VANCOUVER, Wash.-Columbia Credit Union is taking TV viewers in its markets back to 1952, including using a "vintage" spokesperson.
The $890-million Columbia CU is is using the black-and-white TV spots to mark its 60th anniversary. The campaign was created by Spokane, Wash.-based Boom Creative. Its president, Daniel Thorpe, told Credit Union Journal the background story was "pretty simple."
In addition to marking the anniversary of its founding, Columbia has also used the ads to position itself as an alternative for financial products and services, according to Thorpe.
"The spots feature a 1950s era spokesman, loosely patterned on Mike Wallace's old 'Golden Fluffo' commercials," said Thorpe, referring to ads for a shortening product in which Wallace appeared before his career with "CBS News" and "60 Minutes." "We wanted to make him over-the-top '50s while simultaneously being oblivious to the changing world of 2012. He is a touch misogynist-like every TV spokesman was in those days-and thinks that Social Security will take care of him in his 'Golden Years.'"
Indeed, the dark-haired, nameless actor portraying the 1952 Guy displays no inkling that women aspire to be more than good bakers, a financial institution might look to make a loan larger than six figures, or the phrase "gee willikers" is passé. And when it comes to explaining the Internet to him, apparently something was lost in translation, because he uses dramatic air quotes to inform the public mortgage applications can be taken "on the web."
"But I say, no thanks, sister, no spiders in my home," he declares without a hint of irony as the 2012 mortgage specialist makes an annoyed face.
'Making Life Better'
The three spots are mini-movies with authentic-looking sets and music that harkens back to soap operas of the 1950s. Even the graphics and the opening announcements proclaiming, "And now a word from our sponsor..." give the feeling one is watching a broadcast from the past.
The focus of the three ads-business services, wealth management and home mortgages, respectively-are brought to the finish with the same message, "Making life better since 1952."
"As the campaign just started at the end of 2012 the results are still anecdotal, but everything we are hearing from our client is it a big success," said Thorpe. "Columbia has even been getting calls and e-mails from non-members for the sole purpose of complimenting them on the spots."
