Boys choir sings options for automated phone tree

DNB recruited Norway’s most famous choir, the Norwegian Broadcasting Boys Choir, to sing all of the messages for its automated, touch-tone telebank. For the entire Christmas season, every word on DNB’s phone banking system was sung by angelic voices. The concept is brilliant, the execution is beautiful.

DNB – “Merry Paycheck” (Documentary)

Deutsche Bank guerilla experiment mocks ridiculous fees

This gutsy guerilla stunt from Deutsche Bank aims right at consumers’ pain points: fees and charges specifically in the financial industry that many people feel are absurd. In one experiment, a small boutique bakery introduces a one euro “entry fee” — just for walking in the door. Those who pay are surprised to learn there is also a one euro “exit fee.” Deutsche filmed a second experiment at a supermarket, where patrons were charged for things like using the conveyor belt in the checkout line and printing a receipt. It’s over the top, but it makes the point. Spot 1 (Bakery) | Spot 2 (Supermarket)

Deutsche Bank (Belgium) - “Bakery With Entry/Exit Fees”

Mom gets massage and makeover from bank

This two-minute video from Sainsbury Bank starts out like a documentary about the life of a busy mother. She’s a hardworking woman, but clearly worn out from her dedication to her three young children. Sainsbury ambushes her with their Makeover Mobile, a spa on wheels. She’s a lovely person, so you feel really good for her at the end when she steps out looking beautiful. Her expressions of appreciation are subtle, but incredibly powerful; it’s very engaging. It’s rare to see banks capture such emotion in their marketing.

Sainsbury Bank – “A Break From Mom’s Boredom & Monotony”

Yo, check out this $ vid from US Bank!

California teens Leo Moneymaker and Alex Colucci star as rappers “Young Muny” and “Lil’ Savings” in this cheesy-but-funny parody. It’s pretty good. In fact, the production was good enough that it took second place in the national “Lights, Camera, Save!” contest sponsored by the ABA Education Foundation. For financial education, it doesn’t get much more entertaining than this.

US Bank – “Don’t Forget ‘Bout Ya Debt!”

Bank to viewers: ‘Don’t watch our boring Super Bowl spot’

FirstBank knew it would be tough — if not impossible — to compete with the multi-million dollar Super Bowl productions aired by big advertisers. So for their first-ever Super Bowl spot, the Colorado bank went low-budget: one guy sitting in one chair filmed in one shot. The man says, “At FirstBank, customer service is our priority. So if you’re a FirstBank customer worried about missing one of the exciting commercials, or the game, now would be a great time to go to the bathroom… Seriously.”

The ad is, in a sense, an implicit concession that banking is so dull it could never hope to compete with real entertainment. “It’s okay, we understand. Run along. It won’t hurt our feelings,” the bank seems to be saying, almost like those wallflowers at parties who know they aren’t popular. “We acknowledge that there is nothing we could say that would interest you (at least right now).” The audience laughs at the bank waving the white flag of surrender. It is this inherently cynical sense of self-deprecation that makes the spot funny.

As one of the more creative Super Bowl spots in the class of 2012, it garnered FirstBank a significant level of attention, particularly during the pre-game run up. Creative credits go to TDA_Boulder.

FirstBank – “Take a Bathroom Break”

Where’d that sucker come from?

This three-and-a-half minute production retraces a day in the life of a man handing out an armful of suckers… all in reverse. Republic Bank shot the video in locations around downtown Louisville, the bank’s backyard. It’s obvious Republic put time and energy into this elaborate trick, so they owe it to themselves to get the video more exposure. It’s only been viewed 2,400 times so far.

Republic Bank – “Sharing Smiles”

Philip Seymour Hoffman directs bank’s Super Bowl spots

Celebrity actor Philip Seymour Hoffman made his directorial debut in advertising with two spots for People’s United Bank. The first of two ads debuted on NBC networks across New England during Super Bowl XLVI. They featured the new People’s United tagline, “What Know-How Can Do.”

The campaign highlights the traits of “empathy” and “expertise.” The new commercials tell stories that illustrate that spirit of “know-how,” following a People’s United banker who, on the way to work, observes and solves small problems and helps people along the way, cheerfully and without hesitation. Spot 1 | Spot 2

People’s United Bank – “Walk To Work”

Guy falls from plane… kersplatt! Must be a good time to evaluate banking choices

This spot is just plain weird. A man is sucked out of a commercial airliner. As he plummets to his inevitable doom, he ponders his life. Would he do it all over again the same way? Same wife? Same job? Thud! He hits the ground… but miraculously survives! It’s too soon for celebrations though, as a pair of angry wolves start to circle. If the man gets another second-chance at life, would he choose the same bank? Or would he choose to do more with his money? Fortunately, the wolves are crushed by debris falling from the plane, so the man still has the opportunity to switch banks.

For all the stunts, action and special effects, the glitz isn’t enough to disguise the ad’s itchy non sequiturs. Paraphrasing, “If you were dying, you wouldn’t want to count your bank among your regrets. So switch banks, before it’s too late.” The threat of mortality has sparked many life-changing epiphanies, but the choice of one’s financial institution is not among them. The spot was supposed to come across as humorous, but it feels more absurd than anything.

UBank – “Since Today”

BMO Harris gives savings tip with ‘Vacation Jar’

Some bank spots reveal insights about life or human nature, while other banks’ TV ads focus exclusively on products or features. It’s rare that you ever see a bank commercial that does both. If you’ve ever had a savings jar (goal-specific piggybanks for adults), then you can relate to this ad’s narrative. A bank advertising unique services that solve real problems for real people? What a novel concept!

BMO Harris – “Vacation Jar”

Wacky cartoon pits credit unions against big banks

IC Federal Credit Union put together this peculiar 6-minute cartoon portraying big banks as villains dominating a futuristic world. The plot shares the same childlike innocence you’d find in a Burl Ives Christmas show, while the animation might remind you of something you’d see on an after school special back in the 70s. While the video succeeds at communicating its intended message, some viewers may question the appropriateness of the cartoonish storytelling technique.

IC Federal Credit Union – “Credit Unions vs. Big Banks”

Meet TaMI (Ms. Too Much Information)

Tami is a cybercriminal’s dream come true. She’s the star of four new banking security awareness videos US Bank is sharing via Facebook and YouTube. These aren’t repurposed commercials; this is a made-for-the-web production specifically for an online financial education program.

In the videos, Tami’s loose lips cause her to share confidential banking information with just about anyone in earshot. She learns the basics of online security when she joins an “Oversharers Anonymous” support group.

Support Session 1 | Support Session 2 | Tami’s First Date | Tami Sees a Psychic

US Bank – “Oversharers Anonymous: Session One”

Proponents of BofA Breakup put their feelings into song

A consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader calls for the breakup of megabank BofA… in a musical number. The animated video depicts Ken Lewis, Brian Moynihan and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, while a chorus of singers pillories the bank with a parody of Neil Sedaka’s hit, “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.”

