Thanks for your comment. As strange as it may seem to some people, there are folks out there who take “buying local” very seriously (e.g., those who will never shop at WalMart, or those who are die-hard loyalists at farmers markets).

In some areas of the country — specifically states like Hawaii and Alaska — “being local” means a lot. In both states, there is a strong, pervasive belief that you need to “take care of your own” because no one else is looking out for you. And then there’s Las Vegas, where no one talks about “being local” because no one cares; everyone comes from some other part of the country, so “supporting the local economy” means nothing to 90% of Las Vegas residents.

Of course, the “local” message will have differing degrees of meaning for different people — some care a lot, others don’t care at all. I suppose it might have a lot to do with how long one has lived in the area, and/or if they were born there. But that’s how it goes with most brand messages. “Being local” is a key driver of some purchase decisions for some people.

Is “being local” enough to build your entire brand around? For most organizations, the answer is probably “no.” As a stand-alone message, it’s only going to get you so far. But could a financial institution “own” a “local” brand? Sure. If everything they did was in some way directly tied to the benefit of the community they serve, they could develop a brand image as “the local credit union who takes care of us.”

And yes, you are correct. The concept of “local” is a very relative- and highly subjective term. Does a company with outlets across an entire state count as local? Yes, when compared to the national chain, but perhaps no when compared to the guy with one store in Little Town, USA. But you’re right, as a brand touting its “local roots” expands its footprint, it will need to re-evaluate the credibility of its position.

But their value proposition as a bank: we’re local? Bank of Ann Arbor is good at being local? That’s it? What does that really mean? They are going soley on the premise that Ann Arborite’s will do their banking with them because they are local. Again it’s intriguing from a brand awareness standpoint.

What happens when they expand out of Ann Arbor. Or SE Michigan. They do have a branch in Plymouth now–so how can they use the same value proposition and messages when trying to grow that market.

BTW – The man behind this campaign is a creative genius.