Creative Showcase: Flash Mob, ATM Wrap, Fertilizer

Union First Market Bank – “In Love”

A Union First customer talks about her bank as if it were the greatest boyfriend she’s ever had. The actress blushes in a sofa as she delivers lines like, “It makes me feel cherished, like they want me,” and “This time, I’m in love.” It might evoke memories of those General Foods International Coffee ads (“Share the Moments of Your Life”) from yesteryear. If you’re one of those people who scoffs every time a financial marketer uses “love” and “bank” in the same sentence then get ready to roll your eyes. Another spot announcing the merger between Union and First Market banks is completely different — very retro, and much more credible. The campaign was coordinated by Boisseau Partners, which had previously been Union Bank & Trust’s marketing firm.

( Editor’s Note: Both of these YouTube videos are no longer available. )

Activo Bank – “Simplifica”

You don’t have to speak Porteguese in order to find this spot promoting Activo bank’s branch hours funny.


ACTIVO BANK – SIMPLIFICA

Activo Bank – Flash Mob

Forty dancers “spontaneously” assemble, then perform an “impromptu” six-minute routine in the middle of a mall for Activo Bank. It’s fun, and the dancers do a good job engaging the audience, but it feels like a jazzercize class in a few spots.


ACTIVO BANK – FLASH MOB

Tesco Bank – Careers Microsite

In an economy this cruddy, you probably don’t need to go to these lengths to attract and recruit top talent. But you look really cool and classy when you do. Tip of the hat Chris Skinner at the Finanser for finding this site.

Unknown Asian Bank – Mobile Banking ATM Wrap

Now this is a fun, cool way to let people know you’re offering mobile banking.

Community America Credit Union – “Community Americans”

Here’s an interesting way to present a testimonial-style message. Members get on stage and talk about their lives while a collage of animated footage about their lives plays on the screen behind them. You can see also the spots from “Kent” and “Jen.” The acting is really good (one can assume they are paid actors).

( Editor’s Note: This YouTube video is no longer available. )

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Citizens Bank – Lawn Seed & Fertilizer

This has to be one of the more unusual “line extensions” for any brand in the history of the financial industry. Citizens owns the naming rights for the Philadelphia Phillies ballpark, who is retailing the lawn seed and fertilizer on behalf of the bank. Fertilizer? It sounds a little like buying a bag of poop from a bank.

Barclays – “Musical Pounds”

If you like Ricky Gervais, then you’ll probably like this spot too. It’s not Ricky, but it is random, offbeat British humor. Spoiler alert: a pile of cash gets up and performs a musical number on stage.

( Editor’s Note: This YouTube video is no longer available. )

Arizona State Credit Union – “Broke”

“Broke. It’s the new poor.” Depressing, if not true. The credit union said they received very good results in attracting new student banking relationships. The ad’s offer? A free parking pass, something Paul Stull, EVP/Marketing at Arizona State Credit Union, describes as “pure gold” on college campuses. The ad is CUNA Diamond Winner.

Chase Bank – “Save”

“Save is the new spend.” The financial industry is coining new metaphors to define the tectonic economic “paradigm shift” almost as fast as the Treasury is minting new dollars.

Truliant Credit Union – “OMG”

Ryan Shell at Truliant made a pair of TV spots for his $1.3 billion credit union. The spots show that you don’t have to have a big budget to create visual interest. Computer graphics are used to animate and rotate the spots’ scripts. You can see the second spot here.

( Editor’s Note: This YouTube video is no longer available. )

IDB Bank – “Four Letter Word”

The banking industry’s rotten image is often fodder for financial marketers. Here’s another bank tapping into consumers’ anti-bank venom. They also marry bank hatred with “love” (there’s that word again), suggesting in the body copy that a financial love affair awaits: “Imagine a bank you’ll actually love — where truly personal service helps you and your company grow.” The URL: www.IDoBankingBetter.com. Agency: Barker DZP.

America First FCU – “Banker Confessional”

Bankers step into a sidewalk confessional booth to admit they prefer banking at America First FCU. You can see additional executions of the campaign in more TV spots here, here, here and here.


AMERICA FIRST FCU – BANKER CONFESSIONAL

Tech CU – “First Bank of Greed”

In this retro spot, a herd of cows replace bank customers and a sinister butcher plays the role of teller. “When you walk into your bank, do you feel like a piece of meat?” the announcer asks. The butcher (we’ll call him the “Teller of Seville”) sharpens his knife, sizing up the herd to see who he’ll slaughter first. It’s funny, but dark. Okay…it’s mostly funny

( Editor’s Note: This YouTube video is no longer available. )

BECU – “Local People”

For the last 7-8 years, this multi-billion dollar credit union in Seattle has consistently celebrated local people and their unique personalities in its branding. The bus wrap shown below adds a whole new dimension to the campaign — literally. It’s a little hard to see in these photos, but the entire bus is wrapped in a mosaic of member-submitted photos. You can get a sense of how BECU typically uses a collage of people’s faces in the print ad.

BECU – “Move It Or Lose It”

BECU distances itself from banks on Wall Street in this 30-second spot. The call to action: “It’s your money. Move it or lose it…one nickel, dime or hidden fee at a time.” BECU works with a local photographer and a local television production company to feature real members in the credit union’s advertising. Their spots are filmed in various places throughout the Puget Sound region, and even the music we use in the spots was created and recorded by Northwest musicians.

( Editor’s Note: This YouTube video is no longer available. )

Co-operative Bank – “Good With Money”

A nine-minute video chronicling the bank’s “ethical banking” policies.


CO-OPERATIVE BANK – GOOD WITH MONEY

KeyPoint Credit Union – “Net Worth”

Raoust + Partners created this campaign emphasizing the value KeyPoint provides its members in the form of increased wealth and net worth. The approach uses a creative visual X/Y graph illustrates to suggest growth and an increasing bottom line.

Xceed Financial FCU – Direct Mail

McGraw Hill FCU – Brand Identity

A brand identity redesign.

Discovery FCU – Auto Loans Bus Wrap

Clever use of the medium.

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Woodstone FCU – Bus Back

Not the first time The Financial Brand has seen this approach.

Cornerstone Community FCU – Brand Identity

Cornerstone rolled out a new logo, part of a marketing campaign to promote its four Niagara County branches. In addition to the green and white logo, the campaign includes a new tagline, “You rate better here.” The credit union said its new logo is meant to raise the bank’s profile in Western New York.

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