This large portfolio of financial marketing initiatives covers 19 projects from banks and credit unions around the world, including 32 illustrations, 9 videos and a few online advertising examples.

Rabo Plus – Sex Appeal

World-renowned ad agency Ogilvy came up with this racy spot for RaboPlus (now RaboDirect) and their 8% term deposit back in 2007. The Australian Advertising Standards Authority rejected a complaint accusing the bank of using sex in a gratuitous manner. Australian law prohibits advertisers from portraying people in such a way as to use sex appeal simply to draw attention to an unrelated product.

RABOPLUS – MY NUMBERS CHANGED

Ummm, what does a gorgeous woman getting dressed have to do with an 8% term deposit?

Pacific Service Credit Union – Postcard PURLs

This postcard campaign utilized PURLs (Personalized URLs) — custom, personalized websites unique to each addressee, such as www.SarahCeccin.goPSCU.com as shown in the example. The design style is decidedly unstuffy.

PACIFIC SERVICE CREDIT UNION – PURLS
The credit union offered a $50 iTunes gift card with new checking accounts.

Umpqua Bank – Welcome Gift

To promote the grand opening of its latest branch, Umpqua Bank sent a street team out to deliver small plants to people’s doorsteps. The lead message on the note: “It’s not every day that you get something nice from a bank.” This was accompanied by an invitation to the branch “to say hello, pickup a free bag of Umpqua Blend coffee and bank like you live.”

UMPQUA BANK – WELCOME GIFT

The houseplant delivered to houses announcing Umpqua’s newest location. The little round card stuck in dirt includes a map to the branch. The plastic plant marker includes the contact info of the business where the plant was purchased.

FirstBank – Kiddy Treadmill

TDA Advertising & Design came up with this clever airport ad. A round, plexiglass poster with the headline, “Tire your kids out so they sleep on the plane,” rotates 360°. Kid-sized handprints appear three-and-a-half feet above the floor. Above them, the instructions, “Have children place hand here.” The signboard makes one revolution every 30 seconds. The advertising is intended to “amuse and befriend” traveling parents, the agency said. It’s a great example of how consideration should always be made for the media and context in which an ad run.

1STBANK – AIRPORT KIDDY TREADMILL

Eaton Family Credit Union – Credit Unions by the Numbers

Credit unions bicker all the time about what a national campaign might look like in their industry. It’s a red herring. This simple video captures much of what credit unions could be communicating in a collective, cohesive, coordinated nationwide campaign, and does so in a mere 51 seconds. The data presented here is much more compelling and relevant to consumers than the oft-recited touchy-feely themes preached by the movement’s more devout clerics. This is what you call “bottom-line marketing.”

EATON CREDIT UNION – CREDIT UNIONS BY THE NUMBERS

Eaton Family didn’t make this video, but it sure makes an effective, logical case to join a credit union — any credit union. Would it be better with a different soundtrack?

People’s Trust Credit Union – Flash Annual Report

The credit union made an online, interactive, animated cartoon of its 2009 annual report. More people would read annual reports if they were like this (i.e., less dull). For dry financial data, this Flash-based presentation is about as fun as it gets…that is, without undermining the institution’s message or sense of professionalism.

PEOPLE’S TRUST – FLASH ANNUAL REPORT

Key members of the credit union’s senior leadership have been turned into cartoon characters in this interactive annual report. There’s also a cool bonus feature: The website and all of its animations are fully scalable.

Commonwealth Bank – We Return Phone Calls

The Australian banking giant adopted a distinctive story-telling concept along with a new style of black-and-white imagery earlier in 2010. In its latest TV spots, the bank promises to call its customers back (which has some Aussies rolling their eyes with a sour “whoopty doo”), and then takes a stab at humor with a talking dog. It seems like Commonwealth has yet to strike the right chord in its relationship with an American ad agency. Via: The Saatchi Daily Banking Blog.

COMMONWEALTH BANK – CALL YOU BACK

One blogger asks, “Is this what it’s come to? Have banks gotten so arrogant in their lack of service that just returning a phone call when promised is something that separates you as different?”

La Capitol – New Brand Look

Third Degree Advertising developed this new brand identity for La Capitol FCU (pronounced “lah CAP-ah-tul”) in Louisiana, using the tagline “Together We Thrive” (which, coincidentally, is the same slogan recently chosen by another credit union). The new look is comfortingly traditional. The website doesn’t look like it’s got its makeover yet though.

LA CAPITOL – NEW BRAND IDENTITY

LA CAPITOL – BRAND VIDEO
Third Degree created this brand video, and a condensed it into a :30 version for TV.

Umpqua Bank – Sale

Umpqua Bank, perhaps the most retail savvy financial institution in North America, has been pushing its summer sale hard in an aggressive online media campaign. Banner ads appear on nearly every major news and finance website when viewed by people within its geographical region. Keep your eyes on this Oregon-based bank; they are always one to watch.

UMPQUA BANK – SALE

When was the last time your financial institution had a sale? What’s the sale for? Who cares? Consumers will click on anything if they think they’ll get a bargain.

Chase – Picture Perfect Wedding

Chase exploits the stereotypical, white, suburban “dream wedding” in this Flash-based ad for overnight checks. Using only still images, the ad tells the “story” of a daughter who phones her parents because she’s found the perfect place to get married. Only one hitch: she needs a check tomorrow.

Because there isn’t any dialogue, you have to read a script delivered in subtitles. “Mom, it’s perfect, but if they don’t have a deposit by tomorrow, we’ll lose it!” Ack! What to do??? Dad suggests using the overnight check service that Chase offers. That’s what he did when he spaced the mortgage payment last month… The execution feels dated, like a full-color anachronism from the 1950s. “Gee pops, ain’t everything just swell?” “Sure is junior. Now let’s go see Mr. Jenkins about helping him paint his house.”

