Archive for the ‘Briefs’ category

Headlines, snapshots and misc. stories of interest

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinked headlines to read more.

Article blames WaMu problems on ‘café-style’ branches

An American Banker article suggests Chase’s takeover of WaMu is some sort of referendum on innovative branch design, and that traditional, conventional branches are the way to go.

Beyond the fallacious inference that WaMu’s branch design had anything to do with their collapse (hint: subprime mortgage lending), the article also described the bank’s the branches as “cafés.” There are a lot of words to describe WaMu branches, but café? Nope, doesn’t fit.

WaMu never ever tried to make their branches “hangouts.” They didn’t provide any comfy seating. There wasn’t any ambient alternative music. There wasn’t any free coffee. What ING Direct does can be called a café, but not WaMu’s Occasio branches.

The only thing WaMu did that was really any different was replace a traditional teller line with transaction “pods,” which supported the bank’s emphasis on transactional efficiency.

Research revises playbook for 700+ Wells Fargo copywriters

Wells Fargo researched how effective its written communications were. Following its ethnographic study (defined here), the bank shared its learnings with 700+ content writers in 30+ workshops. Among the findings:

  • Marketing messages, especially those with presumptive language like “Congratulations!” or “Good News,” were viewed quite negatively; customers used words like “ploy” and “scheme” to describe them.
  • The bank could mitigate negative reactions to bad news like a notice of insufficient funds if the communications provided relevant advice.
  • Many consumers view the bank’s Website as the primary visual reference point, noticing differences with layout, color, and other design elements across communications.

Oh happy days… Credit union logo jet, circa 1999

The economy sucks now — the salad days are over and the gravy train has left the station. But less than a decade ago, even credit unions could afford to put their logo on jets.

Great advice for building your financial brand

October’s issue of American Banker has a fantastic article on bank branding — especially for its length (just over 700 words). The author, Cristi Kirisits, VP/Marketing at Silverton Bank, makes a number of excellent points, including:

  • Your brand absolutely has to deliver on its promises
  • You create familiarity and trust by delivering a consistent experience
  • Every interaction is a make-or-break experience that will leave a lasting impression
  • Establish an internal team of “brand champions”
  • Only one competitor can be the cheapest — all the others must use branding

Earlier this year, The Financial Brand wrote about how Cristi’s bank changed names and became Silverton. They definitely “get it,” and are walking their talk.

Shrinking footprints, growing profitability

According to an expert quoted in a CUES article, branches traditionally break even with deposits in the $30-40 million range, although branches with smaller footprints and fewer employees can turn profitable at under $15 million. That may help explain why the average square footage of branches is dropping from 3,900 in 2004 down to 3,500 last year. You can even get away with 2,500 square feet in some markets. And some in-store branches are only 600 square feet.

Login to Wells online banking, see “safe & sound” splash screen

As Netbanker notes, the best time to get your customer’s attention is right after they log in to look at their account. That’s why login-screen marketing should be in your mix. Just don’t overuse it, or you’ll piss people off.

Headlines and stories related to the financial meltdown

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinked headlines to read more.

Schiff predicts every aspect of today’s meltdown in 2006

Peter Schiff. If you didn’t know his name before now, you’ll remember it after watching this video. Among Schiff’s forecasts — made a year or two ago:

  • By November 2008, we will know we’re in a deep, dark recession
  • Subprime mortgages will collapse the housing market
  • Houses will be on the market for 6 months or more
  • Home equity will “come crashing back to earth”
  • Consumer access to credit will evaporate — including auto loans and credit cards
  • You should stay out of equities
  • Financial stocks are “toxic”
  • Bonds will be hit hard

Schiff nails it. Over and over. And the announcers on Fox Business and MSNBC actually laugh — in his face — over and over. Then the so-called “experts, including Ben Stein, make a number of dubious stock picks: Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns and WaMu.

Top 5 banks now control 39% of deposits

Institution Deposits
(in billions)
Market
Share
Bank of America $719.8 11.3%
Wells Fargo $711.5 11.2%
JPMorgan Chase $649.3 10.2%
Citigroup $223.6 3.5%
PNC $179.8 2.8%

How some banks are battling the confidence crisis

PR departments at Bank of America and other survivors are working overtime to soothe nervous depositors-and explain higher rates and fees. BofA, for instance, is boosting efforts to ensure employees are up on current events and know what to say about them. They’ve added a “Media Buzz” section to their intranet, a collection of news stories customers may have read, as well as “Bank Watch,” which flashes news of key developments in the financial services industry accompanied by suggested talking points.