Creators of the online attack surely hoped the video would go viral, but with only 22,000 views, it seems to have fallen flat. Perhaps because it’s only so-so, and not as funny as it could have been.

Public Citizen – “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Best Use of a Celebrity Spokesperson

Financial Institution: DnB, Norway
Title: Good Morning Mrs. Clooney

This spot is like a 30-second version of “The Hangover” for women. You wake up in a hotel room. You’ve obviously had a rough night. You look down at this ginormous rock on your ring finger. You’re married? You weren’t yesterday. You pick a wedding dress off the floor. Before you can think “What have I done???” none other than George Clooney steps out of the bathroom — for real, in the flesh. “I like your dress,” says the handsome Hollywood star. “Looks better off than on.” O.M.G. This commercial from DnB, a Norwegian bank, is hilarious. It’s a bit indirect with the link back to financial services: “Some people are lucky in life. For the rest of us, saving up can be smart.” But who cares? It’s super funny. The one-minute spot has been viewed over 2 million times on YouTube.

DNB – MRS. GEORGE CLOONEY

Most Freaky Guerilla Stunt

Financial Institution: NAB, Australia
Title: Guerilla Traps

NAB went fully guerilla with this pair of clever stunts. The Aussie banking giant produced two fascinating spycam videos capturing how people react when forcibly trapped. In one video, job applicants are held captive in an interview by a creepy manager who bolts and bars the doors. In the other video, apartment shoppers get locked inside a unit by the rental agent. The point? No one likes to get trapped, even in a home loan, so consumers should consider NAB’s flexible options. Don’t try this in kind of campaign in America, or you’ll get sued for kidnapping. Seriously.

NAB – TRAPPED IN JOB INTERVIEW

NAB – TRAPPED IN APARTMENT

Best Tear Jerker

Financial Institution: ASB Bank, New Zealand
Title: Mint Sauce

A young boy wants a new Nintendo DS. Alas, he can’t afford it. So the plucky little New Zealander decides to raise a sheep for slaughter (as boys in New Zealand so often do). But after nurturing his baby lamb, he has starts having second thoughts. In the end, he can’t do it, and opts to sell his sheep’s wool instead of its carcass. You know the expression, “You can sheer a sheep many times but only fleece it once?” It’s a touching production with a refreshing and honest perspective on humanity. It’s much more clever than many of the spot’s “Lemonade Stand” counterparts you see so often in the U.S.

ASB BANK – MINT SAUCE

Best Use of Man’s Best Friend

Financial Institution: FNB, Africa
Title: Lost Dog

This moody, 90-second TV commercial shows the lengths people are willing to go to for their pets… but with a clever, unexpected twist at the end. The minimalistic soundtrack (think: Trent Reznor’s soundtrack for “The Social Network”) creates a palpable tension, but the lofty narrated speech isn’t really needed. Dog lovers will totally relate to this spot.

FNB – LOST DOG

Best ‘Glee’ Knockoff

Financial Institution: Innovations FCU, USA
Title: Bad Romance

The credit union’s staff get together for a dance routine ala Glee, set to Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” There are two questions that will probably cross your mind when watching this video: (1) Who is this video for, and (2) how did a credit union with no more than 50 staffers wind up with so many young and attractive employees? The 4:48 long video obviously took a lot of staff time to produce, but with only 2,925 views, you might think it was more work than it was worth. But… Innovations’ employees clearly have a lot of fun making these little dance numbers, so maybe the answer to the first question is: The video is primarily made to benefit staff as an internal team/culture-building activity. You can see another video with the whole Innovations’ staff (including the CEO) in this superb 2009 Christmas video.

INNOVATIONS FCU – BAD ROMANCE

Most Ridiculous Lawsuit

Financial Institution: New Zealand Credit Union
Title: Piggybankers

This spot shows average consumers lugging their banker around everywhere, like monkeys on their backs. When one person toting a piggybanker walks into a New Zealand Credit Union branch, the banker gets tossed out. Bankers in New Zealand didn’t care for the message and filed a complaint, saying that it was an attack that discredited registered banks and thus was a deliberate attempt to undermine the stability of the country’s entire financial system. Psshaw!!! It’s a parody, lighten up.

NZCU – PIGGYBANKERS

Most Bizarre Cartoon

Financial Institution: Numerica Credit Union, USA
Title: Animal Instincts

This animated spot with bears and bunnies is so bizarre, you might have a hard time believing it’s a real commercial that actually aired on TV. You can watch another wacky animated ad — this one with raccoons — at the credit union’s official YouTube channel.

NUMERICA CREDIT UNION – ANIMAL INSTINCTS

Best Drive-Thru Theater Act

Financial Institution: Michigan First Credit Union, USA
Title: Boogie Woogie Banking

Michigan First set up a hidden camera to film members’ reactions as a dance crew puts on a show in the credit union’s drive-thru lanes. “Would you like some entertainment today while you wait,” the drive-thru service rep asks. “Ummm, sure?” A troupe of seven young dancers pops out of nowhere, doing their thang to C+C Music Factory’s “Everybody Dance Now.” The credit union also surprised drive-thru members with a mariachi band.

MICHIGAN FIRST – BOOGIE WOOGIE BANKING

Best Mr. Mayhem Imitation

Financial Institution: RaboDirect, Australia
Title: Stealing Your Dreams

A metaphorical thief working on behalf of big, bad banks steals people’s financial dreams — the same kind of dark humor found in Allstate’s Mayhem anti-spokesman character. Consumers are encouraged to steal their dreams back with a 6.5% term deposit.

RABODIRECT – STEALING YOUR DREAMS

Best Pirate Movie

Financial Institution: Island FCU, USA
Title: Pirates Tale

Aye, this video be a wee bit unusual mates. It starts with a one-minute narrative about big banks swindlin’ yer doubloons, then shifts into a singing/dancing pirate act (if you’re thinking of “Pirates of Penzance,” you’re about right). The lyrics, costumes and props in this video are all worth checking out. The credit union turned the three-and-a-half minute pirate production into a 30-second TV spot. Their website even has a banner ad saying “Tell yer bank to walk the plank!”

ISLAND FCU – ARGH, IT BE A PIRATE TALE

Best Villain

Financial Institution: NAB, Australia
Title: Banks Hate Us

You’ve heard the expression, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Well NAB tries to ingratiate itself with consumers in this TV advert by painting itself as the bank hated most by other bankers. The bank’s reasoning: If other banks hate NAB, they must be doing something right. The spot puts a fresh spin on an all-to-common meme in financial advertising: the reasons why people hate banks.

NAB – UNPOPULAR

Best Customer Testimonial

Financial Institution: Webster Bank, USA
Title: Type W Personality

This ad campaign features real Webster bankers and customers. The spot tells the story of one customer, Pat, who was about to depart for an early international flight. But Pat forgot her passport, which was locked in a Webster safety deposit box. So she calls Cheryl Poryanda, a real VP at Webster, who wakes up some folks to have them open the branch early. “Losing sleep over her customer’s needs? That’s just a part of Cheryl’s ‘Type W’ personality.”

