Wash. CUs Plan TV Ad Campaign, Including Super Bowl

Armed with more than $500,000 in voluntary contributions, credit unions here in the Evergreen State are planning to expand their TV advertising campaign.

Jamie Chase, the Washington league's director of public relations, told The Credit Union Journal a recent series of shared branching TV ads-which have run from 2003 to the present-have been so successful, they helped make Washington's CUs first in the United States in shared branches per capita. The shared branching campaign was done in partnership with FSCC, the sector's service provider.

The new campaign is scheduled to run on Seattle's ABC and CBS affiliates, beginning in mid-August, Chase said. It will highlight the "credit union difference" and give people information on how they can join a CU.

"In addition to the credit union difference message, we will continue the promotion of shared branching," she said. "One builds on the other. Many people choose their financial institution based on convenience. One barrier for credit unions is the perception they are not convenient. The shared branching ads will be seen similarly as the other ads, and they will carry the same brand."

This year's campaign will, for the first time, tap the talents of an ad agency. One of the highlights of the upcoming campaign will be a local spot during ABC's broadcast of Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006. The Washington league is working with KOMO on the details. Another local spot is scheduled to air during the upcoming Children's Miracle Network Telethon.

A total of 19 CUs made voluntary contributions of $512,500. Chase said the league credits much of the fundraising campaign's success to the work of Kevin Foster-Keddie, CEO of Washington State Employees CU. She said other attempts at fundraising brought in limited amounts, but Foster-Keddie's ability to work one-on-one with other CEOs made the difference.

Later this year, credit unions in eastern Washington will run a separate cooperative campaign in Spokane.

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