CU Trade Officials Crank Up Anti-BankRhetoric

DALLAS - (04/11/05) -- Credit unions may recall that atCUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference, CUNA President Dan Micatried to tone down his anti-bank rhetoric while still driving homean anti-bank message, but the Texas Credit Union League was pullingno punches at its annual meeting, here. With a tagline of"Defending the Frontlines of Financial Freedom," the entire themeof the meeting was cast in terms of war, combat and battle. Theexposition hall, for example, was called the Command Post, TCULstaff donned khaki scrubs to resemble Mobile Army Surgical Hospitalpersonnel, TCUL's CU Resources booth was draped in camouflagenetting, CUNA Mutual Group staff were sporting military casual andissuing dog tags. The league was selling plastic bracelets a laLance Armstrong's yellow "Live Strong" campaign-but TCUL's versioncame in a camouflage print and bore the message "Support OurTroops." Proceeds of the sale of the bracelets will go to the USO.But the greatest marketing challenge in using such a martial themewas in keeping the focus as positive as possible. "When we heardwhat the theme was, we went out and bought a bunch of the littlegreen army men, and we went through them picking out the ones thatweren't using their guns," a CU Resources representative explained."If you look at the little green army men we used on the cover ofthe program and elsewhere, they may be holding guns, but they'renot aiming them or shooting them. In fact, in most cases, they'rewaving you on, exhorting you to join the cause."