When PNC said it was buying National City, BofA sent around a script for employees to use with customers that might be affected: “Your deposits would be safe with PNC, but wouldn’t you prefer to move their money to BofA, a bank you are already familiar with?”

Local banks feel left out

The smaller regional and local players say the bailout just helps big banks. Credit unions and community banks are grumbling that the massive Wall Street bailout package will put them at a competitive disadvantage. Apparently, these seemingly begrudged financial institutions feel it is only fair for them to get a share of the taxpayers’ money, even if they don’t really need it.

AmEx switches to bank charter to get slice of TARP pie

AmEx, dreading it might fall behind its big bank brethren, decided to reclassify itself so it could hit the Treasury up for $2.5 billion. Neato. Maybe those credit unions that want bank bailout money so badly should consider a charter change? It’s been reported that Starbucks could be facing a bleak future from a failed economy. Could they next to run begging for a TARP handout? Don’t laugh. It could happen.

Crestmark says “We’ve got plenty of bread!”

The business bank sent this message out as an email and postcard in early October. The marketing pieces were created in response to the volume of phone calls the bank was getting as to whether Crestmark still had any money to lend.

Headlines, snapshots and misc. stories of interest

Friday, November 7th, 2008

Here are recent 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 nailed it. Guess who else he picked? Keycorp and Fifth Third, although he also thinks Fifth Third might be in a position to take over Key Corp. If not Fifth Third, then US Bank. Maybe US Bank should swallow Fifth Third while Fifth Third is gobbling Keycorp. Sounds like the best way to maximize bailout subsidies.

575 branches get new TD signs

The original plan was to change the signs to “TD Commerce” following last year’s merger between TD Banknorth and Commerce. But due to unexpected trademark problems including a lawsuit from another Commerce Bank, the newlyweds had to scrap their plans and go with just plain old “TD.” At a cost of about $20,000 per branch, that’s about $11.5 million. Ouch! Now, what do about the signs on TD Banknorth Garden… There is a bright side to the story: The bank completed the sign swap on all 575 branches in only five days (October 31 - November 4).

Grade-A prime media placement

Arizona State CU had the only full page ad in the A-section of the Arizona Republic on election day. 22 pages in the A-section, and theirs was the only ad. It was on the back page. Paul Stull, the credit union’s VP/Mktg. said the paper sold out that day. How cool is that? (You can click on the ad to enlarge it.)

ATM network saves CU members $20 million

The Credit Union 24 ATM network says credit union members saved $20 million in fees so far this year by using its 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. At an average fee of $1.50, that means there were 13 million ATM transactions, or an average of 266 transactions per ATM for the year (that’s about one transaction per ATM per day). Kudos to the Credit Union 24 network for not dinging members with fees. Now, can we maybe freshen up the logo a little?

The biggest collection of bank logos ever

This guy’s online collection of bank logos must be a real labor of love. He says he’s uploaded about half of the 5,000 bank logos he has on file. Unfortunately, the library only gets to “E” in its alphabetical listing before the HTML crashes. Doh, FAIL!

Snapshots, headlines and stories of interest

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the headlines to read the full story.

National City’s rivals planning feast

If you aren’t already full from heaping servings of fearful WaMu and Wachovia customers, grab a steak knife and dig into the next course being served at the failed-bank buffet: National City. PNC announced last week that they will be acquiring the struggling Cleveland-based bank. (Is it too late for National City to scrub its recently announced sponsorship of the Detroit Pistons next year?)

Get ready for a bigger Navy

Navy FCU, world’s largest and most formidable credit union, will more than double its number of branches in the next three years. It now has 161 branches in major Navy and Marine Corps hotspots, but will have 330 by 2012. (That requires a ton of capital.) Earlier this year, Navy FCU expanded its field of membership to include all branches of the military, and its branching plans are to court its new potential members. Navy Federal was growing rapidly even before it broadened its membership. It opened 34 new branches in 2007 and expects to open 21 this year.

Everyone will offer remote deposit by Christmas

Okay that’s an exaggeration, but is Celent’s latest report any more believable? They say 40% of all banks and credit unions will offer remote deposit capture by the end of 2008. That seems extremely optimistic, if not impossible.

Can you save money by spending?

Consumer Reports says no, despite all the hype. They took a look a look at BofA’s Keep the Change, Wachovia’s Way2Save, and One from American Express. The bottom line? People would do better with regular savings accounts and rewards programs tied to plastic products.