WEBSTER FINANCIAL – TYPE W PERSONALITY

Weirdest Use of a Talking Squirrel

Financial Institution: BankWest, Australia
Title: Click to Chat

A middle aged man woos his lunch date when a gust of wind suddenly blows his toupee off. Yikes! Fortunately, there is a talking squirrel lunching at the table right behind him. The helpful little bugger plops his tail perfectly over the man’s hairless dome. His date doesn’t notice, the man’s dignity saved. It’s cute. It’s creepy. And what does it have to do with the bank’s innovative click-to-chat online customer service program? Who knows? But aren’t talking squirrels cute?

BANKWEST – CLICK TO CHAT

Best Use of Bad Habits

Financial Institution: UBank, Australia
Title: Habits

This spot presents some common habits like nail-biting and toe-tapping in a lighthearted manner, then encourages viewers to start a new habit — one that’s good for you: a savings habit. As with many TV commercials these days, UBank opts for the creative non sequitur — 23 seconds of acerbic humor, followed by a casual segue into the product offer. It’s a good ad — better than most bank commercials — but it could do a bit more to highlight the benefits of frequent saving.

UBANK – HABITS

Best Use of a Goofy Foam Costume

Financial Institution: NAB, Australia
Title: We Killed The Asterisk

NAB ran a whole series of commercials where a couple of secret agents (Blues Brothers look-alikes) defeat a guy wearing a foam asterisk costume. The asterisk always ends up on the run and imperiled… or worse. NAB says consumers will undoubtedly encounter this evil asterisk character whenever other banks claim to have free checking. So NAB “kills” the evil asterisk to emphasize that their checking accounts have no/fewer conditions.

NAB – WE KILLED THE ASTERISK (ROCKET)

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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The Situation: Recent economic crisis has turned banks into highly unpopular institutions.

The Goal: Promote a new, flexible home loan targeting younger professionals in need of their own homes, or homes for their new families.

The Solution: Avoid negative perceptions by using fun and unusual communications.

The Singer: A viral online video campaign built on creative, offline guerilla tactics.

One day in late fall 2010, an average-looking man named Božidar Perićić started randomly belting out songs around Zagreb, in Croatia. The source of his joyous outbursts? He was thrilled to be the owner of a new apartment.

Meanwhile, ad agency Bruketa&Žinić OM secretly filmed The Singer in various public situations, uploading short video clips to YouTube — none of which hinted at a connection to Raiffeisen Bank.

The public suddenly became engrossed with the mystery singing man, unaware that one of the largest banks in Central and Eastern Europe was behind the gambit. Thousands of viewers shared the videos with friends, and commented on which was their favorite. A Facebook group “I’m Not a Talent, But I Can Throw a Show!” was also formed to help distribute videos. The local press even ran interviews with The Singer.

For a full month, The Singer did nothing but post his video ballads, 14 in all. In one he sings to a policeman that pulls him over. The policeman isn’t impressed, and subjects the bubbly singer to a sobriety test. In another he sings to a tram operator. Next a tow truck driver. Then he tries to use his penchant for song to crash an upscale party.

[
RAIFFEISEN – BREAKING GLASS

One of Raiffeisen Bank’s viral videos where The Singer shows us how he uses his power of song to break a glass window.

14,000 Facebook fans and 320,000 video views later (that’s 10% of the Coation market), Raiffeisen finally ran a TV spot revealing that they were the ones responsible. In the ensuing weeks, they aired an entire series of commercials starring The Singer, tying it all together with the line, “Flexi-Housing Loans, in tune with your needs.”

According to Raiffeisen, “Singing has been scientifically proven to release stress and anxiety, enhance happiness and general wellbeing, all of which made an excellent metaphor for new, flexible housing loans.”

RAIFFEISEN – THE SINGER DOCUMENTARY CASE STUDY
This video gives an excellent two-minute overview of the campaign and how it went viral.

RAIFFEISEN – THE KEYS

This is the TV ad divulging Raiffeisen as the bank behind The Singer and his video ballads. The song translated from Croation: “This is the story about the day / When everything started moving my way / When I started singing at my new home, hooray! / I have an apartment / (chorus) He has an apartment / I have a home / (chorus) He has his own home / I can walk naked around / My butt bare, totally unbound / I can hang wallpapers / Eat paté and peppers / I can entertain guests / I can swear and protest / I can snore at night / I can do whatever I like.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Customers compete to see whose cartoon creation will star in the next TV commercial from Lloyds TSB

“We are always looking for innovative ways to engage with consumers. Our latest initiative is a fun way to bring the brand to life.”
— Catherine Kehoe
Lloyds TSB

Lloyds TSB has launched a microsite enabling people to create avatar characters in the style of the bank’s longstanding TV campaign. Users can customize characters to resemble family members, friends and even celebrities.

At the microsite, users can manipulate their avatar creation by changing facial features, hair, mouth, physical build, clothes, and accessories.

The new platform, called Lloyds TSB Me, runs on a regular internet browser and requires no special skills, software or downloads. In fact, it’s so easy to use, most five- or six-year old children could probably figure it out.

‘LLOYDS TSB ME’ MICROSITE

Character creation tools include height, body type, skin color, hair, facial features, clothes, accessories and the background environment. The process is both fun and intuitive.

‘LLOYDS TSB ME’ CONTEST

To enter the contest, entrants must provide their name and email address.

Once the characters have been created users can share the images with their friends and enter a competition for their character to feature on a future Lloyds TSB television ad.

Lloyds TSB is promoting the microsite and contest on its website, through traditional PR channels and on social media platforms.

The microsite enables users to share their character creations over social media networks. Users can also download high-resolution images. If you provide your email address, your character will be saved so you can modify it in the future.

The Lloyds TSB Me application is also available on a dedicated Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/LloydsTSBMe, where users can create characters, view the gallery and get the latest news on the competition all without leaving the Facebook page.

LLOYDS TSB – FACEBOOK PAGE

The Facebook page for ‘Lloyds TSB Me’ has 35,407 likes. There have been 28,077 characters entered so far. The most-liked character created for the contest has 333 likes.

LLOYDS TSB – YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The YouTube channel for Lloyds TSB has one of the best, most attractive interfaces in the retail banking sector. You can watch an entire series of commercials from Lloyds TSB starring the bank’s animated characters. You can also find the entire lineup of commercials in the Lloyds TSB Cinema within its corporate website.

The ‘Lloyds TSB Me’ was created by Saint@RKCR in partnership with MEC Interaction. The agency introduced its animated advertising style, designed by the award-winning animator Marc Craste, in 2007, and has since rolled out more than 30 different spots using the approach.

Headquartered in London, Lloyds TSB has over $1 trillion in assets. The bank claims to be the first in the UK to respond to customer queries through Twitter.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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“Okay, look,” starts one of the spots. “We at Denver Community Credit Union don’t want you to get e-Statements because they save trees or time. That’s why you want to get e-Statements. We want you to get them because they save us money on postage and paper.” The spot goes on to explain that Denver CCU is owned by its members who profit from the savings.

