First Entertainment Credit Union here is rolling out a new branding effort around the theme, "We Get It. An Alternative Way To Bank."
The "We Get It" reference is aimed at reinforcing the message that the credit union understands the unique needs of its entertainment industry field of membership, including nontraditional employment profiles.
"The fact is we aren't outsiders, we're on the inside, just like you, and that gives us a deep understanding of your special needs," reads text in the inaugural issue of FECU's relaunched newsletter, "the Show."
With the new tagline comes new advertising materials-"Think of it as a botox injection for our graphics," reads newsletter copy under the headline, "We figured, hey, everybody else in town is getting a facelift, maybe we should, too."
"No, we're not getting a makeover out of sheer vanity or because we're yearning for younger roles," reads copy. "We did it because we want to reflect who we truly are-a community of like-minded people who have banded together to give you more."
Roy MacKinnon, vice president of branch operations and marketing with First Entertainment, said the new branding effort follows nearly eight months of work at the credit union, including surveying members, its staff and even its board about "who we were and are."
"Part of our message is that we get that our membership is unique and unlike other membership populations," said MacKinnon. "It's not just the sexiness of the industry; it's the way people work. They go on hiatus, they go on location. We get that our industry has unique attributes. It's something that another bank would not get."
The new "the Show" newsletter is a glossy departure from FECU's previous member communications, and mimics the type of magazines that focus on the entertainment industry.
The premier issue is dominated by a photo of Jerry Pooler, a master film restorer and a member of the credit union.
Reversed out of the photo are headlines touting four features detailed inside.
MacKinnon said the previous newsletter, called Newsbreak, had been using a format in place since 1987.
"It won a lot of awards, but it was old school and, I hate to admit it, it was boring," said MacKinnon. "What this does is really speak to the membership."
The same format, a dominant cover photo of a member who is profiled inside, will be used in all subsequent issues of "the Show."
"We'll be looking for members who are people in the (entertainment) industry who have an interesting story to tell," said MacKinnon. "This serves to personify the brand and to show a connection to the membership."