CHASE – PICTURE PERFECT WEDDING

A soothing guitar melody loops for a full almost two minutes while you watch a filmstrip-style slideshow of a “typical American family” arranging the picture-perfect wedding. If you think it’s a little cheesy, you’re not alone.

BNP Paribas – People know BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas used this series of outdoor posters when it launched its first large-scale advertising campaign in the U.S., starting in the New York metropolitan area. The ads were placed in Times Square and in Grand Central Station on newsstands, bus shelters and phone kiosks. They also appeared in trains and railway stops in upstate New York and Connecticut.

BNP PARIBAS – PEOPLE KNOW BNP PARIBAS

These transit ads are supposed to generate awareness, but are they any more effective than simply running the bank’s logo with a giant “hi” for a headline?

CommonWealth Central Credit Union – Giant Deal

The typography for this baseball-themed campaign is beautiful. The credit union’s tie-in with the San Jose Giants helped generate over $5 million in auto loans back in 2009. The promo won an award from the Marketing Association of Credit Unions.

COMMONWEALTH CENTRAL CREDIT UNION – GIANT DEAL

BofA – Superlative Baseball

Watch this 30-second spot touting BofA’s sponsorship deal with Major League Baseball and you’ll swear America’s national pastime is better than Mother Teresa, Ghandi and the cure for cancer. It’s sappy, maybe even pandering.

BofA – BASEBALL

The script reads, “For well over a century now, baseball has been helping bond parents and children, unite communities, close generation gaps, overcome language barriers, seal friendships, patch up differences, instill civic pride. Bank of America is a proud sponsor of our national pastime, and the opportunities it provides to bring us all closer together.”

Citi – Outdoor & Transit Ads for Rewards Points

A collection of outdoor and transit advertising for Citi’s “Rewards Points” credit cards.

CITI – REWARDS OUTDOOR & TRANSIT ADS

CITI – REWARDS POINTS MICROSITE

3rd Federal – Beer Scene Testimonial

You’d think a financial marketer — thirsty for fun and creativity — would be able to do more with “beer” as a concept. Testimonials are always nice, but this execution is drab and unimaginative. What’s working in the ad? The name, the logo, the monster mug of beer, and the tat on a bald dude. What’s not working? Pretty much everything else, particularly the haphazard layout, awful typesetting and hackneyed message.

3RD FEDERAL – BEER SCENE TESTIMONIAL
If the bank was a person, you probably wouldn’t be interested in chewing the fat over a brew.

InTouch Credit Union – Women Testimonials

In a new round of: 30 TV spots developed to introduce the general public to InTouch Credit Union, members and employees do the speaking. The new spots let members share their stories about getting small business financing despite a tough economy. Both spots star smart, attractive women who seem to have their lives together. Great casting. Agency: CultureLab.

INTOUCH CREDIT UNION – TESTIMONIALS

If you’re going to go the safe route and run testimonials, this is a much better way to execute them than 3rd Federal did (above).

Velocity Credit Union – Loan Billboards

This series of award-winning outdoor ads suggests the credit union has a loan for just about anything, even plastic surgery.

VELOCITY CREDIT UNION – LOAN BILLBOARDS

Always good to keep billboards simple. There’s a rule of thumb that says you should limit all the words on a billboard to no more than 14. And don’t forget to count your name and slogan. If you have to read it, it counts as a word.

Educators Credit Union – Walk This Way

Sock puppets star in this homemade music video set to Aerosmith’s hit “Walk This Way.” The big question is “Why???” Well, it has something to do with a MacBook giveaway. Aerosmith, socks and a sweepstakes, you ask? Why not…?

EDUCATORS CREDIT UNION – WALK THIS WAY
Surely this can’t be legal, can it? Copyright laws have to be broken somehow here.

Michigan First Credit Union – Parrot Funk

“Does your bank have a dancing parrot?” asks Michigan First in this 30-second video. It may be different, but how relevant is it? What do you think? Cheesy gimmick or a cute way to communicate the credit union’s personality?

MICHIGAN FIRST CREDIT UNION – PARROT FUNK

Watch this parrot bust a few moves (ala Napolean Dynamite) to a techno soundtrack. It’s been viewed 866 times on YouTube. Did it ever air on TV?

A portfolio of 14 unique, unusual and noteworthy creative marketing initiatives from banks and credit unions around the world. Enjoy!

Caixa – Fixed But It Moves

What a visually clever way to convey the bump-rate concept. (If it doesn’t work for you, try blurring your eyes.) The copy says, “It’s fixed but it moves. Double Effect Deposit. A fixed rate of interest that goes up if interest rates do.” Agency: TBWA Spain.

Santander Bank – Hair Conditioner

You’ve never seen a car more hairy or furry than the one driven by the bald guy in this spot for “very personal loans.” Very personal indeed.

SANTANDER BANK – HAIR CONDITIONER

Chase Manhattan – Free Samples

This promotional giveaway, circa 1962, includes an actual penny. It proves that the idea of handing out “free samples from the vault” has been around for a while. A reader of The Financial Brand is selling the actual printed piece from his private collection. If you’re interested, send an email to The Financial Brand and we’ll put you in touch.

1stBank – Cloning

This commercial dates back to 2009, but it’s so unusual, it’s worth sharing now. A spokesman holding a two-headed sheep promises customers fifty uncloned dollars when they get a checking account. Who knew the cloning of dollars had gotten that ba-aa-aa-ad…? Agency: TDA Advertising & Design.

