What Disney+ teaches credit unions about branding

Oh yes, I did. I signed up for Disney+ within the first week. As an avid fan of all things Disney, Star Wars and Marvel how could I not? I mean let’s be real: you had me at Star Wars.

But as I come up for air after binging The Mandalorian and The Imagineering Story docuseries, I realized Disney+ actually teaches credit unions and banks several lessons about branding. You often hear consultants talk about how financial institutions need to be more like famous brands like Disney, Starbucks and Southwest Airlines. While that’s all well and good, these companies are in different industries and simply copying and pasting their tactics won’t work.

However, when it comes to Disney+, there are certain branding principles we can implement with our credit union and bank brands, including these key points:

1. It’s All About The Story

Disney movies always start with the story. Whether it’s Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar or classic Disney pieces, one item is always consistent: the story. Heroes, villains, quests and journeys are all involved. But does story telling apply to financial institutions? Absolutely. As Donald Miller famously says, “make the customer (or member) the hero of the story.” When reviewing your brand, ask two key questions: “What story are we telling?” and, “How can we help our consumers achieve a happy ending to their story?”

 

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