Place Consumer Advocacy Campaigns in the Hands of the League

In today’s media-maze jungle, communication strategies targeting specific audience segments must be well conceived if they are ever to deliver the anticipated results that credit unions seek to achieve. This is especially true in reaching consumers on Main Street America.

As our movement’s communications herald the annual celebration of, “I Love My Credit Union,” hoping to raise awareness and excitement about the values and experience that comes with banking at a credit union, I can’t help but wonder why this particular outreach might be confined to one day each year in July. After all, isn’t it about continuously telling the credit union story and why it makes sense for consumers to bank at their local financial cooperative?

Over the course of my credit union career, I’ve seen multiple attempts to promote a general national awareness of credit unions, from the “Little Guy” to the most recent “Open Your Eyes” campaign. What happened? While each campaign was effective in delivering results, their lifespan told another story.

I believe our credit union industry needs a comprehensive consumer advocacy strategy, encompassing the same vigor and commitment we see at the federal and regulatory advocacy levels. The credit union story must be told and heard across America, and it can be delivered in a way that rivals the results achieved by the “Got Milk” campaign. “Just Do It!”

The key to success in this consumer advocacy campaign lies, in my opinion, with the Leagues. Individual credit unions cannot be expected to generate a generic consumer outreach advocacy campaign when their focus is directed on the balance sheet success of their particular shops. National associations have taken the lead on this in the past and as noted earlier, the lifespan of the campaign told a different story.

Perhaps it’s time to think differently? If we are to pursue a communication advocacy strategy targeting consumers on Main Street America, why not look to the Leagues to generate the results we seek? 

Each League has the ability to reflect the voice, energy and comprehensive will inherent throughout its local membership. And, by embracing its regional culture, each League can customize its communications in ways suited to the ears and eyes of the consumers in that particular region. While the messages and styles may differ from region to region across America, they nonetheless will convey the same basic truths, values and principles that govern the credit union business model, all the while advocating awareness of credit unions and the distinct banking experience credit unions offer.

After all, campaigns like “Better Values - Better Banking,” “Banking You Can Trust,” “I Love My Credit Union,” and many others were all conceived and successfully promoted by Leagues. Such consumer advocacy efforts need to continue, 24/7, if credit unions hope to maintain their distinct voice in today’s media-maze jungle.