1STBANK – “CLONING”

“At 1stBank, we do not clone, nor endorse the cloning of U.S. currency. It would be against international law and a breach of banking ethics. The $50 you receive upon opening a free checking account is real money and has not been duplicated in a covert genetics laboratory. So at your earliest convenience, go to 1stBank or visit us online, and get $50 that has never been cloned.”

Citadel – Lewis

A nerdly Citadel representative named Lewis answers customers’ questions that arrive via pneumatic tubes.

CITADEL – “PRIZE GOURD”

CITADEL – “HOLY MACARONI”

CITADEL – “A TO Z”

Fifth Third – Millionaires Take the Bus

This bus shelter display — similar to a 3M display for security glass — is made of real coins. The headline: “Millionaires take the bus.” The copy: “Taking mass transit versus driving saves roughly $5,000 per year. If those savings are invested over a typical 450-year career, you’ll retire a million dollars wealthier.” Agency: OLSON.

Connex Credit Union – Unbank Emergency Help Center

A promotional microsite used to support the credit union’s marketing slogan, “Unbank With Us.” All the links redirect back to the main Connex website. Note: The microsite’s URL expires September 2010. Hopefully they won’t let what happened to TIAA-CREF happen to them.

Union Planters Bank – Knockouts

The image of a car is knocked out of concrete, a sailboat from water and a home from grass. “The only thing missing is the loan.” Agency: Kristof Creative.

Northwest Georgia Credit Union – Unbanking. Unbelievable.

Spots like this remind us that it is possible to produce a quality TV commercial without hiring a cast of thousands or blowing a huge pile of cash. You don’t have to go to Pixar to use special effects and video graphics; they are accessible to just about everyone these days. The only real limitation anymore is your imagination.

NORTHWEST GEORGIA CREDIT UNION – UNBANKING. UNBELIEVABLE.

“From hard hat wearers to do-it-all homemakers. To say you work hard is an Understatement. So why are you playing games with a financial institution that doesn’t work ashard for you? Get Unstuck with a not-for-profit credit union that helps folks and families like yours to hang on what you’ve already hard-earned. Unbank with Northwest Georgia Credit Union. Where the difference is unmistakable. Northwest Georgia Credit Union. Unbanking. Unbelievable.”

Central Community Credit Union – Low-Budget Theater Ads

A series of short movie theater ads created to increase brand awareness among young adults. They prove that you can create a compelling, 15-second message on a budget of virtually nothing. The hands seen in the spots are those of the ads’ copywriter Shawna Harch and art director Jamie Chabot.

CENTRAL COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION – LOCATION
Watch two other good examples of low-budgets spots — “History” and “Loans” — in addition to this one.

Fifth Third – Break the Chain

A huge outdoor display for mobile banking. The message: “Break [the pen] chain.” Agency: OLSON.

PNC – If Your Money Could Talk

If your money could talk, it wouldn’t let you buy milk from a convenience store, it wouldn’t take the day off, it wouldn’t get suckered by low intro rates, and it would take more than $50 to convince it to switch banks. Agency: Kristof Creative.

1stBank – Date, On-Hold, Pills & Save

A couple are on their first date. She lets the guy know immediately that she is going to be a creepy stalker. The spot pushes mobile alerts: “Know about trouble before it happens.” You have to think about it a little to figure out how the creative execution connects with the message in each of these four spots. The other three spots in the series are equally surreal. 1stBank’s “Cloning” spot from 2009 (above) is better. Agency: TDA Advertising & Design.

1STBANK – DATE
A guy’s date warns him about her creepiness. If you like this one, check out “On-Hold,” “Pills” and “Save.”

Citi – Stable/Future

Citi has used its little red umbrella as a clever visual “bridge” linking two concepts for a few years now. But executions in years past were markedly more enjoyable than this somber and straightforward message. This is just boring. In fact, it’s so dull, it would only feel appropriate running in late 2008. Source: Cashcow.in.

For a fourth consecutive year, customer loyalty and perceptions of brand image among retail banking customers continue to decline, primarily due to low marks in customer service, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study.

“As retail banking customers become
considerably less loyal, banks need to
focus on getting the fundamentals right.”
— Michael Beird,
J.D. Power

Results of the study show that poor customer service is the most common reason why customers switched banks so far this year. Poor customer service is cited by 37% of customers who have changed their primary bank in 2010.

Fees continue to have a major impact on customer loyalty, as 29% of customers who switched banks in 2010 cite high fees for products or services as their reason for switching.

The percentage of customers who say they “definitely will not” switch banks during the next 12 months has decreased significantly during the past three years to 34% in 2010, compared with 46% three years ago in the 2007 study.

The gap in loyalty intent between customers of larger and smaller banks is considerable, with 41% of customers at smaller banks who say they “definitely will not” switch, compared with 32% at larger banks.

The study also found that 51% of customers in 2010 indicated a preference for online banking, an increase from 45% in 2008. In addition, 7% of customers report using a mobile device to execute such transactions as checking balances, transferring funds and paying bills.

J.D. Power and Associates handed out awards to the banks in 11 different regions that achieved the highest scores in its study. Arvest Bank had the highest overall satisfaction score of any bank in the country, and the only one to top the list in two separate regions (South Central and Southwest).

The Chase/WaMu merger clearly had an impact on how customers felt about the bank. It was ranked last in three regions — California, New England and the Northwest — all areas where the once-popular WaMu had a strong branch presence.

One thing to note about the winners (and losers) below: Regional players seem to have an edge.

