WMG News & Events

3 Rivers Federal Credit Union debuted their new TV spot during Super Bowl 44 this Sunday, February 7^th.  The spot featured a humorous singing dog catching some wind, with his head sticking out the window of a moving car.  The Super Bowl program is known for airing engaging and creative television advertisements, so with the help of Weber Marketing Group, 3 Rivers Federal Credit Union strategically used humor to help TV spot stand out, and create awareness for the credit union’s name and brand.

The pictures are in!  Weber Marketing Group recently created and installed powerful and dynamic merchandising for the new Alta Vista Credit Union branch in Rialto, CA.

Weber worked closely with partners, EHS Design and Momentum, to create an integrated merchandising program, enhancing and coordinating with the exterior and interior details of the new branch.

The new environmental merchandising designs for Alta Vista’s program was based on their existing brand.

“We created an energetic and dynamic environment that incorporated video messaging, colors and design elements that reflected the area they serve.  We used images and copy that supported their brand,” explained Ruth Kapcia, Project Manager at Weber Marketing Group. “The end result was a fully realized solution that supports their goals and their brand position.”

All of the components create a bold and lively program that really sets this credit union apart from its competition.

The credit unions of Maine love to share! Beginning February 1, Mainers could win $500 to share with a friend simply by submitting a video, photo or written entry about their favorite things to share. The Maine Credit Union League (MCUL) is accepting these entries as part of the Shared Branching Network  “Share It” campaign.

This statewide campaign will promote the unique advantages of Maine’s credit unions, which cooperate with each other to share over 120 branches. “One of the primary challenges of shared branching is low member awareness about this convenient service and how it works,” said Karen McGaughey, VP Client Services at Weber Marketing Group. “Our challenge was to craft a simple and engaging message that supported the benefits of shared branching and the cooperation of credit unions to provide this service to their members.”

The “Share It” campaign will be promoted using both social and traditional media, and will integrate with the MCUL’s statewide awareness campaign. The “Share It” campaign was introduced to participating credit unions which were very eager to participate in their own contest to win $500. Credit union teams were asked to submit a Top 10 List of why one should use shared branching. The most creative entry will be awarded $500 to share with a favorite charity.

Other campaign elements include a fun training video for staff, strong campaign messaging on MCUL’s home page, static and animated web banner ads, in-branch campaign post-it notes, radio, in-branch merchandising and a prize patrol! Synergent, a part of the Maine Credit Union League, will visit nearly all participating Maine shared branches and will be awarding shared branch users with $20 cash, $10 for them and $10 to share with a friend.

Beginning February 1, 2010 you can visit the campaign Facebook page by searching for  “Maine Share It” or by visiting www.mainecreditunions.org. The campaign will run through the end of March.

Government of Guam Employee’s Federal Credit Union had a challenge due to an expanded charter, their name no longer reflected their entire membership. As they were able to serve everyone on the island, they needed a name that was more inclusive and welcoming. They attempted to relieve this barrier by shortening the name to a still-lengthy acronym (GGEFCU).  This acroynm still proved to be an inadequate solution.

The credit union first attempted to use a local agency, but soon concluded they needed the expertise of someone who had a defined process, would do their homework – paying attention to their history and heritage, and work with their board and volunteers to guide the name decision to a positive and visionary conclusion.  Thus, they turned to Weber Marketing Group to help them create a name that would integrate their government roots and reflect the island’s history and lifestyle. They also wanted a name that could grow with them over the next 50 years and beyond.

After reviewing over 70 possibilities, GGEFCU chose the name Coast360. Coast360 reflects the island they serve and the inclusiveness they espouse. Coast360 is about unity and working together to help people thrive. The new name was received enthusiastically among staff and members. Coast360 is now in a position to increase membership and share its benefits with all islanders for many years to come.

On Oct. 12^th, Communications Family Credit Union changed their name to Wildfire Credit Union.

Communications Family Credit Union (CFCU) was caught in a typical branding conundrum – a recognizable name with goodwill and brand equity that no longer reflected who they were as an organization.

Unsure of exactly how to move forward, CFCU contacted Weber Marketing Group to help them position their institution for the future. Because “Communications Family” was causing confusion as to who could join, CFCU management felt the current name was hindering membership growth. Weber recommended a name change to ensure long lasting member growth for years to come.

CFCU wanted something “short, memorable and distinctive.” The name “Wildfire” fit the bill. It aligned perfectly with their brand position of “a fresh approach to banking as usual.” It conveyed energy and passion with a vision towards growth and attracting younger members. In addition to meeting CFCU’s criteria, it created an enormous amount of buzz and excitement in the communities they served.

Wildfire Credit Union is now blazing new trails of service excellence - It’s an idea that’s spreading within their local communities.

As some of you may know, Weber Marketing Group’s building was once the home of Seattle based rock band, Pearl Jam.  In honor of this legendary band, we had an awesome painting created for our space. Check out the video of the install.

On September 14 Addison Avenue Credit Union and Weber Marketing Group launched the Bank Intervention new member acquisition campaign.

The campaign centers around the bankintervention.com microsite, in-branch displays and web advertising with some additional print pieces. The site features seven video episodes following one man who becomes the target of a bank intervention.

Mark Weber appears in the latest CU Tomorrow brief Chrome for Young Adults: Franchise Branching for Membership Growth. The brief explores a retail delivery concept that uses modern branching to attract the elusive Gen Y market segment.

The article is available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF, freely downloadable to non-members.

How should we talk to our members and the public amidst the uncertainty of the economy and the financial industry as consumer confidence has eroded? What can we do to manage our public reputation as a unique financial provider? What themes are most important to consumers right now, especially consumers searching for a new financial institution? Should we adapt our plans, strategies and tactics?

Mark Weber will examine these questions and the issue of communication in times of uncertainty at the 2009 Washington Credit Union League’s Volunteers Conference.  He will speak on this, Saturday, June 20th at 10:00 am. To find out more about this conference and how to register online, go to: www.waleague.org/events