What song describes your brand?

Every generation has songs that help define who they are and what the world was like during their formative years. For baby boomers, it’s probably the arrival of rock ‘n roll and artists like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry with classics like “Jailhouse Rock” and “Johnny B Good.” For those a little older, maybe it’s groups and hits of the 1960s like The Beatle’s “She Loves You” or The Rolling Stone’s “Satisfaction.” Jump ahead a few years to Generation X in the 1980s and you have tunes like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.”

If your credit union’s brand was identified by a single song, what do you think it is? The question may sound silly and superficial on the surface, but given little thought, the answer is quite revealing.

Credit union marketers spend enormous amounts of time, energy and money crafting, honing, implementing and protecting their brand. Over time, a brand takes on all the elements of a personality. What is the brand of your credit union? Is it conservative and studious? Fun and hip? Educational and reserved? And if you had to pick a song that represented your credit union brand — what would it be?

Below are a few ideas to help get this brand – pop song exercise started in your head.

• “Moonlight Serenade” by The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Nothing wrong with this one. It’s relaxing, smooth, laid-back and sentimental. Also a terrific piece for cheek-to-cheek slow dancing and elevators. If this is your credit union brand, it’s probably regarded as safe, smooth and a little boring — especially in the minds of younger members.
• “Long Tall Sally” by Little Richard. There are few ways to make a song more fun than to feature the crazy stylings and exhibitionism of Little Richard. If this is your credit union brand, members may see it as loud, proud and raucous. On the flip side, like the original recording, your style may also be emulated by 1,000 other cover artists (or this case, other credit unions). If this is your style, make sure it’s authentically you.
• “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles. As cool as this song is, if this is your credit union brand, look out. Do you really want to be seen and thought of as mysterious, hard to understand and a little bit trippy? For the most part, consumers want their favorite brands to err more on the side of openness, simple access and ease of understanding. If your members are playing your credit union brand song backwards to decipher secret messages, you’re on the wrong track.
• “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. We get it — you’re angry, misunderstood, tired of rain 364 days a year and clad mostly in flannel. If this song is your credit union brand, members likely see you as moody, edgy and difficult to approach.
• Any Song by Justin Bieber. Your brand needs more serious help than anything this article, website or universe can offer. Good luck.

Now as you’ve given a little thought to popular songs through the ages and which one or ones might best represent your credit union brand, open up this thought process to others. For example, at your next senior management team or strategic planning meeting, suggest others go through the same exercise. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a good mix of age groups around the table and different genres of music from which to pick.

Ask your coworkers about which of their favorite (or least favorite) songs might best represent your credit union brand. You might not like the answer but at least the honest feedback could lead to some much-needed introspection when it comes to your credit union brand and how the world at large perceives it.

So what song best describes your credit union? Give your input and join the conversation. By the way, when I worked at Neighborhood Credit Union, ours was Mr. Rogers’ “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neigbhorhood.”