California

• Winner: Bank of the West
• Last Place: Chase/WaMu

Florida

• Winner: BankAtlantic
• Last Place: Bank of America

Mid-Atlantic

• Winner: Northwest Savings Bank
• Last Place: Citibank

Midwest

• Winner: Commerce Bank
• Last Place: Charter One

New England

• Winner: Eastern Bank
• Last Place: Chase/WaMu

North Central

• Winner: Flagstar Bank
• Last Place: Bank of America

Northwest

• Winner: Sterling Savings Bank
• Last Place: Chase/WaMu

South Central

• Winner: Arvest Bank
• Last Place: Bank of America

Southeast

• Winner: United Community Bank
• Last Place: Bank of America

Southwest

• Winner: Arvest Bank
• Last Place: KeyBank

Texas

• Winner: Frost National Bank
• Last Place: BBVA Compass Bank

The 2010 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study is based on responses from nearly 48,000 participants regarding their experiences with their banking provider. The study analyzes customer satisfaction with the retail banking experience based on six factors: account activities, account information, facility, fees, problem resolution and product offerings. The study was fielded in January and February 2010. You can download the entire study’s results here.

Financial institutions use mascots to create a fun, festive presence at events like parades, fairs and branch grand openings. Many banks and credit unions have created mascots to support their kids clubs/accounts, notably Harris Bank’s widely loved Hubert the Lion. Sometimes these mascots transcend their original purpose and can wind up being the spokesperson for the entire organization, making appearances in nearly every single ad and marketing piece.

Financial institutions pick some predictable characters to reflect a fairly standard range of personality attributes — friendliness, strength, wisdom, etc. Dogs and lions are the most common creatures chosen for bank mascots, however other animals like eagles, owls, tigers and bears are used as well. There are a few exotic — even mythical — creatures used as bank mascots, including a whale, dolphin, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and a dragon. Some banks create costumes out of their logos, while plenty of others choose the hackneyed piggybank concept.

Does your financial institution need a mascot? Doubtful. If you’re extremely active in the community and sponsor a lot of events every year, then perhaps a mascot character could help you maximize your investment. But be careful with the design process. Put a lot of thought into what will best represent your organization and its values. And whatever you do, don’t cut any corners. Most financial institutions with a mascot are already at risk of looking pretty hokey and stupid… a cheap suit is sure to cinch the wrong image in consumers’ minds (as the last costume in this article does).

RBC – Leo the Lion

PNC Bank – Linky

US Bank – Captain Shield

Bendigo Bank – Piggy

Key Bank – Key

Chase – Chase the Dog

Harris Bank – Hubert the Lion

ABSA Bank – Piggy Bank

Ulster Bank – Henry the Hippo

St. George Bank – Happy Dragon

Commerce Bank – Mr. C

Metro Bank – Metro Man

Bank Atlantic – 7

Maybank – Yippie

Nittany Bank – Nookie Monster

County Bank – Buck

Piedmont Community Bank – PC Bear

Butterfield Bank – Vern

Waukesha State Bank – Friendly the Eagle

Nadra Bank – Whale

Wells Fargo – Jack the Dog

In gold rush days, Wells Fargo agents sometimes had dogs to help guard Wells Fargo treasure.
This dates back 143 years, accompanied by the motto, “Alert & Faithful.”

Andhra Bank – Dolle the Dolphin (India)

DiBa Bank – Otto the Rhinoceros

Unknown Bank – Lion Suit

Norwest – Barney the Snowman

Citizen’s Bank – Logo

Here are 12 interesting stories from around the web relevant to financial marketers.
Click on the hotlinked summary to read the full story.

Banks Fear Future: No joy in credit unions’ pain

Vanity Firing: Is this woman too hot to work at Citibank?

The Deer Have Guns: Why banks must pay attention to social media

YouSuck.com: Bashing a 300-year old financial institution (the queen’s bank) online

Reg E: Opt-in starts with reaching out

Interview: ING DIRECT’s head of Online Experience on social media

Interchange Battle: A credit union pleads members to fight Financial Stability Act

HR Insights: Turning branch managers into sales coaches

Bad Internal PR: BofA employees sue for overtime

It’s About Time: Chase launches instant action 2-way text alerts

Brick & Mortar 2.0: Brookline Bank launches blog for new branches

Young & Free Rollouts: One in St. Louis, another in Ontario

A portfolio of 24 unique, unusual and noteworthy creative marketing initiatives from banks and credit unions around the world, including 19 visual illustrations and 13 videos. There are really a lot of interesting things packed into this article, and each of these projects probably warrant its own story here at The Financial Brand. Enjoy! (Note: RSS readers will need to view the article at the website in order to watch the videos.)

Activo Bank – “Simplifica”

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

ACTIVO BANK – SIMPLIFICA

Activo Bank – Flash Mob

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

ACTIVO BANK – FLASH MOB

Tesco Bank – Careers Microsite

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

Unknown Asian Bank – Mobile Banking ATM Wrap

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

Community America Credit Union – “Community Americans”

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

ACTIVO BANK – COMMUNITY AMERICANS

Citizens Bank – Lawn Seed & Fertilizer

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

Barclays – “Musical Pounds”

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

BARCLAYS – MUSICAL POUNDS

Arizona State Credit Union – “Broke”

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

Chase Bank – “Save”

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

Truliant Credit Union – “OMG”

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

TRULIANT – OMG

Union First Market Bank – “In Love”

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

UNION FIRST MARKET BANK – IN LOVE

UNION FIRST MARKET BANK – MERGER ANNOUNCEMENT

IDB Bank – “Four Letter Word”

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

America First FCU – “Banker Confessional”

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

AMERICA FIRST FCU – BANKER CONFESSIONAL

Tech CU – “First Bank of Greed”

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

TECH CU – FIRST BANK OF GREED

BECU – “Local People”

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

BECU – “Move It Or Lose It”

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

BECU – MOVE IT OR LOSE IT

Co-operative Bank – “Good With Money”

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

CO-OPERATIVE BANK – GOOD WITH MONEY

KeyPoint Credit Union – “Net Worth”

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

Xceed Financial FCU – Direct Mail

McGraw Hill FCU – Brand Identity

A brand identity redesign.