Bank in Mississippi says “konnichiha” (that’s Japanese for “hi”)

Toyota is moving Japanese employees to the town of Tupelo. Renasant Bank rolled out the welcome mat and ran some billboards that said “Welcome to Mississippi” in Japanese. The bank may be the first in Mississippi to incorporate Japan’s character alphabet into its advertising. Maybe Renasant should have been given a shot at offering the new Toyota Visa Rewards Card instead of US Bank.

San Diego sues WaMu for predatory lending

The city says WaMu the bank engaged in unlawful subprime mortgage lending practices. This isn’t the first lawsuit San Diego’s brought against a mortgage lender, and it isn’t going to be the last. The San Diego City Attorney’s office said his office will bring another lawsuit against an undisclosed home loan company this week.

Powder-laced letters mailed to Chase branches in 9 cities

More than 30 letters containing a suspicious powder were mailed to Chase bank branches and federal banking regulators’ offices in nine cities. The powder, it turns out, was calcium.

Snapshots and misc. stories of interest

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Smart marketers will vulture the corpses of their peers

There are stories all over the place about banks and credit unions seeing huge upticks in business as customers flee failed banks like Wachovia and WaMu. BB&T says it has picked up $1.2 billion from Wachovia customers alone. What drives this consumer behavior? Fear? Resentment?

Who cares? Instead of waiting for those funds to simply walk through the door, why not aggressively market to attract those deposits? Like SunTrust, whose latest ad softly reminds people that “When you’re ready to switch accounts, we’re here to help.”

One bank has run out of Visa Check Cards, another credit union has run out of switch kits. It’s a feast. Pull up your seat at the table and dig in.

Bank of America’s “Financial Crisis ‘War Room’”

BofA has organized a “war room” so that when a headline in the news raises flags with consumers, the bank can figure out how to respond. They also say they have no plans to cut their $2 billion marketing budget in 2009, but haven’t ruled it out either. One more interesting thing: They say they’re trying to work in the word “guaranteed” more often to reassure anxious consumers. For instance, BofA’s CDs now feature a “guaranteed rate of return.”

Fortis to change names

The chairman of Fortis says the name has acquired a negative connotation due to the global financial crisis. (Fortis really took a big hit in Europe.) They don’t yet know what the new name will be. They just think the old one is baggage that needs to be dumped.

National City shares real customers stories

But only two stories at a time? At the bank’s website, www.nationalcity.com/realstories, there are only two testimonials to choose from. They say more testimonials are coming, but right now, it looks pretty paltry. Will they grow the library as videos are added? Or will there always only be two at a time?

UPDATE: They just added a third video.

The stories came out of company research with more than 5,000 current National City customers. The bank will be running ads in 160 regional publications throughout its nine-state footprint to promote the site.

AdAge says ING Direct’s brand love will help it weather the crisis

ING’s singular focus on helping people save money is behind the love, and the bank is staying on-message with its meltdown marketing. The article ends with a quote from The Financial Brand.

Canadian credit unions contribute $35.8 million to charities

Yeah, but if the numbers coming from Vancity Credit Union are right, it looks like this one single credit union gave away $3.67 million in 2007. That’s about 10% of all donations by all Canadian credit unions combined. Of course, their brand is built around “doing good” and “giving back.”

Kudos to Vancity. Double kudos, actually.

Burning Bridges: The Ultimate Dear-John-Goodbye-&-Eff-You

Andrew Lahde, the boss of a successful US hedge fund, made a mint last year by betting against subprime mortgages. Last week, he quit the industry — forever, you can be sure — with an extraordinary farewell letter dismissing his rivals as over-privileged “idiots” and thanking “stupid” traders for making him rich.

The 37-year-old told his clients that he had hated the business and had only been in it for the money. He declared he would no longer manage money for other people, because he had enough of his own. [Editor: Who else wants to know where Mr. Lahde is putting his money today?] He concludes with a plea to legalize weed.

You can’t make this stuff up… Read the whole letter here.

Accounts on the move

Compass Bank awarded creative duties on its $10 million advertising account to GSD&M Idea City. Crispin Porter + Bogusky previously handled the account, the agency that came up with The Subservient Chicken for Burger King.

Also, USAA has parted ways with Deutsch New York and placed its $15 million account in review.

Check these stories out

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinks to read the full story.

