Naming SNAFUs Plague Multiple Commerce Banks

Okay, sorry, this gets a little complicated. There was a Commerce Bank in New Jersey. But earlier this year, TD Banknorth took them over. That merger created a huge naming hassle — including a lawsuit

[This Post Is Encrypted for Your Protection]

A print ad obscures all the text with asterisks to highlight the banks’ encryption capabilities. “We found we didn’t have a brand. People were generally confused about what it is we offer.” – John Ikard,

Consumers Hate This Ad (But They Remembered It)

Earlier this year, Commonwealth Bank in Australia was harshly criticized for hiring a U.S. ad agency. It didn’t matter that the agency was world-famous Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, people down under were skeptical that they

A “Proven Method” for Undermining Your Brand

Here’s a story from a reader of The Financial Brand. We’ll call her Erica (that’s not her real name). Erica got a letter from Chase a month ago. The letter informed Erica that her home

Beware of VelociMergers and Bully Mammoths

Hampden Bank’s campaign, called “Evolved,” portrays out of town competitors as corporate dinosaurs that adversely affect local prosperity. The ads depict creatures with names like the “VelociMerger,” “Bureaucradon” and the “Bully Mammoth.” The campaign included

2 Banks Thwart 1 Robber Using Great Service

The would-be thief in this FBI image is a suspect in several bank robberies. The employees working in a Seattle branch of First Mutual Bank recognized the man immediately. They’d seen his photo on a

Name change wrap-up for fall 2008

Here are summaries of some of the more interesting name changes from around the financial industry in recent months. South Shore Cooperative Bank slims down to ‘S Bank’ The bank is shrinking its name from

Pancakes = Opportunities + Optimism

“No matter how long the night has been, there’s always breakfast. This is America. The sun comes up and we get a fresh start.” – BofA’s ‘Pancakes’ Bank of America’s current brand TV ad titled

Headlines, snapshots and misc. stories of interest

Here are some stories of interest from around the web. Click on the hotlinked headlines to read more. Who’s next to get gobbled up? This guy forecasted the takeover of National City, and BINGO! He

When will the media’s infatuation with credit unions end?

Before September 2008, you would almost never see a story about credit unions anywhere in the news. For decades, the mainstream media essentially ignored this sleepy sector of the financial industry. But these days, the

Is It a Branch? Or a Store? It’s Deutsche Bank’s Q110

Deutsche Bank built a revolutionary branch prototype back in 2005, something it named Q110. Besides being a gorgeous architectural statement, the branch is one of the most progressive you’ll see anywhere in the world, combining

Meltdown Marketing: Ads from October

October 2008 was one of the roughest ever for the financial industry. Now that October has passed (and thankfully so), let’s take a minute to look at some of the ads banks and credit unions

3 minutes. One cart. All you can grab.

For the grand opening of three new in-store branches, OnPoint Community Credit Union held a supermarket sweepstakes. One person at each location won a 3-minute free-for-all, grabbing everything they could fit into a shopping cart.

‘Banking’ Isn’t the B-Word Credit Unions Struggle With

People still argue about whether credit unions should use the word “banking” or not. The concern is that if credit unions use the B-word, they make themselves more like banks. If legislators can’t see any

Mazuma Credit Union hosts video sharing contest

Mazuma Credit Union in Kansas wants to know, “What Are You About?” From September 1 through November 30, people are invited to submit a 25-second video answering the question “What Are You About?” At a

Sydney Credit Union Generous with ‘Free Hugs’

Sydney Credit Union recently relaunched as SCU and rolled out a new brand theme, “More Generous Banking.” To celebrate the launch, SCU sent out street teams across Sydney conducting “Random Acts Of Generosity” including giving

A high-energy branch from Numerica Credit Union

The transaction area features an open, dual-teller station and contemporary merchandising fixtures. A special area with tire-tread flooring was created in the lobby where a brand-new motorcycle (partially seen in the right photo) promotes the

Credit Union Marketing Budgets: Too Much, Too Little?

The average marketing budget for most financial institutions (banks or credit unions) at any asset size should be around 0.1% of total assets. BofA, at $1.9 trillion, budgets $2.0 billion for marketing which is almost

A semi-new logo and sorta-new name for Marblehead Bank

“Since the mid-1800s, the term ‘savings bank’ indicated a financial institution of somewhat limited scope.” – Julie Livingston CEO, Marblehead Marblehead Savings Bank has updated its new logo while also deciding to drop the word

This Danish Bank Branch Is Beyond Cool

In the Danish market, Jyske Bank has introduced a whole new way of delivering financial services, using the theme “Jyske Differences.” Jyske says its “blazing new trails in interior design” with its branches, something that’s