MISSOULA, MT (February 2, 2026) |
In October, Missoulians started seeing billboards that read like a personal note. They were handwritten, specific, and oddly charming, from someone new in town trying to make friends. At the bottom: newtomissoula.com.
It felt more like a flyer you’d find on a coffee shop bulletin board, except it was up on billboards across town. People took photos. Group chats lit up. Social feeds did what they do. They shared it, joked about it, and in plenty of cases, genuinely rooted for the guy on the billboard.
Because the guy was real.
The billboards featured Ryan Nong, a recent Missoula transplant and Community Development Officer with Whitefish Credit Union, which was also new to town, opening its first branch outside the Flathead Lake region The microsite expanded on the idea and listed grand opening events where locals could meet Ryan and get practical intel on hiking, fishing, and biking around Missoula.
“The billboards definitely turned heads,” said Ryan Nong. “People come up to me at community meetings, restaurants, even the DMV. I didn’t expect any of that.”
Whitefish Credit Union reports that the branch opening and launch effort generated strong community engagement and business impact, including $20 million in new deposits.
“This campaign was never about flashy marketing. It was about showing up,” said Josh Wilson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Whitefish Credit Union. “Missoula is a tight-knit community. We wanted to make a real introduction, not just hang a banner. Seeing people engage, laugh, and connect with Ryan, that’s the kind of marketing that makes a difference.”
The work was developed in partnership with Up To Something, a billboard-focused creative studio.
“The hook is simple. Someone used billboards to find friends,” said Todd Turner, Co-Founder at Up To Something. “Whitefish Credit Union was doing the same thing as a brand. They were new in town, and they chose to show up like a neighbor instead of announcing themselves like a bank.”
