GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-Marsha Sapino at Meijer CU here regularly receives e-mails from the CU's core processor, CU*Answers, but one e-mail netted Sapino and the credit union national recognition and a nice check to go with it, as well.
Sapino, operations specialist at the 12,000-member, $60-million credit union, was recently named the winner of CU*Answers' fourth annual video contest, which she learned about through that e-mail. Whereas previous CU*Answers' competitions had been focused on submitting an idea for a commercial based around a theme, this year the contest was expanded to include categories of "Best Jingle" and "Best Complete Video," which had to be uploaded to YouTube. Entrants were required to be CU*Answers clients; more than 30 people took part in the contest.
The theme for 2011 was "Our Credit Union is a Community," and Sapino's idea revolved around the close ties between credit unions and their local communities, depicting a CU member submitting a loan application and how the many ways CU participation positively impacts the local region.
Sapino laughed when asked if she had any experience in advertising, and said that rather than just pitching an idea for the spot, she submitted a full script. The end product "was a bit different than what I had written out, but my concept was still there," she said, adding,"I did go into a bit more detail than they probably expected." The commercial was completed by Fulvew, a Grand Rapids-based production company.
Winners Are Rewarded
All three winners-including "Best Jingle" winner Linda Miller of Service 1 FCU, Muskegon, Mich. and "Best Completed Video" winner Bryce Roth of VacationLand FCU, Sandusky, Ohio-received $1,500 each for their credit union and an iPod Touch. Sapino said that her CU has not yet determined what to do with the money, but "there is talk that we might buy a TV for our lobby."
Melinda Haehnel, CU*Answers' VP of marketing and public relations, explained that one of the benefits of the annual commercial contest is that it provides more content for CUs to access for their local markets or in-branch TVs. Credit unions can use the existing commercial for free, or for $350, Fulvew can tag it with specific voice over content and CU logos.
"Being a CUSO, CU*Answers just wants to be able to provide our clients with different avenues and different methods for them to reach their members," said Haehnel. "This is just another area for them to use; a lot of them can't afford to do video or have customized marketing in their lobby, and this way it gives them a chance to do that."
Contest winners also get to present their entries at CU*Answers annual leadership conference, held each June in Grand Rapids. Haehnel said it was a coincidence that a CU from the CUSO's hometown won the competition.
The next CU*Answers video contest will be announced in early February. To see the winning entries from this and previous contests, visit ondemand.cuanswers.com.