Size Matters: In banking, small is better now

Ad-vice: More thoughts on how to communicate the “safe & sound” message

B.S. Triggers: Comparing “safe & sound” ads to cigarette commercials

P2P or not to P2P? Prosper closes down while Loania starts up

Brand Design: Looking at bank logos and how they evolve

Love or Money? Gen-Y prefers cash, tyvm

Aussie Innovation: ANZ launches account aggregation service

Up and Down: CUNA says credit unions business is mixed

“UTFCU Rocks” Hey, the headline pretty much say it all

Check these stories out

Monday, October 13th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinks to read the full story.

A Failure to Communicate: Survey says financial brands not saying enough

Ad Quandry: Financial firms not sure what to do, say in tough times

CU Later: Zopa kills U.S. P2P service involving 6 credit unions

1 in 3: That’s how many credit unions in California are losing money this year

Regional Banks: “We’ll take your deposits!”

Green$ense: Citizens Bank will pay you $120 for this green account

Ad Nauseam: Banks burned by their catchy slogans

Ad Slash: Deep cuts in financial firms’ ad spending

Canadian Confidence: Crash won’t crimp Canadian bank marketing

Quad Shot: 4 credit unions merging into 4th largest in Manitoba

How Much? Financial industry Web 2.0 research report for $12,000

Money Monet: Missouri bank opens “art gallery” branch

Tightwad: Could this be the best named bank under the circumstance?

Silly stuff for Friday

Friday, October 10th, 2008

More Dirty Secrets: 7 things banks won’t tell you

Nicht Welkömmen: A stern-looking logo from an Austrian bank

Getting Nasty: Blogger has issue with “deposits in the end zone” football promo

72 Hours: That’s how long Wachovia’s new ad agency had the account

Crazy Caper: Man uses Craigslist, pepper spray and an inner-tube to rob bank

U.S. mint unveils four new Lincoln penny designs

Check these stories out

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinks to read the full story.

Taking the Initiative: Credit unions don’t wait for leagues to run ’soundness’ ads

Wanton Wants: Americans’ addiction to borrowing root of crisis

Allegedly Expensive: BofA’s Countrywide settles fraud case for $8.4 billion

Post-Bailout: Financial brands twist in the wind

Carpe Diem: Wall St. woes create opportunities for a new level of dialogue

Fail! 75% of online banking sites can be hacked

What Can I Say? Advice to financial brand marketers

Meltdown Fallout: How the crisis morphs the online banking landscape

Denial: People think banks are bad, but “Not my bank!”

Pre-PR: EON Bank suggests a name change is on the horizon

Buck the Norm: A brazen Gen-Y promo for credit unions

U Can: An empowering campaign from an African bank

Squat: Cybersquat your own names and thwart crisis-phishing scammers

Financial marketing and promotion roundup – Oct 3

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinks to read the full story.

Marketing Budgets: Getting what you need

Dub Machine: Groovy promo targeting Gen-Y

Bank in the Box: Private bank picks up shoeboxes and deals with whatever you put in it

Wallet World: PNC makes you play ZIP code roulette to play game

Fee Pig: Charlotte Metro uses pigs to dig at banks in latest TV spot

Dear John: A direct mail campaign about breaking-up with your bank

Winner! Yearly contest awards room makeover

Ad Up: Oppenheimer campaign includes TV, print and its first online effort

Like, Umm a…Spokester: Credit union hires intern to be its voice for Gen-Y

Big Winners: ABA’s marketing champs

Refer a Friend: One bank’s take on this popular promotion

Compliance: Tips for advertising deposit products

Deposit Disclosures: NCUA says you can now use the logo only

Stories worth sharing – September 29, 2008

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Here are recent stories of interest from around the web.
Click on the hotlinks to read the full story.

MELTDOWN FALLOUT

Marketing 180° “Credit” out, “saving” now in vogue as financial industry reacts

Another One Bites the Dust: Wachovia is the latest victim

Oh Canada: WIll one of the Big Six be next?

Chase+WaMu: Impromtu rebranding starts, ads planned

Stop the Presses: WaMu cancels all internet advertising

What the Meltdown Means: AdAge’s big directory of meltdown articles

FEATURE STORIES, OPINION & ADVICE

Interview: Wells Fargo’s Tim Collins is banking on social media

Gen-Y: A very meaty whitepaper and roundtable (PDF)

Insight: 7 videos to build your financial brand

Q & A: Massive interview with a Wells Fargo president

Not Dead Yet: But Barclays chief predicts the demise of plastic cards

Facetime: Video conferencing helps HSBC go green

NAMING

Bank X: This week your bank’s name is _____________ .

