ALEXANDRIA, Va.-US Senate FCU is taking heat for a controversial marketing piece some assert is sexist.
The ad focuses prominently on the torso of a semi-headless, smiling, buxom blonde. "GOT BIG PLANS?" asks the headline on the piece next to the image. "Let us worry about the money ... you've got a lot of living to do." On the left side of the piece text reads, "Please borrow responsibly!"
That ad sparked a petition by Washington resident Amber Wobschall at
"I have been a life-long advocate of credit unions. I've always appreciated the customer service, community focus and reliability I have found," says Wobschall in her Change.org post. "This past weekend, the US Senate Federal Credit Union severely disappointed me with their mailing."
Wobschall's three demands: "Disciplinary action of the persons responsible for creation and approval of the mailing," a "mailed apology to everyone who received the mailing" and "anti-sexism training to help improve the environment in which this was allowed to occur."
Letter To Members
US Senate FCU did not respond to requests for comment from Credit Union Journal.
On its website at press time the credit union placed a letter to members that read, "It has come to our attention that the imagery and message in a recent marketing direct mail campaign has offended some of our membership. It was not the intention of this marketing campaign to insult, demean or in any way offend anyone in our field of membership.
"The Board of Directors and Senior management personally apologize to the membership of the United States Senate Federal Credit Union for this action.
"The comments and opinions of our members recently received are very important to the Board. We will always value your opinion, membership, and support of the Senate Federal Credit Union."
250 Sign Petition
At press time the petition had been signed by almost 250 people, including, Jan Day, who wrote: "I am appalled. This advertisement debases women, lowers the level of credibility of the Credit Union, and sends the message to borrowers that the organization and staff managing their money might not be smart enough to do so."
Susan Enis, CEO of the $563-million credit union, which serves members of the U.S. Senate and has branches in the Hart Senate Office Building and the Government Accountability Office's downtown D.C. headquarters, would not comment on the matter when reached by Credit Union Journal last week, saying only that a release would be issued later in the day.
Asked if the prepared statement would address the thinking behind the ad and the intended message, Enis said that would be clear in the statement.
A statement containing those details was not e-mailed to Credit Union Journal at press time, nor would the CU return calls.
Poor Marketing Decision
Paul Lucas, a national marketing and branding consultant based in Fairfax, Va., told Credit Union Journal he was perplexed about how the ad slipped past, or was approved through, USSFCU's marketing approval process.
Lucas believes the ad is the result of poor marketing decisions, and added that the ad's message is unclear.
"Moving forward US Senate FCU has a serious PR position to overcome and if handled quickly and professionally they can in the end make this leadership/marketing blunder a stronger brand experience by showing decisive management control, empathy, and lightning-fast member communications. They should immediately hire a top-flight PR organization and reach out to their membership, and most importantly their individual SEG hierarchy to bury any ongoing negativity. These are one of those blunders that a slow PR response will definitely kill the CU's brand and snowball out of control."
The brand at stake for some damage, may be more than just USSFCU's, as the banking industry has already taken notice.
The American Bankers Association's Keith Leggett, on his creditunionwatch.blogspot.com site, linked to a Huffington Post story about the ad.
