2014 Diamond Awards make “Edgy” the name of the game in credit union marketing

And really, it always has been, hasn’t it? Most credit unions have never had the bulging wallets and flashy campaign capacity to employ brute force marketing. Instead, we have individual personalities, niche markets and the freedom to prioritize our members’ needs rather than the demands of shareholders. Thus, our creativity becomes our trump card.

CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Diamond Awards are one of the driving forces behind that creative upper hand. Winners are chosen, not for adhering to proven formats or having the highest asset size, but by finding new ways to make their message heard and meet the needs of their markets. And as today’s consumers become more sensitive to the agendas of big banks, those winners are the ones blazing trails for the rest of us to follow and duplicate. Thanks to their entries, the movement has the opportunity to study and apply award-winning strategies and practices in media, print, branding, business development and more.

“What’s impressed me is some of the edgier content that‘s getting out there,” awards judge Aaron Gregerson, manager of marketing and business development for General Mills Federal Credit Union, Minnetonka, Minn. “It’s nice to see credit unions and financial institutions taking on a fresh approach with their marketing to cut through the clutter … and attract people’s attention.”

As the credit union industry’s largest and most representative competition, the Diamond Awards attract more than 1,200 entries every year. They make the movement’s success their mission, keeping credit union marketing effective by recognizing and rewarding creative excellence in the industry. The winners not only gain prestige for taking home an award, but they’re in a better position to succeed thanks to the creative process that earned them that award in the first place.

Awards judge, Sandi Carangi, Director of Credit Union Marketing Services for the Pennsylvania CU Association, hailed participants’ commitment to creativity amidst ever-increasing compliance and regulation burdens. “Trying to be creative even while unable to use certain words or trigger terms and still be able to get your message across – some of these credit unions are doing a phenomenal job of being creative at the same time as being compliant.”

Taking on a fresh spin of their own, the 2014 Diamond Awards have introduced a new online entry process so that submitting entries no longer involves the hassle of mailing materials. Additionally, three new award categories have been added to the lineup: Digital Advertising, Microsite and Mobile- challenging credit unions to step up and stand out in the digital age.

“The entries that I did find really interesting are the ones that don’t have much of a budget,” said judge Amy Wickham, assistant vice president of marketing communications for Dupaco Credit Union, Des Moines, Iowa. “They’re new; they’re kind of exciting; it’s someone taking a chance. You don’t need to have to have a billion dollar budget to be able to pull some very cool things out of a campaign and get your message across.”

Entries are now being accepted for the 2014 Diamond Awards. Entry information for all awards is available at http://cunamarketingcouncil.org/awards/awards_main.html.

Nancy Hutchinson

Nancy Hutchinson

Nancy is senior vice president of marketing and business development for Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union. She has served as a member of the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council ... Web: www.cunacouncils.org Details