Sign Language: Blogger suggests bank needs a name change as it expands

Branding Briefs…The Economic Meltdown Edition

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

Here are this week’s stories of interest relating to the economic crisis.
Click on the hotlinks to read the complete story.

Poof! Financial brands ranked among the top 100, then…

Note to Marketing: Cut the bull from Wall Street ads

Trust Me: Financial firms’ ads stress experience during volatile times

The Strength to Be There…Ha! AIG postcard strikes with heavy dose of irony

New Game Plan: Retooling your marketing for today’s economic realities

Carpe Diem: Wall Street turmoil creates golden opportunities for credit unions

$1.8 Trillion Bailout: Where’s the money going?

Northern Exposure: One Canadian thinks their rules will prevent U.S.-style crisis

Pissed Off: Credit union CEO rails against banks for what he thinks is cheating

Brothers Grim: Lehman another example of a bank brand failure

Ouch! That Hurts! Madison Avenue feels Wall Streets pain

Stories worth sharing – Sept 19, 2008

Friday, September 19th, 2008

Here are some of this week’s stories of interest.
Click hotlinks for the complete story.

Bullish-it: Merrill Lynch’s failure…to live up to its brand

Home Loans: The American Dream is still alive despite wake-up call

Web 2.0: Wachovia’s smooth use of social media’s darling, Twitter

Congresswoman: Credit unions are the only financial institutions who aren’t in “dire straits”

Crisis Communicating: Why ‘safe and sound’ is no longer good enough

A Fine Line: The balance between “reassurance” and spreading panic

Quelling Fears: 7 things credit unions can say to reassure members

It Reads Like an Obituary: The history of WaMu

Fight™: Round 2 goes to ‘First Niagra’ in name fight

And The Winner Is: The results from ABA’s 2008 marketing awards

Facts & Data: Consumers don’t like current branch models

Green Branch: Using wind, solar and geothermal

Mistaken Identity Fraud: Man sues credit union after arrest, trial

Knocking Opportunity: Man gets shafted out of $125 by Opportunity CU

Update: Opportunity Credit Union pays up, apologizes

Credit Union Kills Woman: She now has a hard time convincing people she’s alive

Branding briefs for September 12, 2008

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Here are this week’s stories of interest from around the web.
Click hotlinks for the complete story.

Way2Save: Wachovia’s “rounded savings” program yields over 1,000,000 accounts

Grow Green: Wachovia creates two LEED prototypes for future expansion

Marketing Anatomy 101: A look at How CitizensBank does it

Big Yawn: Who said banking needs to be boring?

Rising Stars: Citi cultivates sponsorships with sports stars of tomorrow

Who Needs This??? Bank introduces ATMs that spit out coins

Branding briefs for September 5, 2008

Friday, September 5th, 2008

Here are this week’s stories of interest from around the web.
Click hotlinks for the complete story.

Money for Guns: Chase gives away prepaid debit cards for unregistered guns

Credit Score: Consumer Reports’ 12 best and 3 worst credit cards

Duel: Comparing ING vs. E-Trade click-through rates

Essay Contest: Credit union holds $1,500 ‘What Do You Want’ contest

Image Problems: Aussie credit unions in the same situation as U.S. peers

Pedal Pushing: 7.99% bike loans up to $2,500

Q&A Interview: Barclays sees how sponsorships can open doors in the U.S.

More Gas: DFCU-style gas promo from a Montana credit union

Online Media: Citibank’s exclusive sponsorship of popular Aussie website ‘The Fix’

Going Swimmingly: Visa happy with Phelps endorsement

Up for Review: ING’s £4 million direct mail account

Va Va Voom: Female employees pose in bank’s pinup calendar

That’s an Outhouse! But the sign says “Future home of Auburn-U FCU”

Branding briefs for August 29, 2008

Friday, August 29th, 2008

How To: Avoid legal cow pies when rebranding

Text for Tix: Chase gives away US Open tickets via texting promo

Cash Cow Gets Plugged: Banks put stopper in home equity spigot

DeNovo: Investors pick strange time to launch Britain’s first new bank in 100+ years

Give Me 20: PSCU Financial launches financial education site for parents

No Waiting: Issue “flat” debit cards instantly

The Wedding’s Off: Two credit unions have no urge to merge

School CU: 200 credit unions have student-run branches, a 27% increase

Do Not Disturb: Lawyer says Navy FCU harasses member in bankruptcy

Cease & Desist: Credit union threatens defamation suit against YouTuber

Branding briefs for August 22, 2008

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Dude, Where’s My Caveman: Farmers Insurance puts ad account up for review

Crashing the House Party: Home equity bacchanal comes to an end

Delusions Of Brandeur: Rates matter more than brand?

