Colorado Springs Credit Union has changed names and become Aventa. The credit union Nearly 40% of the credit union’s membership no longer lives in Colorado Springs, so it was time for another new name, credit union officials said.

The board of directors wanted a name that would be “inclusive and welcoming to the people and communities up and down the front range,” said Sarah Ryals, CMO/Aventa, in an interview.

The Aventa name is coined (meaning it’s made up), but it’s meant to reflect the local Colorado Springs culture.

“We like the free-flowing and open nature of the word Aventa.”
– Sarah Ryals, CMO/Aventa

“We like the free-flowing and open nature of the word ‘Aventa,’” Ryals continued. “We can create the brand behind the name.”

The entire process — from the decision to change names to when signs were changed out — took two years.

Weber Marketing Group was brought in as naming partner for the project.

There is currently a federal trademark application on file for Aventa with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. There is no trademark currently pending under the USPTO’s financial services category for the credit union’s new slogan, “The Common Thread.”

Established in 1957 to serve utilities employees, Aventa Credit Union now has $125 million in assets and 17,000 members.

Aventa Credit Union Website
The credit union was able to pick up the URL aventa.com, which will aid them greatly
when it comes to marketing. The black banner says, “My tats are permanent and so is my
commitment to my community. I expect that from where I bank, too.”

In-Branch Brand Display
“The fabric of a community is woven from a common thread, not red tape.”

Product Displays
Online Banking: “The common thread has gone wireless.”
Savings: “The common thread means we all earn a little more.
Home Loans: “I love my house and my community, but I can do without the red tape.”

In-Branch Brand Display
“In financial times driven by taking care of number one, we’d like to propose taking care of one another.”

A print ad obscures all the text with asterisks to highlight the banks’ encryption capabilities.

“We found we didn’t have a brand. People were generally confused about what it is we offer.”
– John Ikard, CEO/President

1st Bank in Denver is rolling out a new ad campaign this month with an emphasis on online security. The creative campaign, targeting younger consumers, includes television, print, outdoor and web ads on sites like Yahoo, Ask.com, and MySpace.

In an interview with Marketing Daily, Brian Jensen/VP, said, “We think when other banks are pulling back, we have a chance to stand out.”

“When is there a better time, when you’re a strong viable financial institution, a community bank, to differentiate yourself form the competition than today, when times are difficult?” said John Ikard, the CEO/President of FirstBank.

The bank has a link off its website to a “Stability, Strength & Safety” page with all the right messages. It’s a smart move.

The Denver-based bank has 11 branches and 29 ATMs.

Agency: TDA Advertising & Design in Boulder, Colorado.

Outdoor ads depict $20 dollar bills with the presidential images obscured.

This non-traditional outdoor ad is clever and creative.

Posters speak to a younger audience’s lack of financial knowledge and sophistication.
“We’ll help you understand your money.”

“Bunnies”
In this spot, a man lays in an imaginary field that smells of fresh-baked cookies and is full of bunnies. It’s a metaphor for the bank’s online banking experience.

“Shirtless”
Some banker rips the shirt off a guy’s back, then smacks the coffee out of his hands.

You can see a couple more TV spots in the series here.

A high school sophomore won a $50 prize for coming up with the new name for the St. Vrain Valley Credit Union’s student-run branch at a local high school.

In this article, the winning student said she thought a long time about a name and eventually imagined that “all the students are little eaglets coming to their mom for money all the time.” In her school setting, the credit union branch serves the same purpose as the mom, she said, so she came up with the Falcons Nest.

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