KQ Article

Consumers think differently about banks and credit unions today. They’re skeptical of brand promises, and they favor institutions that are “real,” or authentic. That’s why Northwest Community Credit Union knew it had to think differently about how it presented itself to the marketplace.

“Our old brand position, You’re More Than Welcome, served us well for years,” said Matt Purvis, vice president of marketing for Northwest Community Credit Union. “But all financial institutions say that service distinguishes them, and we knew we had to work harder. We couldn’t merely talk about our value to the people we serve. We had to prove it through our business practices and in our communities.”

Market research confirmed that Northwest Community Credit Union’s branding was not resonating with the community, especially younger people. However, the research also revealed that people of all ages identified strongly with the prevailing attitudes of the Pacific Northwest. “The Pacific Northwest is much more than a geographic description for people in Oregon,” Purvis said. “To them, it describes an active and open-minded attitude toward life. Everybody who lives here feels it.”

OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT
From the research, Purvis saw the ideal attributes for building a new brand position. First, more than 30 percent of Northwest Community Credit Union employees are currently in their twenties, and these employees have fi rsthand knowledge of what younger people look for in a service provider. Second, employees throughout the organization already have an intimate familiarity with the uniqueness of Pacific Northwest living.

“Authenticity can only be achieved if people deliver it, and if what you promise is truly who you are,” Purvis said. “It was our job to restate our brand position to refl ect our history, while also dramatizing our culture today.”

In early 2009, Northwest Community Credit Union launched its new brand position, Northwest of Banking. The new positioning is designed to communicate the credit union’s approachable, youthful culture, composed of employees who share the Pacific Northwest attitude with the people they serve.

“We crafted our new position with staff involvement to ensure they would find creative, individual ways to bring it to life,” Purvis said. “But it raises the bar, because it forces us to get out into the community and interact, instead of just being a passive resource. It forces us to think more like a retailer.”

ENTERING THE BLOGOSPHERE
To support its new brand position, Northwest Community Credit Union created a blog, That’s So Northwest (www.ThatsSoNorthwest.com). Interestingly, the blog’s subject matter has little to do with financial services, and it is only subtly tied to the institution that sponsors it. 

“Our social media director recruited writers from within our organization to create the voice, personality and content of our blog,” Purvis said. “Their only direction was to make this a useful resource for young people across the state. By ‘resource,’ I wasn’t referring to anything financial. I merely wanted these employees to build an online community that encourages conversation and grows from there.”

Postings on That’s So Northwest range from area event announcements, restaurant reviews, photographs and video to forums and personal columns. One employee writes a recurring piece about completing her fi rst novel. Another column, titled “Accidental Adult,” discusses an employee’s struggle with turning 30. All of this content puts a real face on the culture of Northwest Community Credit Union, while speaking to what it means to be immersed in Pacific Northwest life.

“Our blog is authentic because it facilitates conversations with a voice that is personal, not institutional,” Purvis said. “It’s getting lots of traffic, and I’m always eager to share all the positive comments with the management team.”

Northwest Community Credit Union is also deeply involved with area causes. Rather than sponsor events or organizations, the credit union works with local partners to create compelling programs. “We want our staff invested in every partnership we have,” Purvis said. “That way, we make more signifi cant contributions, and our employees get to work directly with — and learn from — other community leaders.

” Much of this activity is visible on the Northwest Community Credit Union Facebook page, which has already attracted hundreds of followers during its fi rst month in operation. The credit union has even promoted authentic, two-way dialogue with its indirect borrowers by implementing the DeluxeCallingSM program (see below).

“Instead of just sending a form letter, we now call all our indirect borrowers and invite them into a branch to learn about the benefits of their membership,” Purvis said. “Just like our blog, DeluxeCalling has been a great conversation starter.

“It’s only through this two-way dialogue that you earn consumer trust and loyalty today,” Purvis added. “We do a lot of fun, different and surprising things, and it all helps to establish rapport with people first. Then, and only then, can we talk about our products and services without losing them.”

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_{© 2012 Deluxe Enterprise Operations, Inc.}