The ads, designed to run on TV, radio, in-branch plasmas and movie screens, were written by Bradley Blue, Denver CCU’s Marketing Manager.

“We ran them on a huge, inflatable movie screen at a big event we put on called ‘Movies in the Park’ and people actually applauded,” Blue said. “It was the only time I’ve ever seen a group of people applaud a commercial.”

It took two tries before the credit union found the right creative execution. The first stab resulted in what Blue described as “cartoonish and ‘Sesame Street’ like.” But the credit union started anew with a fresh video producer who ultimately delivered the finished ads seen here.

Denver CCU – Better Rates & Fewer Fees (2,336 views)

“Okay, look. We at Denver Community Credit Union don’t want you to become a credit union member because credit unions have better rates and fewer fees. That’s why you want to become a member. We want you to become a member because our owners like money. Why can we be so honest about that? Because we’re not a bank. We’re a credit union. Your account with us makes you an owner. So don’t let the bank owners profit off of you. Let you profit off of you. Denver Community Credit Union. In Denver, for Denver.”

Denver CCU – In This to Make Money (2,682 views)

“Okay, look. We at Denver Community Credit Union are in this to make money for our owners and any company that says otherwise is lying. Let me repeat that. Banks and credit unions care most about the money in their owners’ accounts, and will do whatever it takes to make them bigger. Why can we be so honest about that? Because we’re not a bank. We’re a credit union. Your account with us makes you an owner. So don’t let the bank owners profit off of you. Let you profit off of you. Denver Community Credit Union. In Denver, for Denver.”

Denver CCU – eStatements (2,518 views)

“Okay, look. We at Denver Community Credit Union don’t want you to get e-Statements because they save trees or time. That’s why you want to get e-Statements. We want you to get them because they save us money on postage and paper. Our owners get every penny we save, which is just how they like it. Why can we be so honest about that? Because we’re not a bank. We’re a credit union. Your account with us makes you an owner. So don’t let the bank owners profit off of you. Let you profit off of you. Denver Community Credit Union. In Denver, for Denver.”

Many credit unions fall into the trap of building ads solely around “the credit union difference” (not-for-profit, member owned, etc.). Not Denver CCU. Their ads lead with an immediate, tangible member benefit — something relevant and compelling (aka “the real reason”) — then back up the promise with a logical argument about credit union member-ownership (aka “the good reason”). It’s savvy advertising psychology.

New brand voice emerges from blunt bailout honesty

Blue said back in 2008, folks around the credit union were stewing over big bank bailouts, so they harnessed their frustrations and turned feelings into ad copy.

“Most of the material came straight from rants we had in our own department about how much it sucked to sugar-coat things when all we had to do was just be blunt and honest,” Blue explained.

DENVER CCU – UNFANCY POSTCARD

This postcard grew from intra-office rants around the Denver CCU headquarters. The copy reads, “If we got to use $700 billion of your tax money with no strings attached…well, our postcards would be a little fancier, I’ll tell you that much.” Great stuff.

“We got such good response [to the postcard] and had so much fun writing that we started creating TV scripts,” Blue said.

The wildly creative personality behind the production

Denver CCU recruited Jeff Smith-Luedke to do the narration. But this guy is more than just a voice. He’s also a kinetic typographer extraordinaire — a true master of digital video wizardry, and the man who put the pizzazz into Denver CCU’s sassy spots.

If you watch one of Denver CCU’s spots on YouTube, one of the related videos that will pop up comes from Smith-Luedke. Sporting a large nose ring, a cheek piercing and earlobes that have been pierced and stretched, the 27-year old riffs about banks, credit unions and the economy.

“Why, when there’s an option like credit unions, do people go to banks at all? It’s never been a secret that banks f**k us — even before the crisis,” Smith-Luedke says in his video.

His unapologetic use of profanity might not appeal to everyone, but Smith-Luedke has accrued some 18,818 YouTube followers. His f-banks-and-the-economy rant has been viewed some 7,860 times, making Smith-Luedke’s video about credit unions one of the most-watched ever on YouTube.

Blue said Denver CCU wasn’t aware of Smith-Luedke’s internet notoriety. “We had no idea whatsoever that he had achieved some degree of fame for his rants when we hired him,” Blue explained. “We had only seen his work in kinetic typography. We got a lot of extra exposure because the people who follow him all watched it and resent it out.”

He’s certainly one of the more interesting, colorful and unusual philosophers you’ll ever run across (online or otherwise) and not someone you’ll likely soon forget.

“He was fun to work with, that’s for sure!” Blue said.

Where to go from here

Blue said Denver CCU intends to sustain the success it’s enjoying with its new found brand platform. “We are considering a contest to see who can write the best rant about why normally intelligent people would choose another financial institution,” he said. Such a promo would certainly help fuel an energy-filled crowdsourcing campaign, with excellent opportunities for online, video and radio.

“We are also currently working on a follow-up series for loan growth specifically,” Blue said. “But we don’t have the supporting materials yet only because we don’t know where and how these will be run on other media.”

“I’ve had enough requests from other credit unions and leagues that we have begun offering them for a very small fee,” Blue said. The cost? A very reasonable $750, which mostly covers tailoring the ads with a new logo and voiceover.

Blue said he’s also pitched one of the big national credit union trade organizations about taking the campaign national. No response yet though.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Connex Credit Union in Connecticut, whose slogan is “Unbank With Us,” is hosting a contest for a paid internship with a grand title, “Vice President of Unbanking.”

Amy Stanton, AVP/Marketing at Connex, said the role is “essentially a snazzy name for a marketing intern who will represent all things Connex in the young community around our branches.”

An attractive, one-page microsite provides a simple and excellent overview of the position’s selection process and what candidates need to do for consideration.

Applicants who feel they would be a dynamic, outgoing Gen-Y spokesperson should send their resume along with a brief video explaining why they think they would be the Vice President of Unbanking. To stimulate ideas and provide some degree of strategic direction for applicants, Connex makes the following suggestions:

“What is it about traditional banking you don’t like? What makes credit unions different than banks? Would you rather share your profits with shareholders, or have a say in how your money is managed? These are a few ideas to get you started. Get our attention and remember, be creative and have fun with it. Best of luck — we can’t wait to see it!”

The successful candidate will get unique experience in a real marketing environment while getting paid and earning college credits. The VP of Unbanking will help “tell the world all of the great things about Connex and what it means to ‘Unbank.’” The duration of the internship is not specified.

“It’s one of the biggest elements of my work and projects over the next several months and ties in precisely with my task of increasing awareness of ‘Unbanking,’” Stanton continued.

CONNEX CREDIT UNION – VP OF UNBANKING
This brief video, starring the credit union’s current Gen-Y spokesperson,
outlines the basics of the Connex “Vice President of Unbanking” recruitment promotion.

