WSECU Unconventional Brand Awareness & Acquisition Campaign

Despite its 60-plus years in business and status as the 12th-largest credit union in the country, Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) was becoming crowded out of the market in the city of Spokane, Washington, where more than 20 different credit unions had opened their doors.

WSECU asked us to create a digital brand awareness campaign that would intrigue millennials. We started by conducting unfocus group research, then crafted a long-term vision for the brand. To improve brand awareness in Spokane, WA, we spent nine months showing off the best (hidden) part of WSECU — how they care for their members and community. That’s the collaborative spirit of WSECU, Co-Op Credit Union. We decided that while most credit unions were leaning in to look more like community banks, we would pull back to remind everyone that a credit union is, first and foremost, a financial co-operative. We encouraged the community to collectively keep committing to the common good, and to contribute to a better tomorrow: “Let’s Co!”

To engage with the Spokane community in a distinctive way, we added analog elements to our digital campaign strategy. We started off by building microsites, a swell social media presence, and digital advertising. To balance our digital efforts, we created an engaging, head-turning analog experience: the Co Van to carry the Co Corps (a team of WSECU do-gooders) from coffee shop to festival to soup kitchen — all with the goal of providing experiences of delight. We connected WSECU employees with their communities by getting them out on the streets, interacting with their members (and potential future members).

After brand awareness was established, phase two of the campaign involved asking people — especially millennials — to become WSECU members: “If you ever need a little help, look us up.” Our efforts saw a 133% increase in new millennial membership in Spokane.