NORTH CHARLESTON-South Carolina FCU has launched a campaign designed to boost awareness of its electronic services.
Known as "Save Real Time," the promotion was spurred by the latest round of updates to the credit union's mobile app. South Carolina Federal is focusing the campaign around its text, mobile and online-banking offerings, as well as balance alerts, remote deposit capture and other features available through its app.
Meredith Siemens, VP of corporate communications at the $1.2-billion, 151,000-member credit union, explained that SC Fed is emphasizing to members its progressive technology offerings, in part because consumers don't always equate CUs with being tech savvy.
"Technology is becoming our center wheel and the spoke of so much that we do in our day-to-day lives," said Siemens. "This was just an initiative to really simplify use for our members and make sure that they can meet their needs as far as if you can't get in here (to the branch), here's how we solve that problem."
South Carolina Federal is using billboards, TV, print, radio and more to help spread the word about its e-services. It also has a new group targeting consumers age 18 to 25-which Siemens said is particularly receptive to e-services-and has also crafted commercials specifically directed at that segment.
'Off the Cuff'
The credit union will run its commercials on television and YouTube, and Siemens said it frequently uses YouTube to communicate with Gen Y consumers.
"Those (videos) are a bit more off the cuff-not like the advertising we put on TV, but a bit more fun and spirited." The CU also plans to promote the campaign via postings on Facebook and Twitter.
Siemens told Credit Union Journal that because the campaign is designed to boost awareness, there are no specific goals associated with it. That being said, remote deposit capture has grown 12%-15% month over month since September, while text banking usage has increased about 1.5% each month. Downloads of the credit union's app have increased 5-7% each month since July.
There is no set end date for the "Save Real Time" campaign. "As with many emerging technologies, user awareness and adoption is key," said Siemens. "This is a campaign that we truly grow with the available technology and the member usage-keeping credit unions at the peak of technological innovation."
