RICHMOND, Va. -
For several months last summer, Parks decked herself out in superhero garb and flew through area businesses as part of a campaign to encourage business leaders to promote credit union products and services to employees.
Parks will share the secrets of her successful promotion titled, "Be The Office Hero," during the CU Journal's 8th Annual Business Development & SEG Conference, April 12-13 at the Hyatt Regency in Boston.
Parks, the mastermind of the campaign, said it cost about $15,000 and became the inspiration for a new brand that was launched recently. It included radio, website and online advertising along with generous incentives for anyone who brought in new business.
One $4,000 billboard that got a two-and-a-half month run pictured three employees in business suits standing near a water cooler. One employee had a cartoon mask drawn on his face.
The message: Betheofficehero.com. The 6,000 visitors to the site were given a list of reasons why they should encourage co-workers to join Call FCU.
Among the promises, "Faster than a speeding bullet, you'll all enjoy lower loan rates, higher yields on savings, more free services... more convenience... and all the financial services you and your employees and their families need..."
The website also included an interactive game that allowed users to turn a regular employee into a superhero by dressing him in a cape and mask and tools of the superhero trade.
"It was only going to be a couple-month campaign but it has kind of snowballed,'' Parks said explaining that its success that included 1,350 new members and another 5,000 potential members via 19 new SEG relationships triggered ideas for its new cartoon character called iDude and a new motto, "It's your life, so be the hero."
The iDude character is part of branding strategy and attempt to attract and keep younger members, Parks said.
The character comes to life on its website, and has the ability to interact with online users.
"Xdude.com helped us with the animation then Silvercloud helped with the creation of the database that answers questions that members can pose to him,'' she said.
Parks said she also expanded on the office hero theme, only instead of asking others to be heroes by encouraging co-workers to take advantage of Call Federal Credit Union's products and services, the new brand suggests that everyone be the hero of his or her own financial life.