Paul Stull, SVP at Arizona State CU, points out one big snag with contests requiring video submissions: a candidate’s success is often defined by the amount of video production skills they have. “While many contests are designed to pick spokesters or high-profile talent, it seems that a large number of people with great skills may be left behind,” Stull told The Financial Brand.

“It just seems that if you’ve been to film school you have a much better chance at winning,” Stull continued. “This rules out a number of talented people who just don’t know how to express themselves using video.”

“These contests capture the flash, but not the substance,” he said.

VIDEO ENTRY FOR CONNEX VP OF UNBANKING
This candidate may be very well suited for the position, but you’d never be able to tell based on his video entry. He seems like a nice kid, but his video is super boring. Does this mean style supersedes substance?

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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In a series of three television commercials, TruMark dishes a sardonic (if not snide) dig at big banks. The campaign’s premise hinges on an obvious-yet-unspoken question: “Why fork over your money to bankers so they can splurge on a luxurious lifestyle?” You can view the three spots at the credit union’s website.

In preparation for the campaign, TruMark surveyed some 1,000+ households and found that 40% were “very concerned” about big bank executives receiving excessive compensation.

Reality Check: TruMark doesn’t reveal its executive compensation structure.

High-caliber copy coupled with professional production qualities make for some very attractive spots that are likely to be very effective at generating name awareness for TruMark.

The three TV spots are part of a wider campaign, concentrated in a nine week, multimedia schedule across Southeastern Pennsylvania. Billboards are slated to run for six months.

Going negative. Attack ads. Call them what you want, financial marketers like TruMark are increasingly practicing the dark art of bashing the competition, a strategy originally pioneered and popularized by American political campaigns. The crux of the argument assumes that people will choose you as long as they hate the competition more. Translation: Make the other guy look like a schmuck. You don’t even have to be the least schmucky option; you merely have to be less schmucky than a few.

TruMark has a cheery take on what it sees as the commercials’ central theme. “While each spot is unique, the underlying message is the same,” the credit union explains in a press statement. “TruMark Financial is focused on its members.”

“TruMark Financial’s public awareness campaign is designed to reinforce the benefits of switching to TruMark Financial,” the credit union continues.

Reality Check: It’s hard to deliver a positive message about yourself while you’re beating the crap out of your competitors.

Key Questions: What happened to advertisers who touted their own features and benefits instead of the faults and shortcomings of their competitors? Is advertising today about convincing consumers that you aren’t as smarmy as the other guy? These days, does better and different = “suck less?”

“Married to ‘Morgan’”

You made it the best day of her life.
Saw that she was pampered every day.
Gave her somewhere nice to spend her afternoons.
Even bought her a beach house in St. Martin.
Too bad she’s not your wife.
She’s your big bank CEO’s wife.
Make your money work for you.
No credit card tricks. No frustration. No excuses.
It’s about you, your family, your trust.
TruMark Financial. Your trust matters.

“Raising ‘Chase’”

You did the best you could for him.
Made sure he was comfortable on long trips.
Gave me a nice place to keep his toys.
You even paid for four years in college…in Europe.
Too bad he’s not your son.
He’s your big bank CEO’s son.
Make your money work for you.
No hidden fees. No bailouts. No surprises.
It’s about you, your family, your trust.
TruMark Financial. Your trust matters.

“Living ‘Wells’”

You bought them a beautiful home.
Made sure she got her very own room.
Gave them a place to spend family time.
And a nice back yard to entertain friends.
Too bad it’s not your life.
It’s your big bank CEO’s life.
Make your money work for you.
No hassles. No double talk. No greed.
It’s about you, your family, your trust.
TruMark Financial. Your trust matters.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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ANZ, the largest bank in Australia, is using Barbara — the epitome of what people detest about banking services and policies — to draw wry contrasts between itself and the cold-hearted perceptions of big banks.

In one of the spots, a customer complains to Barbara. “You said I should open this everyday account because it had NO monthly account fees,” the customer protests.

“No need to thank me,” Barbara snaps back.

“I’m not, look at all these!”

“Ah yeah,” Barbara says. “You see when I said no monthly account fees that was no with a silent ‘k’ as in you may not know about the fees until the fees are charged. Your mistake.”

ANZ – “KNOW FEE CHECKING”
Barbara tries to straighten out one of her customers who complains about fees on her no-fee checking account.

ANZ – “NO GO AWAY”
Barbara dismisses the complaints of one of her customers and instead signs him up for a product he doesn’t want.

Reality Check: It wouldn’t be funny if it wasn’t true.

ANZ produced the TV commercials after the bank eliminated 27 different fees and charges on personal accounts. The spots are intended to highlight ANZ’s simple and transparent approach to everyday banking.

“We are not just parodying our competitors, we are parodying the entire industry, including ourselves,” David Lindberg, ANZ’s managing director of marketing and strategy, told the Daily Telegraph in an interview.

The role of Barbara is played by comedian Genevieve Morris, who has been enjoying a level of notoriety unbefore seen in her 20-year career thanks to the ANZ spots.

An unofficial account for Barbara has over 1,500 fans on Facebook.

Comments at various websites hosting copies of the commercials reflect a range of consumer sentiment. Some say the spots backfire, perfectly capturing the experience they had with an ANZ employee. Most take the spots for what they are: a light-hearted poke at crappy bank service.

The campaign was created by Australian ad agency M&C Saatchi.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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“What Is a Credit Union?”

Producer: Callahan & Assoiciates
Running Time: 4:49

Callahan & Associates sent its CYouth team out to ask Gen-Y what they know — and don’t know — about banks and credit unions. And guess what? Gen-Y doesn’t know the difference the difference between banks and credit unions.

Key Excerpt: Interviewer: “What do you think would be the biggest thing potentially holding you back from joining a credit union?” Gen-Y answer: “Umm, I’ve just never had any knowledge of them before. I’m not familiar with them.”

“This is Generation Y”

Producer: Weber Marketing Group
Running Time: 4:06

Weber Marketing Group created this video with a series of brief Gen-Y interview vignettes capturing Gen-Y thoughts about financial institutions.

Key Excerpts:

• “Our parents set up our accounts.”
• “When I go in to talk to [my bank], they aren’t friendly or helpful whatsoever. They talk to me like I’m stupid, pretty much.”
• “Honestly, I don’t know very much about credit unions.”
• “I’ve heard there are lots of benefits with being at a credit union, but I don’t have any idea what those are.”

“I Know Y – Getting to Know You”

Producer: The Garland Group
Running Time: 6:50

Major takeaways:

• Gen Y isn’t really clear how they choose their financial institutions.
• Gen-Y wants improved performance and functionality for online banking platforms.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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“People can now accept
more complex brands with
multiple, distinct narratives
highlighting various aspects
of the brand.”
– The Martin Agency,
about its GEICO ads

GEICO uses more branded characters at one time than probably any other company in the history of marketing. Turn on the TV tonight and you could see an ad starring their Gecko, Cavemen, or the googly-eyed pile of Kash. Or all three.

