The Maine Credit Union League is about to launch a statewide media campaign to help set the record straight about the credit union difference.
"We want to really let people know-some for the first time-that there is a credit union in the state that they can join," said Jon Paradise, Governmental and Public Affairs Manager of the Maine league. "With all the changes to community charters and expanded FOMs, it just seems to be the right environment to do this right now."
$200,000 To Be Spent
It is the largest effort of its kind for the state trade group, Paradise said, noting that league officials expected to spend about $200,000 on the campaign, including production and airing commercials on local and cable networks at various peak television viewing times.
"Typically, we do one or two commercials and rotate them over two 12-week flights," he said. "This one is by far our most comprehensive and will run pretty consistently from January to May and September to December."
The Maine league staff that included marketing, governmental affairs and public relations experts teamed up with Catama Film and Video of Portland to develop the television campaign, themed, "Maine Credit Unions. There is One for You."
Paradise said the commercials are aimed at growing membership as well as getting members to use more credit union products and services.
And, in expectation of some banker attacks in the near future, some of the commercials take "subtle jabs" at the banking industry, he said.
"Maine has not had a (banking) bill introduced for the last 10 years, but from all indications we are fully expecting something at the state level in the near future and want to be proactive."
He said the commercials were filmed in non-season sensitive environments such as the inside of a credit union, next to a computer and in front of an ATM. Using member testimonials and actors, they will highlight specific credit union products and services and point out some differences between credit unions and banks.
In one commercial, a man sits on a couch complaining about the poor rates he got at a bank while a woman dances around the room as she talks about the great rates she got at her credit union.
'A Little Humor'
"There a little bit of humor in it," Paradise said.
Three of the spots drive home the point that anyone can belong to a credit union, while the other three feature member testimonials.
"For example, we show a young couple standing in front of a house, talking about how the CU financed their mortgage," Paradise said. "In another, a young woman is standing in front of a car touting the rate she got for her auto loan."
