Is traditional marketing still alive?

by Lucas McCanna, CUCollaborate

You may be surprised by the answer. As a marketing professional, I tend to notice advertisements and digital marketing more than the average person. Working for a company focused on expanding credit unions to reach more consumers also has me on the lookout for advertisements around credit union offerings. In this article, Here are a few ways local credit unions have used traditional marketing to their advantage that is just as strategic as placing an ad on the right website.

This year’s Washington Auto Show had traditional sponsorships from the likes of State Farm, Spot Hero and the usual sponsors you think of for the automotive industry. The U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union took a strategic approach, knowing that consumers sometimes need car loans when purchasing a new vehicle. What better place to reach new potential members than the auto show? They went one step further with their sponsorship and created advertisements that filled the walkways of the Convention Center Metro stop, DC’s subway. These ads displayed their rates featuring strong call to actions that reached an audience who was going to look at cars and forming their personal car-purchasing decision. This event traditionally attracts more than 400,000 people a day. This strategy is an excellent example of using traditional marketing to expand a credit union’s reach. 

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run

Since 1996, Credit Union Miracle Day sponsors the Cherry Blossom 10 mile run. The credit union miracle day focuses on demonstrating credit unions’ strong commitment to their communities and underscoring the positive impact that credit unions make to consumers. This event brings in more than 15,000 participants and even more spectators. In DC, the cherry blossom festival is a big deal attracting tourists from around the world. The 10-mile run is at the center of the action. This example drives home the credit union difference, and most of their hype is built around traditional marketing methods like radio ads and print.

 

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