Presently GEICO has no fewer than six — count ‘em…SIX! — different ad campaigns running, each with their own unique tone, style, flavor and message.

Ask any brand-builder in the world, and they’ll tell you that using a seemingly disjointed and eclectic lineup of ads is the wrong way to create a cohesive, focused brand image. Consistency, they all say, is the key to shaping people’s perceptions and getting your messages to stick.

GEICO (pronounced “GUY-co,” and short for Government Employees Insurance Company) doesn’t just ignore these widely-accepted branding “rules.” They do everything possible to break them.

1 – The Gecko

The gecko first appeared in 1999 during a Screen Actors Guild strike that prevented the use of live actors. In the gecko’s first TV debut, he pleads for people confusing “gecko” with “GEICO” to stop phoning him. The gecko speaks with an English (Cockney) accent. Why? Because it would be unexpected, according to GEICO’s ad shop, the Martin Agency.

Message: “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on your car insurance.”

“Trust Me”

2 – Cavemen

These metrosexual cavemen have somehow eluded extinction while developing a taste for racquet sports, plasma TVs, and “duck with mango salsa.” They are insulted by GEICO’s ad tagline, “So easy, a caveman can do it.”

GEICO and its ad agency tried to capitalize on the success of their Cavemen with a TV series in the fall of 2007. The move made GEICO the first advertiser in recent history to turn a fictional company spokescharacter into the star of a primetime TV show. But the show received overwhelmingly negative critical reaction, and was canceled after only six episodes. It’s a clear case of “jumping the shark.”

Message: “So easy, a caveman can do it.”

“Caveman Montage”

3 – Kash

Starting in 2008, GEICO has aired a series of TV ads featuring two paper-banded stacks of U.S. bills with a pair of big, buggy eyes on top. Kash, who never says anything, just sits and stares at people (it’s intentionally creepy), set to an obnoxious remix of a Rockwell/Michael Jackson song, “Somebody’s Watching Me.”

Message: “This [stack of cash] is the money you could be saving on your car insurance.”

“On a Date with Kash”

4 – Rhetorical Questions

An actor asks the familiar question, “Could switching to Geico save you 15% or more on car insurance?” He then follows up with a rhetorical question: “Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?” or “Did The Waltons take way too long to say goodnight?”

Message: “15 minutes could save you 15% or more.”

“Does Elmer Fudd have trouble with the letter R?”

5 – Talking Objects

Objects causing damage to people’s cars — a pothole, a fire hydrant and the fender of another car — stumble through feeble apologies.

Message: “Accidents are bad. But GEICO’s good, with emergency road service.”

“Southern Pothole”

6 – Motorcycles & Toys

GEICO’s division for motorcycles, RVs and other toys has an entirely different campaign. These ads occasionally feature cameo appearances of the Gecko and Cavemen, but not usually. Most of them are markedly less creative than any of GEICO’s other spots.

Message: “You could save with GEICO motor cycle insurance.”

“Florida Sunset”

But wait… There’s more!

There’s a multitude of different spots GIECO rolls out every year, and no two campaigns are ever the same.

In 2003, Geico debuted a campaign called “Good News,” featuring ads where one character would break bad news to another, ending with the tagline: “I’ve got good news! I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO.”

In another spot circa 2008, a squirrel causes a car to swerve and crash. The squirrel fist bumps and high-fives another squirrel. The message: “Accidents can happen anytime. That’s why GEICO’s here 24 hours a day, every day.”

Little Richard, Joan Rivers, Peter Frampton, Don LaFontaine, and James Lipton are among the notable celebrities who spoofed themselves in yet another series GEICO spots.

“Don LaFontaine – That Movie Announcer Guy”

The agency’s rationale

The Martin Agency has given different assignments to multiple creative teams, along with instructions “to tell multiple, distinct narratives that highlight various aspects of the brand.”

“Once upon a time, an ad was about a company’s unique selling position. But people can now accept more complex brands,” Mike Hughes, The Martin Agency’s president and creative director explains.

“I thought we might be able to build a deeper relationship if we built on multiple fronts,” Hughes told Fast Company.

The Martin Agency believes it has found a better way to do branding, perhaps even a new media strategy altogether. The ad shop has since begun rolling out multipronged strategies for a variety of clients including UPS and Wal-Mart.

Reality Check: This strategy is probably not for you. Most marketers have to spend a ton of money just to make one message stick, much less two (or more!). GEICO spends in the neighborhood of $500 million.

What do you think

How do you feel about the mish-mash of ad campaigns GEICO uses to build its brand? Please take the poll below. You can check all answers that apply. Also, feel free to leave your thoughts and questions in a comment.

Key Questions: Before you take the poll, ask yourself how many of GEICO’s brand messages can you recall? Do you know “it’s so easy, a caveman can do it?” Do you know “you can save 15% or more on your car insurance?” How many GEICO commercials can you recall?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Now — in what may be a first in the financial industry — American Express just rolled out a new wave of ads supporting its OPEN Forum.

AMERICAN EXPRESS “OPEN FORUM” TV SPOT
In this one-minute spot, a number of real users from the OPEN Forum are quoted.

SCRIPT FOR 1:00 TV SPOT

As small businesses are busy reinventing the economy,
small business owners have a lot of questions.
“Can paperless billing get me paid faster?”
“How can I keep my best employees?”
“How can I bring down my insurance costs?”
And while at American Express OPEN,
we might not have all the answers, we know who does.
Other owners.
That’s why we’re helping business owners connect.
Together, we’re building a community for them to talk,
to share, and to help each other.
A place called openforum.com.
Where owners can swap ideas and ask questions.
“Will tweeting get me more customers?”
“How can I make my business green?”
And one questions seems especially popular.
“How can I get paid faster?”
“How can I get paid faster?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
And there are inspiring ideas like AcceptPay,
a new tool from OPEN that lets owners invoice digitally
and helps them get paid faster.
Ask a question. Find an answer.
Join the conversation at openforum.com.

These days, it isn’t uncommon to see the a financial institution placing offline ads celebrating the debut of their new online initiatives. In fact, using traditional media tactics has proven to be one of the more effective ways to stimulate strong initial interest in a bank or credit union social media project. But what you don’t see are ads and other forms of offline marketing for these projects six months after they’ve launched.

Financial institutions launching their first few social media project will frequently delude themselves with these four myths:

1. If we build it… they will come.
2. As long as it’s awesome, people will find it.
3. You can do it all online.
4. It’s all free!

Many financial marketers want to believe this is all it takes
to build a successful social media project.

In reality, it takes just as much time, money and energy — if not more –
to create a successful social media presence as any other
major marketing initiative your financial institution has ever undertaken.

Reality Check: People aren’t going to magically flock to your financial institution’s social media project. It still takes good old-fashioned marketing muscle to drive meaningful results and user participation. Without marketing support, you won’t sustain people’s interest… if you were lucky enough to catch their interest in the first place.

