BARCLAYS will spark a battle of the banks when it unveils an advertising campaign tomorrow morning designed to gee up its staff and cock a snook at rivals.

Workers will be confronted with six 20ft-high posters extolling the special virtues of Barclays employees when they get off Jubilee Line trains at Canary Wharf station on their way to the bank’s nearby offices.

The advertisements, to be followed by a national marketing campaign, will have slogans such as “Barclays people are prettier (because great ideas take lots of preening)” and “Barclays people have better legs (because we run with great ideas)”.

A spokesman said: “The idea is that by telling Barclays staff how they are said to be prettier, better dancers, smell nicer and have better legs, by the time they reach their desks they will be feeling pretty confident.

“Hopefully it will also get up the noses of some of our banking neighbours at Canary Wharf such as HSBC and Citigroup.”

The station will be adorned with the posters, as will walkways in and around the adjoining shopping centre. In addition, a huge advertisement proclaiming “Welcome to Barclays Central” is to be installed soon over the entrance to the station.

From October, television, outdoor and press advertising will be launched, emphasising Barclays’ focus on inventiveness and creativity.

This year, Barclays moved 5,000 staff from Lombard Street in the City, its home for 300 years, to its new headquarters at Canary Wharf.

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