Filene Research Institute Launches Center for Differentiation & Storytelling to Help Credit Unions Win Members in a Crowded Market, WI (July 15, 2026) |
Filene Research Institute has officially launched its newest Center of Excellence: the Center for Differentiation & Storytelling. The center is dedicated to helping credit unions use data to clarify their unique value, align strategy around the member, and communicate their story in ways that build trust, relevance, and long-term loyalty. Launching with a cohort of eleven founding sponsor organizations and Fellow, Dr. Jon Zhang, the Center for Differentiation & Storytelling reflects Filene’s ongoing commitment to equipping credit unions with the research and tools they need for long-term growth.
Credit Union Messaging Isn’t Breaking Through
The credit union industry is at an inflection point. Despite significant industry-wide campaigns to raise consumer awareness, the NCUA reports that 56% of all credit unions and 60% of those under $1 billion in assets, lost members in 2024. With fintechs, big banks, and non-financial players all competing for the same members, the pressure on credit unions to identify and articulate what makes them truly distinct has never been greater.
Who credit unions can serve today and how banking has evolved adds to the complexity of the issue. Expanding fields of membership create more competition and make organic connections more tenuous. Also, as the function of banking fades into the background through digital wallets, embedded finance, and agentic commerce, credit unions face a new and urgent question: how do you build lasting brand loyalty in an aspect of a consumer’s life that is becoming increasingly invisible?
“When we talk to credit union leaders, they’re eager to invest in marketing and brand, but the most compelling storytelling in the world can’t compensate for a value proposition that isn’t clearly defined,” said Christie Kimbell, Executive Vice President of Filene Research Institute. “Storytelling without differentiation is just noise. This center will help credit unions figure out exactly what makes them worth choosing, before they work on how to say it.”
From Indistinguishable to Unforgettable
Built around three core pillars: Member Understanding, Clear Differentiation, and Compelling Storytelling, the center will produce in-depth research, practical tools and guides, and real-time knowledge sharing designed to translate directly into credit union strategy.
The center will tackle some of the most pressing questions in the credit union industry today:
- How can organizations use data more effectively to create deep, meaningful connections with consumers?
- How do credit unions reconcile consumer self-reported beliefs and their contradictory behaviors?
- What strategies drive consumer action with purpose-driven messaging?
- How should credit unions measure and increase loyalty? Which actions, moments, or experiences have the greatest impact on long-term relationship strength?
- How do credit unions define and demonstrate a distinct value proposition that resonates with today’s diverse member segments?
- What is the right narrative and approach to increase awareness of credit unions without “teaching” about credit unions?
- How do credit unions create brand moments and experiences that break through the noise of the competition?
The Mind Leading the Mission
Dr. Jonathan Zhang, the Ajay Menon Professor in Business and Associate Professor of Marketing at Colorado State University, will serve as the center's Fellow, leading the research agenda and helping credit unions translate data and behavioral insights into strategies that drive real growth. Dr. Zhang brings deep expertise in consumer behavior, brand strategy, and marketing science, making him uniquely positioned to tackle the questions at the heart of this Center's mission.
“What excites me most about this work is helping credit unions move beyond assumptions about what their members value and use real data to build differentiation strategies that will resonate and last, said Dr. Jon Zhang, Fellow for the Center for Differentiation & Storytelling.
Founding Sponsors Shaping This Work
A coalition of eleven leading credit unions and leagues have committed as founding sponsors of the center, including American Airlines Federal Credit Union, American Eagle Financial Credit Union, America’s Credit Unions, Coastal Credit Union, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, GoWest Credit Union Association, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, OneAZ Credit Union, orsa credit union, Visions Federal Credit Union, and Westerra Credit Union. These organizations will shape the research priorities and collaborate as a cohort to ensure the center’s findings reflect the real-world challenges credit unions face today.
“Credit unions have always changed lives,” stated Tansley Stearns, President and CEO of orsa credit union. “The world just doesn't know it. That's not a program problem. That's a story problem. orsa credit union's Board of Directors believes cooperative finance can make life more affordable and give people the financial best friend they deserve. The Differentiation and Storytelling Center of Excellence was built to close the gap between the impact credit unions make and the story the world actually hears.”
“America's Credit Unions is excited to partner with Filene and industry leaders on this important work,” stated Meghan Burris, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for America’s Credit Unions. “By advancing the Differentiation and Storytelling Center of Excellence together, we're strengthening how the credit union movement tells its story, demonstrates its unique value, and builds deeper understanding and trust among policymakers, members, and the communities they serve."
Learn more here about the Center for Differentiation & Storytelling’s research agenda and how your credit union can be a part of this timely mission. Credit unions interested in joining our growing list of center sponsors can reach out to Jessica Gamache, Head of Research at Filene, at jessicag@filene.org.