Bottom Line: If you don’t allocate an ongoing budget, resources and personnel to your social media project — and measure according to specific goals — it’s bound to be a flop.

More about OPEN Forum: The AmEx OPEN Forum enables business people to market their companies, find vendors and build relationships with one another. Primarily the site is used for business owners to ask and answer questions about subjects like balancing cash flow and managing insurance costs. Business owners can also receive the latest news from OPEN Forum by following @OPENForum on Twitter.

AMERICAN EXPRESS OPEN FORUM

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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A blogger snapped this photo of a “rock” on the teller counters at Union Bank. It turns out the “rock” was made of soft foam. “About as solid as a marshmallow,” the blogger wryly notes.

Allianz – Elevator

An elevator wrapped in graphics that look like a bank vault. The sign inside the elevator reads (translaätion): “Keep your money in a safe place.” Clever out-of-home advertising.

Visa – “Anthem”

Every two years, TV viewers around the world are treated to some of the most spectacular, inspiring ads ever created. The cinematography, the story lines, the editing are all extraordinary. Unfortunately, most of these ads don’t promote the companies who paid millions to produce and air them. They only seem to build the Olympic brand, such this beautiful mintue-long spot for the 2010 Winter Olympics from Visa.

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the ad that talks about themes like “imagination,” “spirit,” “precision,” “speed,” “grace” and “magic,” concepts that seem markedly unrelated to either Visa or banking. It’s almost like a PSA for the Olympics: “This feel-good moment of unity and celebration is brought to you by…Visa! More People Go With Visa.”

You may prefer watching this kind of spot versus an ad for something like “Head On, apply directly to the forehead,” but you’ll quickly forget it was Visa who made it once you see a dozen other advertisers trot out their similarly commercialized celebrations of Olympic spirit and pride. You can see another gorgeous Visa spot for the Winter Olympics here.

SunTrust – “Swap a Solid” Facebook Application

SunTrust Bank recently launched Swap a Solid, a Facebook application that provides users with a forum for exchanging goods and services with their Facebook friends. At the Facebook app, you can “Request a Solid,” or view “Solid Requests.” The Swap a Solid name harkens back to the bank’s current ad slogan, “Live Solid,” although some people might think it’s disgusting to “swap a solid” with anyone other than their spouse.

Standard Bank – “Mr. HIV”

Standard Chartered, a bank serving Asia, Africa and the Middle East, made a pledge to the Clinton Global Initiative to educate one million people about the prevention and spread of HIV & AIDS by 2010. To achieve this, they commissioned an animated short film that chronicles a “Mr. HIV,” a personified virus looking for a job so he can destroy the human body. The script is entertaining. The CG is comparable to a Pixar production. As far as public health PSAs go, you can’t get much better. You can watch the whole series here.

Deutsche Bank – Greenhouse Gases Widget

Deutsche Bank recently launched a free widgetized version of its “Carbon Counter,” a landmark digital billboard in New York City which displays the running total of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The widget comes as part of the bank’s broader campaign to raise public awareness of climate change and encourage investment. (A widget is a downloadable, stand-alone application that can be embedded into an end-user’s web page or desktop.) It’s very interesting to see a bank commit itself so strongly to one side of a political hot potato.

Innovations FCU – “Jingle Bells Lip Dub”

You’re probably burned out on the holidays, but this video is too good to pass up. It’s a singing, dancing lip-synch of a techno version of “Jingle Bells.” The choreography involves the credit union’s entire staff — some 35+ people — in one, single 3-minute take. It is toe-tapping fun, festive and well-produced, yet not so slick that it feels expensive or pretentious. Hat tip to Christopher Stevenson at CUES who was the first to spot the video, and kudos to agency Raoust+Partners, who reportedly produced it.

Belvoir Credit Union – Brand Image & Identity

When Fort Belvoir Credit Union decided it was time to drop the “Fort” from its name, they turned to Third Degree Advertising for a new brand image and identity that is decidedly unmilitaristic.

Capitec – Simplicity

This minute-long TV spot features CG animation with a narrator in a virtual world who describes a bank that is unbelievably perfect. Quite frankly, it sounds too good to be true. The spot ends with the tagline, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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In an attempt to justify Westpac’s 45 basis point jump in standard variable mortgage rates, the bank created a longwinded video parable drawing an analogy between the worldwide financial crisis and a storm that devastates a crop of bananas, thereby driving up prices of banana smoothies.

Australians aren’t swallowing the bank’s banana story.

WESTPAC – “COOL BANANAS”
This video, titled “Cool Bananas” by Westpac, appeared in customers’ email inboxes following the bank’s hike in mortgage rates. A ferocious reaction to the video swept across Australia, with many calling the video “childish” and “patronizing.” You can read the video’s entire transcript here on page 2.

“Once upon a time, there were big lush fields of banana crops, but one day a terrible storm rolled in and hit the banana fields,” the video’s narration says. “So the crops were damaged and there were not enough to go around. Because of the devastating storm, the price of bananas went up and it cost more to make a banana smoothie, that’s why the price of smoothies increased.”

“In some ways a bank is really just like the company that sells banana smoothies,” the narrator continues. “In 2007, the world of money changed. The money that banks needed to buy started to cost them a lot more, just like the bananas for the smoothies.”

Westpac’s rate hike far outstrips the Australian Reserve Bank’s 25 basis point increase. By comparison, Commonwealth Bank raised its rate by 37 basis points, and ANZ’s increased by only 35 basis points.

Reality Check: The video is condescending. Even worse, it’s a lousy analogy.

Westpac’s attempt to rationalize its cost structure comes off as an childish oversimplification. The video seems similar to the wildly popular internet animation, “The Crisis of Credit Visualized,” but Westpac’s lame logic only makes the bank look farcical and cartoonish. It’s almost as if the bank is saying, “We have done nothing wrong. It’s not our fault we increased our rates more than any other bank. Besides, the only reason we hike interest rates is to make the dream of home ownership a reality for more Australians.”

Huh???

It’s worth noting that Westpac’s current stated marketing aim is to “delight the customer.” Meanwhile, the company’s top banana got a $2 million bonus on top of her $10 million salary last year, something unhappy Westpac mortgage customers are quick to point out.

Banana backlash, but bank makes no apologies

Westpac sent the video to its customers via email a few days following a recent rate hike, and the bank has been under fire across Australia ever since.

The bank’s banana blunder has transcended into Aussie pop culture. Now known as “Bananagate” or “Banananomics,” the Westpac video has been parodied on YouTube, mocked in blogs and editorials, and sparked a petition that has already been signed by thousands of Australians. Even the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is blasting the bank.

“I think Westpac should have a long hard look at itself,” Prime Minister Rudd said on an Australian radio show.

In his view, the bank had done “the wrong thing” with its rate hike, and urged people to take their business elsewhere.

“Customers out there should be looking at where else they can do their banking,” he said.

Ouch.

Despite the criticism, Westpac feels confident about its policies and offers no apologies.