Discovery FCU – Auto Loans Bus Wrap

Clever use of the medium.

Woodstone FCU – Bus Back

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

IBM Southeast Employees Credit Union – Movie Posters

MDG Advertising created this direct mail campaign that turns the credit union’s products and services into movie parodies. The agency will be turning each of these pieces into TV spots, starting with “Dream Car.”

IBM SOUTHEAST EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION – MOVIE POSTERS

Cornerstone Community FCU – Brand Identity

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

The First National Bank – Dumpster Ad

Perhaps the most unusual media placement for a bank ad ever — inside the lids of garbage cans. They are literally throwing advertising dollars in the trash. Will consumers feel this kind of advertising is appropriate? Or will they snicker at a metaphorical irony that’s hard to escape?

IBT – Parking Lot Stencils

A creative reminder from Foundry Advertising that even seemingly insignificant spaces present branding opportunities.

Harborstone Credit Union – Lego Business Pieces

This business banking promotional kit comes from credit union marketing firm Jay-Ray. Each box contained a set of Lego building blocks and a mini-construction worker. Harborstone hand-delivered these boxed invitations to local businesses, inviting execs to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at a new Harborstone Credit Union branch.

First Community Bank – Enjoy Unbig

This brand advertising campaign is linked by a microsite with six games like the “Unbig Fun Maze!” and the “Unbig Crossword!” You can see one of the TV spots below, and the other three here, here and here.

Australian Central Credit Union – CG TV

A relatively simple-yet-effective 15-second spot for personal loans produced with computer-generated graphics.

Legacy Banks – Rebranded Identity

Ad agency Smith & Jones won a 2009 American Graphic Design Award for this rather conservative corporate rebranding.

Chase – Phone Tree

The copy says that “using Chase by Phone is easier than ever.” That may be, but the flow chart screams of confusion, frustration and lots of button-pushing. For a bank with trillions in assets, you’d think they could pony up a couple hundred bucks for a designer who knows how to use more than PowerPoint?

The announcement from JP Morgan Chase that its retail banking arm is giving away $5 million to charities via a Facebook promotion signals an emerging trend in how financial institutions allocate their corporate donations. By adding relatively simple and straightforward marketing components, financial institutions are transforming their charitable contributions into feel-good, name awareness promotions.

‘Chase Community Giving: You Decide What Matters’

In the first round of the Chase Community Giving program, Facebook users will nominate non-profits, then vote to determine which organizations will receive Chase’s philanthropy funds. The top 100 getting the most votes will receive $25,000 each, and will move on to the next round.

Chase Community Giving: You Decide What Matters

In round two, these organizations can submit a proposal for a $1 million grant. Facebook users will vote to pick the winner. The five runners-up will receive $100,000 each. Additionally, Chase will donate another $1 million to the charity of its choice.

“This innovative program unleashes the charitable passions of our neighbors, friends and colleagues to rally around the issues and organizations that are most meaningful to them,” said Kimberly Davis, President of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.

Key Insights:

• This type of promotion taps the networking power of organizations that have mastered the art of grassroots campaigns. Non-profits excel at mobilizing their troops. With a bucket of money at stake, expect these organizations to do a lot of the marketing leg work for you.
• People who support causes and work for charities tend to be better educated, and anyone getting involved in this type of promotion will be online. They have to be. That’s where the voting takes place.

“Even though this is a Facebook-based program, we’ve already had over 100,000 visitors from Twitter alone,” the spokesperson told Marketing Daily. Keep in mind: This was accomplished without Chase ever sending one tweet. In fact, Chase is one of the few big banks that doesn’t even have an active presence on Twitter. The passionistas are tweeting for them.

An emerging trend

Chase joins other banks and credit unions who are opting to give consumers a say regarding what kind of charitable activities should receive monetary support. This year, Umpqua Bank included Click 4A Cause as part of its Save Hard, Spend Smart campaign, where every vote equaled a $1 donation to one of three charities, each competing for a $15,000 grand prize. Last year Wells Fargo held its Someday Stories promo with two parts: a competition among charities, and a $150,000 “dream fulfillment” contest for do-gooders to make their lifelong aspirations a reality.

Umqua’s ‘Click4aCause’ (left) and Wells Fargo’s ‘Someday Stories’ (right).

Reality Checks:

• This is money you are already giving away. Milk it for all its worth.
• For financial cooperatives like credit unions, this type of democratic approach should come as second nature.

“Every year, our company donates more than $100 million to non-profit organizations in local communities, nationally and abroad, and our employees dedicate countless hours of their own time to helping those in need,” said Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. “The grassroots nature of Facebook will allow us to hear directly which local charities matter most to our communities, hopefully creating an even bigger impact.”

The $5 million Facebook effort from Chase is in addition to the bank’s traditional philanthropic giving. If successful, the bank hopes to allocate more of its annual philanthropy budget using these methods.

“We look forward to applying the learning from this program to future philanthropic endeavors,” said Chase’s Davis.

For Discussion: What are the downsides to this approach, if any?

Bottom Line: Some people may dispute the strategic brand value of charitable contributions, but if your financial institution is committed to giving money away, why not get the most out of it? Relative to the amount you’re donating, the added marketing layer doesn’t cost much. Engaging people around their passions while generating positive PR and word-of-mouth buzz is never a bad thing, right?

