Congratulations to Stan Hollen and Company at CO-OP Financial Services for understanding that credit unions actually do compete with banks for the hearts and minds of Americans.
While CUNA compiles and feeds us the latest national statistics of Bank Transfer Day, like a house full of bureaucrats and clerks, CO-OP actually has the vision and talent (thank you, Caroline Lane) to be a national marketing player for all credit unions; large, small, CO-OP Financial Services members or not.
Even if the CO-OP campaign only runs in the major metro markets, it is certainly a refreshing start to a national branding campaign that should have been started years ago (circa 1998).
And it suggests that credit unions nationwide might look at our CO-OP movement with new eyes.
Just as an old and tired U.S. Congress seems incapable of doing the right thing for its constituents anymore, perhaps CUNA, who has virtually moved from Madison to Washington and likely caught the same disease, no longer serves the real interests of its constituents-credit union members and their wholly owned natural person credit unions.
CO-OP, or someone like them, who thrives financially and politically on action and results as opposed to the member tax dole CUNA has become far too comfortable and complacent with, would certainly be a change for the better.
And whether it was intended or not, CO-OP's "Ditch Your Bank" marketing campaign is a shot across CUNA's bow to wake up and smell which way the trade winds are blowing.
Mike Dillon
South Division CU, Evergreen Park, Ill.