“We understand that people have different levels of understanding about the way banks get their funding,” a Westpac spokesperson said. “We also know that people don’t like our explanation for our rate rise.”

Reality Check: If you want to get yourself out of a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging.

Thankful competitors smelling blood

NAB, the only major bank to follow the Australian Reserve’s 25 basis points increase in interest rates, decided to take advantage of the situation by sending out street teams to canvass Westpac branches for unhappy customers. Even if NAB doesn’t attract as many new accounts as it hopes, the move is still a PR boon.

NAB STREET TEAMS
Smelling opportunity, NAB had employees hand out pamphlets outside the branches of its rival Westpac in response to ‘Bananagate.’

Indeed it would seem every home lender in Australia owes a bit of thanks to Westpac. The bank has inadvertently elevated “refinancing” to the top of every Australian’s mind, right in the wake of something that would normally be seen as a big negative — a mortgage rate hike. Westpac has, in effect, created an opportunity for its competitors to say, “See, everyone’s rates have gone up, but we’re not that bad. You should come in and talk to us about refinancing your mortgage… perhaps over a banana smoothie?”

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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Servus Credit Union, the third largest in Canada, has just about wrapped up its “Cash in with Your Camcorder” promotion, a make-your-own-TV-commercial contest highlighting the financial institution’s signature Young & Free Chequing Account.

The promotion is part of the credit union’s Young & Free Alberta initiative, a broad, multi-year “challenge marketing program” from Currency Marketing that has deservedly received much acclaim.

INTRODUCTORY VIDEO
An unshaven Myles Peterman, the 2009 Young & Free spokesperson, dons an undershirt while introducing the contest from his bedroom computer cam.

The Cash In With Your Camcorder contest invited residents of Alberta, Canada, between the ages of 18-25 to create 30-second video commercials about “why the Young & Free Chequing Account rocks.” Prizes included a $2,000 grand prize, and a $1,000 second place prize.

“You could buy an airport for that,” observes 2009 Young & Free spokesperson Myles Petermen says. “It would be made of Legos, but it would be an airport.”

In addition to getting cash, winners may also find their videos used in future advertising.

CONTEST ENTRY – “FINANCIAL IDOL”
This submission comes from the previous Young & Free spokester, Larissa Walkiw. The singing trio in this video uses the same stick-figure style as the video that catapulted Ms. Walkiw to international credit union fame back in 2008. With over 75,000 views, Larissa’s “The Difference Between Banks & Credit Unions” is the most-watched YouTube video in the credit union industry…worldwide. If you’re one of the few that hasn’t seen it, you should take a look.

Launched in late October, participants have been submitting their home-made commercials to the credit union. The credit union provided a “starter kit” of standard elements and other video graphics (such as logos) to help contestants with their entries.

People were able to vote for their favorite submissions on the Young & Free Alberta site through the month of November. Winners will be announced on Friday, December 4.

YOUNG & FREE ALBERTA MICROSITE
Shown here in the voting phase of the contest.

MARKETING MATERIALS

In addition to promoting Cash In With Your Camcorder on the Young & Free website, Peterman also pushed the contest on the Young & Free Facebook page (278 fans) and Twitter account (720 followers).

The Young & Free Chequing Account, available to the 17-25 year-old Alberta crowd, features free and unlimited withdrawals from network ATMs, account transfers, point-of-sale transactions, cheques, bill payments, and more. It is positioned as a simple and easy-to-understand product for those just starting to manage their own finances. The product is unique among Canadian financial institutions who seldom offer free chequing accounts.

There is an online application for the Young & Free Chequing Account integrated directly into the the credit union’s microsite that is so fantastically simple, you’ll have to see it to believe it.

Analysis

• The primary benefit of the campaign for Servus Credit Union is the super cheap marketing they get for their youth account. Giving away $3,000 in prize money is much more cost-effective than having a professional commercial made.
• The secondary benefit is increased website traffic and word of mouth, since contenders will be pushing all of their friends to visit the Young & Free Alberta site and vote. It’s highly a engaging promotion, regardless of the number of submissions.
• Contestants are in it primarily for the cash prize and the shot at getting their creative work used in real advertising. For former spokester Larissa, who is currently pursuing a degree in film, having her ad used by a company for commercial purposes would look good on her resume.

Key Takeaways:

If you’re going to hold a “make-your-own-TV-commercial contest,” there are a few things you should learn from the Cash In With Your Camcorder promo:

1. Consider defining the specific focus of the commercial, as Servus did when they asked contestants to concentrate on the credit union’s unique chequing product. If you don’t provide a range, then you better be prepared to receive entries encompassing the full spectrum of possibilities — loans, savings, checking, brand… who knows?
2. Provide your logo, slogan, colors and other creative resources to assist entrants with their submissions. This also helps create a standardized framework or “visual vocabulary” for entries.
3. Never promise the winning video will run on TV. With any kind of online vote, you can never be sure of the turnout, so don’t obligate yourself to publicly running a commercial that would make you (and your CEO) uncomfortable. You can entice contestants with the mere possibility that — if their submission is appropriate — it may actually air.

Bottom Line: All in all, Cash In With Your Camcorder is one of those smart contests where the winners benefit, but the credit union gains even more.

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About the author: Jeff Stephens is founder and CEO of Creative Brand Communications (CBC), a full-service bank and credit union branding and marketing agency. CBC helps financial institutions find their story, tell it, and most importantly, prove it.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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The ValuesSoapBox.com (below) publishes people’s comments on education, jobs, technology and bottled water.

The topics aren’t lightning rods that strike people’s hot buttons (like abortion). It would have been interesting to see what people said about a topical issue, like health care, for instance.

Each section has a video introducing some various points of view on the subject. You can read what other people have said, or leave a comment yourself. There’s no more than 50 comments in any one section, and the frequency of comments seems to be waning.

Reality Check: For such a large bank — the world’s largest — running a full-fledged campaign in a city the size of New York, it’s a little surprising to see so little participation.

Soapbox TV Spots

Using footage captured from an event held last month in a New York park, HSBC created a series of commercials where people share a range of opinions on issues like immigration, technology and family.

Three commercials from HSBC produced with footage captured at a live event a few weeks ago. While the topics could be controversial, the bank has clearly taken pains to sanitize the spots of anything too provocative.

“Why does a bank care about what people value?” asks text superimposed on the screen at the end of each spot. The answer: “Understanding people’s values helps us better meet their needs.”

HSBC has been positioning itself as “The World’s Local Bank” for a few years now. The Soapbox campaign is part of what the bank calls “an ongoing initiative to listen to what is important to people today.”

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal criticized the campaign, saying it is essentially a cop-out to share people’s points of view without taking a stand yourself. “There is no way to make ‘values the core of an advertising campaign while remaining neutral about the character of the content,” wrote Eric Felten.

New York Magazine Sponsorship

HSBC bought exclusive sponsorship of New York magazine’s online video section. Twenty videos filmed at the Soapbox event are available for viewing there.

This article © 2012 by The Financial Brand and may not be reproduced.

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