Tip: Let people vote as often as they like in these promotions. Do not cap votes at one per day or one per person. If someone wants to sit around hitting the refresh button on their browser all day, why stop them? Remember, you’re tapping a passionate audience.

Recommended Reading: Trendwatching’s “Generation G” (that would be “G” for “generosity,” not “G” for “greed”).

Click on the hotlinked summaries to read the full story.

On Hold: ING Direct’s entertaining pre-recorded phone messages

You Suck: Which U.K. bank gets the most complaints?

Freeze! FBI’s 2009 Q2 robbery data for financial institutions

Yucky Trend: Image of banks continues to plummet

eStatements: Raddon breaks down why consumers say ‘no’

Sausage & Mash: Who said ATM screens have to be boring?

Blog & Tell: Credit union contest seeks 225-350 word articles on anything

Shoptimism: Chase banking on shoppers with new Sapphire card

Prime + 14%: BofA’s new “Basic” credit card

Financial Literacy: American Banker outlines the business case

Self-Service Delivery: ABA says drawing from other industries has pitfalls

Financially Fit: Yahoo!’s financial ed site, sponsored by BofA

Overdraft fees are a prickly subject. Consumers complain about them constantly, and now more than ever, it seems they’re doing so with unregulated vehemence. On the other hand, financial institutions rely on fee income — it’s how they make money on deposits — now more than ever.

Consumers pay an average
of 18-24% on credit cards,
400-500% on payday loans
and 1,000-3,000%
on overdrafts.
– Columbia University

The New York Times reports that financial institutions stand to take in $27 billion in overdraft fees this year alone. The Financial Times puts the number at $38 billion. And this isn’t just a fee stream privy to banks. Credit unions pull in about 25% of the total haul — $6.6 billion in overdraft fees last year — while grumbling about “the regulatory burden” overdraft reforms might entail.

Financial institutions staunchly defend their policies, saying that it is ultimately each person’s responsibility to keep track of their own finances (which it is). But many of the other explanations they offer don’t settle well with consumers. For instance, financial institutions assert that larger items are processed first because those are frequently important items like the mortgage, even though most people know (or at least believe) that by processing the largest items first, a financial institution is more likely to trigger overdraft fees.

One of the more common arguments is that customers prefer their purchases be processed rather than suffer impromptu embarrassments.

Reality Check: Out of 2,023 adults polled, approximately 73% would prefer their bank decline transactions of $5 to $40 if it were to cause an overdraft fee. (Various studies are available as PDF downloads from an online archive.)

If you want to see how consumers feel and what they know about overdraft, just Google it. Or search Twitter. Or YouTube. It’s all over the news. And people aren’t bashful, as this f-word laden query with 391,000 results proves.

So despite all the explanations and rationalizations, financial institutions don’t seem to be fooling anyone. People don’t feel like financial institutions are doing them any favors with today’s overdraft tactics. No matter how many ways financial institutions try to justify it, what consumers are hearing financial institutions say is this: “We know this pisses you off, but we make a lot of money off it. You’re broke. We’re greedy. Too bad.”

Ouch.

Considering how angry people get about overdraft fees, it’s surprising how few financial institutions have attempted to offer any kind of alternative. Yes, overdraft fees may be a balance sheet necessity for financial institutions. But do financial institutions have to be so stereotypically defensive and uncreative?

Assuming overdraft fees are an inescapable reality, at least consider these few ideas (in order of increasing difficulty). Then feel free to suggest your ideas in the comments below.

#1 – Make Overdraft Opt-In

82% of those polled by Opinion Research want to choose whether overdraft protection gets added to their account or not. So why does the financial industry seem to turn a deaf ear, when many companies in other industries would rush to address consumer concerns? Some companies would feel fortunate simply to know what those concerns actually are.

Have you tried to find a checking account without overdraft protection these days? Instead of mandating “complimentary overdraft protection,” why not let consumers make a voluntary choice? Are financial institutions so addicted to overdraft fees that it will take an Act of Congress to make the service optional? Why wait?

#2 – Free Pass(es)

Some financial institutions are offering a free pass — a coupon, of sorts — that gives people one free overdraft. This type of “get-out-of-jail-free” card is becoming increasingly common with Gen-Y and student checking accounts, but why not implement it for everyone on all accounts? If you sent one in the mail to all your existing customers today, you be a P.R. hero tomorrow.

And if you’re going to make overdraft protection mandatory, why not give people one penalty-free opportunity to see how the system works?

Option: You could offer three lifetime overdraft fee passes instead of a single, one-time coupon good for one year.

#3 – Restructure & Reprice

There are options to the standard, flat $35 fee. Bank of America has started charging only $10 if you overdraft by less than $5 (hey, it’s a start). Chase has tiered overdraft fees, with the first one starting at $25 and rising to $35 for the fifth.

Some financial institutions have started capping the number of overdraft transactions that someone can make in a single day. BofA draws the line at ten, but most customers would probably prefer to cap overdrafts at three — no more than five. $300 (or more) in overdraft fees isn’t likely to be appreciated by most customers.

UPDATE: Right as this article was published, a New York Times piece broke a story, “Chase and Bank of America Revise Fee Policies.” From the article:

“Bank of America said it would allow current customers to turn off the ability to spend when their account hits zero, starting Oct. 19. Next June, the bank plans to limit the number of times each year that current customers can overdraw their accounts when using a debit card at a store. It will let new customers choose whether they want overdraft protection when they are opening their account.

