 12%, proving that this brand isn’t just making noise, it’s converting customers. Maybe because of special seasonal ads for Christmas? Seems to work for Trade Republic.
It wasn’t by chance. Trade Republic went all-in on advertising, putting €9.7 million behind a massive multi-channel push. The biggest chunk of 58.6% went into television, ensuring the brand stayed front and centre in German households. Billboards accounted for 17.8%, reinforcing visibility in high-traffic locations, while 8.0% went into social media, keeping the conversation going online. Radio took 5.0%, ensuring an audio presence, while the rest of the budget was spread across search, desktop, and transport media.
And then there was the “Best Interest” campaign: Trade Republic’s most aggressive move yet. Launched in May 2024, it hit TV, radio, and billboards with a single, direct question: “How much interest does your bank pay?” It wasn’t just another fintech advert. It was a challenge to traditional banks, making consumers question where they put their money. No gimmicks, no distractions, just a minimalist, high-impact blitz that cut through the noise and forced action.
The campaign didn’t stop at traditional media. Digital platforms were flooded too, making sure the message hit from every angle. And the results spoke for themselves: awareness held strong, and more importantly, Trade Republic was the only brand in this round that grew its user base.
Scalable Capital: Smart Positioning, Weak Follow-Through
Meanwhile, Scalable Capital had its moment in the sun. The “Oh wie vorsorglich” campaign from 2022 was creative, positioning it as the thinking person’s investment platform. The problem? Awareness peaked at 18% before crashing to 12%, and its usage numbers?
Brand Awareness peaked at 18%. Not quite on Trade Republic’s level, but respectable for a brand focused on careful, long-term investing.But here’s the problem: awareness alone doesn’t win battles. While Trade Republic turned recognition into real usage, Scalable Capital’s brand use stayed stuck at 2-4% all year in 2024. People knew the name, but they weren’t making the leap to becoming active users.
Scalable Capital didn’t hold back on marketing, spending €14.5 million in 2024, even more than Trade Republic. The majority of 62.8% went into billboards, reinforcing trust and credibility in public spaces. But while OOH can be a great play for brand-building, it didn’t translate into action. TV made up just 8.3% of the budget, meaning fewer high-trust spots where brands traditionally build deep consumer connections. Meanwhile, 24.0% of the spend went into newspapers. An old-fashioned approach that might have landed better with an older demographic, but didn’t necessarily drive conversions.
Social media accounted for only 2.4% of Scalable Capital’s spend, meaning digital engagement wasn’t a key priority. The rest of the budget was spread across desktop, search, and radio, but none of it was enough to keep momentum going.
And that was the issue: One campaign isn’t enough. To win in financial services, brands need to show up, stay consistent, and build trust over time. Without sustained engagement, Scalable Capital’s moment in the sun didn’t last and its usage numbers showed it.
Who is the winner of this round of Battle of the Brands?
Leading Round Three: Trade Republic! Because Trust Isn’t Built on One Campaign
There’s no contest here. Trade Republic dominated 2024, both in awareness and real customer growth. It didn’t just run adverts, it made people rethink where they put their money. Massive brand visibility. A campaign that hit the right nerve. A strategy that converted attention into action.
Scalable Capital had the right positioning, but not the follow-through. In financial services marketing, trust isn’t won overnight, it’s built with consistency. Trade Republic proved that big moves, clear messaging, and sustained momentum in round three of Battle of the Brands.
Missed Round Two and Round One?
Last time, we broke down the battle between Revolut, Comdirect, N26, and Vivid in the challenger bank showdown. Who won? Who lost? Who barely showed up? Read it here: Battle of the Brands | Round Two and Battle of the Brands | Round One.
Next up? Round Four. Stay tuned.
