Best of Credit Union Marketing: 2016 CUNA Diamond Award Winners
Every year, CUNA honors the best credit union marketing with Diamond Awards. Here are some of The Financial Brand's favorites for 2016.
Scissors for Your New Card – Listerhill Credit Union
What do most financial institutions do when it’s time to replace people’s debit or credit cards? They send out the least engaging direct mail piece possible — a dry, heartless message with the same design sensibilities of a letter from the IRS. Not Listerhill Credit Union. When they reissued their cards, they sent a pair of scissors along with some amusing instructions on how to destroy the old card. Click on the letter to enlarge it, then read it.
Closing for Good – BECU
To celebrate BECU’s 80th anniversary, the credit union closed its doors for part of the day to allow all employees to go out an volunteer at local high schools. BECU memorialized its volunteerism with an Instagram page featuring photos and comments from employees.
Auto Loan Branch Merchandising – Arrowhead Credit Union
The retro concept is supported with in-branch posters sporting a style of graphic design that’s both attractive and polished. The 3-dimensional, free-standing retail merchandising display is very creative. Overall, the campaign has a quaint and "local" feeling that is appropriate for credit unions of any size, but the image projected doesn’t leave people with the impression that Arrowhead is a dumpy, frumpy, dippy little credit union. It’s easy to engage with this campaign, and associate a positive brand image with the credit union.
Welcome Kit – Community Choice Credit Union
Add On CD – Premier Members Credit Union
With every promotion and campaign you run, you should be asking yourself, "What cool, different, unique or unexpected dimensional element can we use to support this marketing campaign in our branches?" Premier Members Credit Union created these eye-fetching "plus" signs using negative space in three dimensions. They are so unusual, they are simply irresistible. You want to pick one up and play with it.
Loan Health Check Microsite – Arrowhead Credit Union
This microsite probes users for possible loan savings. You start by entering some basic contact info. The following screens prompts you for information about the loans you hold (e.g., auto, credit cards), where you specify your balance, rate and payment, Then the system tells you if refinancing/switching to Arrowhead will pay off, or if it’s smarter to just stay put.
The Set – Listerhill Credit Union
Listerhill Credit Union targets a college-age crowd, and is among the best at it. This publication rivals any independent weekly newspaper in America — both in terms of content and design.
Hand-Crafted Financial Services – Changing Seasons FCU
Personalized Holiday Loan – Arrowhead Credit Union
Arrowhead personalized the member’s name into the subject line (e.g., "Your Check is in the Mail, Joe!"), yielding a 35% open rate. The body of the email included a unique, segmented loan rate, and featured a mock check — again personalized with the member’s name, dollar amount, term and rate.
Members Connection Newsletter – City & County Credit Union
A contemporary and classy style of design that evokes high-class style magazines, with a lively and visually engaging layout inside — not what you’d expect from your average credit union.
Annual Report – Lake Trust Credit Union
An unconventional approach to an annual report. Two things make this unique. First, it’s a single, folded sheet of paper; most credit unions opt for the predictable saddle-stitched 8.5 x 11 format for their annual reports. Second, it uses the design vocabulary of an architect’s blue print.
Home Loan Kit – Lake Trust Credit Union
Direct Mail – Horizon Credit Union
Mobile App – Box Elder County Credit Union
This credit union barely has $100 million in assets. If your mobile app doesn’t look at least as good as this overhaul from Box Elder County Credit Union, you have no excuses.
Debit Cards – Gesa Credit Union
These debit cards designs for Gesa Credit Union are customized with the logo for each local high school they serve.