“Chase plans to eliminate by the first quarter of next year a common industry practice that enraged many consumers. Instead of lumping a day’s worth of debit card and A.T.M. transactions together and then processing the highest amounts first — a practice that has caused large numbers of consumers to overdraw more quickly and pay more fees — it will credit the transactions chronologically. Chase also plans to allow customers to opt out of overdraft coverage.”

And why not consider going back to the days when overdraft protection was tied to a savings account, credit card or other line of credit? For this kind of service, do you need to charge $35 per transaction? Or can you charge something a little easier for consumers to swallow?

#4 – Balance Alerts

People are less likely to spend more than they have… provided they know how much they have in the first place.

You don’t need to include any sensitive information in balance alerts. Just send a message that says, “This is an automatic alert that you requested to receive whenever your account drops below the amount you specified.” If the person wants to know when they’re below $20, $200 or $2,000, it’s up to them. If your balance alerts include a blurb about being able to “check your balance online,” you should be able to improve online banking adoption rates.

Balance alerts can be delivered with a text message to people’s mobile phones, but they can also be sent by email. Even the good old telephone with a pre-recorded message that simply says (paraphrasing), “FYI, you’re overdrawn.”

At the very least, a financial institution offering “courtesy pay” should attempt some form of courtesy contact by the end of the day.

#5 – Accept/Reject Overdraft Purchases

Why not implement an accept/decline option right at the point-of-sale? “Continuing with this transaction will result in a $XX overdraft fee. Accept/Decline?” The moderate technological challenges with such a solution seem surmountable.

Then it wouldn’t really matter what you charge, nor if people have opted into your overdraft program. The consumer would have the choice. If they think paying $34 in fees for a $4 cup of coffee is worth avoiding shame and embarrassment, they’ll pay it. They may even thank you for it.

Even if you don’t like this idea, just keep in mind that Congress does, along with 85% of America. The other 15% probably doesn’t incur overdraft fees.

In honor of the new season of Mad Men (season three starts Sunday, August 16), here’s a showcase of financial ads from yesteryear. The ads come from a different world than we live in today — before compliance departments saddled paragraphs of legal disclosures on rate ads. You’ll notice how few of the ads targeted consumers. Banking bank then was all about business accounts.

Note: You can click on most of the ads to view a larger size.

TORONTO DOMINION
This help wanted ad promises the “finest working conditions in Canada.” Given today’s definition of  “working conditions” and considering Canada’s affable reputation, it seems like an odd thing to promise. If you were too nervous or shy to stop by the local branch about a job, you could write for their free employment booklet, “The Sky’s The Limit.”

BANK OF AMERICA
The banking powerhouse demonstrates its branding acumen back before the concept of “branding” had even been formally introduced. The ads have a consistent voice, message and style. Some of the ads feature a product promo for traveler’s cheques. Note the Old English calligraphic typography used in this older version of the logo. State by state, BofA has branded itself and the bank of the U-S-of-A.

BANK OF AMERICA
Two different ads for traveler’s cheques. If you liked the cool one from India, you could write the bank a letter and they would send you a full-size poster version of it.

BANK OF MONTREAL
Bank’s have been touting how long they’ve been in business since at least 1935, as in this ad where the bank is celebrating its 117th year. The message may have had value 75 years ago, but these days, as someone on Twitter recently noted, “It only proves you haven’t gone out of business…yet.”

CADDO NATIONAL BANK
This ad must have come out around the time fire and the wheel was invented, because it’s promoting the idea of having “a bank account.” For its time, this was probably a powerful ad, because even by today’s standards, the ad still packs a punch. Notice how the bank includes its capital position.

CHELSEA NATIONAL BANK
The monospaced computer typeface — a necessity in the early days of computer displays — screams “We want you to think we’re hip and computer savvy.” But the illustration says “tangerine dreams and marmalade skies, man.” Who cares? The scene is groovy.

DRY DOCK COUNTY
This is what’s known as a long-copy ad. It seems hard to believe, but there was a time when ads with this much copy were all the rage. Everyone had a story to tell, so they told it. These days, such a longwinded and rambling presentation would probably be laughed at. “Who has the time to read this?” The advertiser isn’t even mentioned until the 10th paragraph, where the bank touts its Saturday hours. Notice the offer for a free picture map of the local area.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO

THE NATIONAL CITY BANK OF NEW YORK
This ad hails from a time when it was considered shrewd business to have underpaid (and underdressed) “natives” do your dirty work.

THE CHASE NATIONAL BANK
Did you know that Chase once referred to itself as The Chase? This ad must have been what happened to the last ad after a merger, presumably between Chase and National. Oppressed natives have been removed from this all-white world.

SHAWMUT BANK
In advertising circles, this ad is what’s known as a “headless wonder,” meaning it has no headline. The advertiser — in their hubris — thinks they are so interesting and important that you’ll feel compelled to read the ad. No need. It probably just said what all the other bank ads said back then: “We’ve been around since 18XX and have helped our community grow because of our unique local knowledge and experience.” Sound familiar?

WELLS FARGO
The gal on the cover of this internal newsletter looks like she might be getting pretty excited about The Branch of the Future. Oh wait, that didn’t come around for another six or seven years.

BANK OF AMERICA
This ad ran in India. It targeted parents of children headed to the U.S. to get their college degrees. The ad pre-dates “no penalty CDs,” so the best they could offer was a loan on 75% of your CD’s principal. Interesting choice to include the illustration of a yo-yo.

BANCO NACIONAL
Is the guy in the illustration paying a monkey for bananas?

Here’s what’s been making the news in the financial industry lately.
Click on the hotlinked summaries to read the full story.

Buh-Bye Big Bank: 30-40% of customers at Chase, BofA, Wells and Citi may leave

Funny + Money? Should bank advertising make you laugh?

