CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Metro CU will make loud noises during the Super Bowl again this year with a TV commercial that emphasizes the piggishness of growing bank fees.
The 30-second commercial titled "Fee Pig" touts the lower fees charged by Charlotte Metro as compared to area banks in a humorous way, according to Nathan Tothrow, director of marketing for the $185 million credit union, who designed the ads in-house.
A survey last year indicated Charlotte Metro’s primary fees—basic interest checking, overdraft, and ATM—were significantly lower than those of the banks surveyed in the local market.
The commercials show a pig on the lap of a consumer conducting her online banking and references the ongoing bank mergers. "We’re trying to distinguish ourselves from a bank," Tothrow told The Credit Union Journal yesterday.
The spot will run at least twice on the local NBC television affiliate; once in the third quarter of the big game and again either during the pre-game, halftime or post-game shows.
Tothrow would not disclose the price, saying confidentiality is part of the network contract.
A commercial during last year’s Super Bowl paid great dividends for Charlotte Metro, according to Tothrow. A CD promotion brought in twice as much as projected and the credit union grew its assets by 21% last year.
Tothrow plans to use the "Fee Pig’ ad as a basis for a branding campaign and will supplement it with print and web spots. Another ad which touts "we have money to lend," will be run in conjunction with the Fee Pig spot. The campaign will not include radio or billboards, which Tothrow said are hard to track.
