RICHMOND, Va. – A dozen real-life members of Virginia CU sing and dance to demonstrate their love for their credit union in a Glee-like, 30-second TV spot debuting this week.
In an upbeat song-and-dance spot, modeled after the hit TV show Glee, a mix of members sing, “I’m not an actor...I’m not a star...I’m not a model...I can’t drive a car...We belong together...because Virginia Credit union, is where our banking is done.”
The new TV spot is the first of two being produced by local ad shop Elevation, which has auditioned 77 genuine VCU members for their singing and dancing ability. Interested members registered online for a Feb. 21 casting call.
The $2 billion credit union has featured members in previous TV commercial three times before but never in a song-and-dance routine.
The ad agency wrote 16 songs, which the credit union’s marketing team narrowed down to eight.
The members spent 13 days auditioning, then recording the songs, then six days learning the choreography, before shooting the commercial.
The songs were recorded March 5. The directors and choreographers taught the performers their dance steps. The amateur cast members spent nearly 14 hours rehearsing and shooting the commercial during two days at Richmond’s Theater IV.
The commercial can be seen and heard at YouTube @
The ad agency will begin again April 8 and 9 producing a new commercial featuring a different cast and a different song — a song about breaking up as opposed to the upbeat tune of the first spot — and a whole new cast.