Raw Data: JD Powers 2009 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study

Campaigning for Trust: Banks will could learn a thing or two from political tactics

Not If, But… When will your credit union join the Twitterverse?

Millionaire for a Day: Two boys win $1M from credit union, keep $41 in interest

Net Detractors: Aussie financial institutions have horrible Net Promoter scores

Sensory Overload: Too much clutter in your branches?

Here’s what’s been making the news in the financial industry lately.
Click on the hotlinked summaries to read the full story.

Actions or Words? Ads say “Strong Bank, Powerful Leaders,” but the president quits

Hospital Discharge: Bank kicks credit union out of hospital

The Letter F: Marketing expert gives bank’s letter a failing grade

Don’t Bank on It: Delighting customers isn’t a winning strategy

YMCA vs. Credit Union: A critique of two ads in the same paper

No You Can’t: Bank sues credit union over “Yes You Can” slogan

Ads Yanked: Credit union pulls ads with a slogan that got them sued

The Uglification of WaMu: Seattlites moan about Chase branch changeouts

Retail Branches? Brand Republic explores the pros and cons

Slashed: $500 million from Amex global marketing budget

Virgin Territory: Sir Richard Branson plans to launch a bank on the internet

Indirect Losses: Shuttered dealerships cost credit unions key lending stream

The Edge: DATCU’s new Gen-Y website/promo

Risky Rebrand: Satander to kill off 3 big U.K. financial brand names

Brand a’kilter: Scottish credit unions look to shake “poor man’s” image

Thrifty Ways: One in five are ‘Active Savers,’ half learned while young

[Editor's Note: This is a follow-up piece to yesterday's article from Freddy J. Nager, "The post-WaMu blues: Chase has lost ‘that lovin' feeling." Chase just recently completed remodeling WaMu's branches which has triggered an outpouring of emotion from former WaMu customers and employees.]

The Financial Brand hopped on Twitter to see what people were saying now that the WaMu brand has almost been fully devoured by Chase. If you don’t yet “get” Twitter, don’t worry. You’ll get a sense of why it’s important after reading this, even without any prior experience with the popular social networking tool. Here are selected excerpts from a day-long scan of tweets mentioning “WaMu” (the bank, not the radio stations with the same call letters), which included about 30 in all:

WaMu is becoming Chase. I am becoming annoyed.

@KiltedDad (Seattle, WA)

In case u didn’t know, WaMu sucks now!!!

@dubyabejay (Seattle, WA)

my local wamu is now a chase bank. boo!
I liked the wamu brand

@bensonlee (National City, CA)

WAMU now Chase – you really screwed up. As a small business owner you really screwed us. Customer lost.

@enjaysauce

Looking to switch banks. I loved Wamu dearly,
but Chase is not cutting it for me!

@kgandstuff (New Jersey)

The Chase makeover of the Seattle WAMU branch is fugly. Time to switch banks.

@evermeire (Seattle, WA)

WAMU/Chase just lost a customer today. I loved the customer service at WAMU. So sad that it went away with the name.

@PlumCrazyRE (Duvall, WA)

You don’t have to know how Twitter works at all to find such an outpouring of emotion over the loss of a financial brand fascinating. These are people who took time out of their day to share their feelings with their friends (called “Followers” in Twitter)… about a bank. And these aren’t whacked out nut jobs, or digruntled Gen-Y types with nothing better to do. These are regular people.

Key Question: Would people mourn the loss of your brand if it went away? Would anyone pen a eulogy in song for your brand? Has any common consumer ever voluntarily mentioned your name and the word “brand” in the same sentence?

You’ll notice that four of the seven tweets above come from people in the Seattle area. If you are in sales or marketing with a financial institution in Western Washington, wouldn’t you be interested in reaching out to these people?

@coachandrew Have you ever considered switching to
[your bank]? We’d love to have your business. Send me
a message and I’ll give you a call.

Think about it. Four people a day, 365 days a year. That’s over 1,400 qualified leads a year. And we’re only talking about monitoring Twitter for conversations referencing one financial institution. Here’s the key thing: These people are at that critical moment when inertia in their financial relationships is weakest.

Using the advanced features at search.twitter.com, you can perform super robust scans of Twitter conversations. You can look for people who are talking about “banks,” “fees,” “switching,” “WaMu,” “Chase,” “BofA,” “Wells Fargo,” or any number of your competitors. You can limit your search to a targeted geographic area. You can even search for people who have a negative attitude. And the best part is, you can automate your Twitter searches, like this RSS feed that will give you almost-realtime updates for people mentioning “WaMu” within 100 miles of Seattle.

What makes this particularly interesting is that Chase has an active Twitter account. They use it around three times a week. But they don’t talk to- or acknowledge anyone. Why aren’t they in Twitter playing a little defense, responding to people’s questions and concerns?

Compare these tweets for Chase (shown left) and Bank of America (shown right). Again, you don’t have to know squat about Twitter or how it works to tell who is using the medium more effectively.

Chase vs. BofA on Twitter
Notice @chasebank only publishes a one-way, self-serving stream of tweets,
while @BofA_help is actively engaging other Twitter users with “@ Replies”
(a way to respond to a specific person directly in Twitter). Also, notice the highlighted
tweet in Chase’s Twitter stream making the announcement that “Chase is now in California.”

[Editor's Note: Look for an upcoming report on Twitter from Jeffry Pilcher, publisher of The Financial Brand. The report, titled "A Comprehensive Guide to Twitter for Financial Professionals," will be available for purchase through Online Financial Innovations, publishers of the Online Banking Report and Netbanker.com. Send an email if you have any questions or would like to reserve your copy today.]