Sexy Nude Chicks: Wait, maybe there’s more to it than rates

Interview: Former Four Seasons exec runs Wachovia service

Podcast: How BECU is attracting young adults

Safe & Sound: TDECU makes an entire microsite dedicated to ‘financial stability’ message

Thumbs Down: Branding consultant pans Citi brand ads

Get It in Writing: Don’t overlook signed releases when using employee photos

Good Dogs: Credit union hot dog sale for charity

Movie Night: Michigan credit union shows “Ratatouille” outdoors for free

Backpack: Business accounts that come with free software from 37 Signals

Gen-Y twins, membership soars, ‘Rewards’ return, bees

Friday, August 15th, 2008

Here are this week’s branding and marketing stories of interest from around the web.
Click hotlinks for the whole story.

Texas Twins: Similar Gen-Y programs raise tough questions

What’s Behind All This Growth? Credit unions add 1.6 million members

Reaping ‘Rewards’: Bancvue checking product boasts $5.5 billion in deposits

Bee Good: Credit union serves free honey-flavored ice cream to save the bees

How To: Making a powerful financial brand

Driving Sales: Auto loans are hot as car makers cut leasing programs

2nd Generation: Bank switches names back to ‘Generations’

Pledge of New Allegiance: Illinois bank to become ‘Legence’

MembersProject.com: AmEx introduces contest for charitable ideas

School of Rock: CU’s financial literacy program rocks high schoolers

It’s a Wrap: BofA draws attention to wealth management with NYT ad wrap

Vishing: Are you ready to protect people from this latest security threat?

Op Ed: LA Times bemoans loss of marble and mahogany branches

Hawaiian Cafe: Credit union puts in a sofa and a “gourmet coffee bar”

Branding briefs for August 8, 2008

Friday, August 8th, 2008

Your People Aren’t My People: H&R Block sues American Express over TV Ad

Failing Grade: Branding expert gives banks an ‘F’

Spamgate: Aussie bank angers footballers with blog comment spam campaign

Dawning a New Brand: Canadian CU rebrands as Sunova

Hacia Adelante: BofA targets Hispanics with “Way Forward” ad campaign

The Scottish Bank: An odd name for a bank based in the U.S. will soon be gone

Tweet This: Why financial institutions should reserve their Twitter name now

Pew? Bank says branch is like a “living room,” but it looks more like a church

4 Expensive Letters: Compass Bank to add ‘BBVA’ to signs on 585 branches

Ad Buff: Woman bears it all in bank queue to make green statement

Branding briefs for August 5, 2008

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

Bank 2.0: Struggling banks turn to social networking

Case Studies: Branding firm analyzes 9 different megabank brands

Taken to Task: Marketing expert blasts bank for mailers on neon paper

Today 8 Slides, Tomorrow the World: A Gen-Y plan with big ambitions, few specifics

Bridging the Golf: RBC reaches across the border to sponsor U.S. golf

Stepping Up to the Plate: Big banks defend expensive stadium sponsorships

Lend Me Some Green: Seattle CU rolls-out green auto, home and equity loans

Inside Every Banker…: RBC rep enthusiastic about credit unions

Role Reversal: 86-year old woman turns the table on her bank

Branding briefs for July 25, 2008

Friday, July 25th, 2008

Identity Crisis: Creating a great credit union logo

Patronage Dividends: A great CU difference to tout

Save@YouTube: FNBO hosts “Savings Goal” contest on YouTube

Viva la Brand: Aviva, an international insurance provider, rebrands

Storm Clouds: Federal judge puts smackdown on community charters

Court Adjourned: Commerce name is out, ‘TD Bank’ is the new moniker

Eco-Branch: Canadian CU develops green+tech prototype

Pennies for Change: Credit union members can give 1¢ per debit to United Way

Greener on the Other Side? Coastway CU proposes bank conversion to members

Busted: Aussie bank fined over misleading ads promising big giveaway

Yours Truly: Thank you notes for new accounts signed by a credit union CEO

Branding