Canadian Credit Union Association Is Putting People First in Brand Campaign

Launched in mid-2019, the Canadian Credit Union Association’s brand campaign - 'You First, Banking Second' - established and legitimised a new category in the banking space. Its work, created by Camp Jefferson, celebrated the defining principles of credit unions - highlighting what Canadians look for in a banking partner, and how credit unions deliver value to their members.

“Research found that Canadians were quite open to exploring alternatives to the big banks in their choice of financial institutions – this meant that communicating what makes credit unions different could drive both consumer adoption and business value for credit unions,” said Martha Durdin, president and CEO of the Canadian Credit Union Association. “This campaign demonstrated that unifying the voice of Canada’s credit unions and raising awareness of the value credit unions provide could have a positive impact on how Canadians meet their financial needs.”

Aimed at conveying the vital role credit unions play in Canada’s financial landscape, and rooted in credit unions’ cooperative mantra, the strategic campaign ran on social, native video and search in British Columbia and Ontario. It recognised the individual credit needs of Canadians and highlighted clients’ passions, ideas and dreams.

Compared to a pre-campaign brand study, the most notable results are:

- 21 per cent increase in favourable impression of credit unions;

- 20 per cent increase in likeliness to consider a credit union; and

- 13 per cent increase in feeling more informed around credit unions’ offering.

“The ‘people-first’ banking approach of credit unions is exactly what Canadians are looking for - however, the Big-5 are spending billions in marketing dollars to ensure that it remains a secret,” said Guybrush Taylor, executive creative director at Camp Jefferson. “The ‘You First, Banking Second’ platform gives the entire category the voice it needs and highlights how credit unions deliver what traditional banks don't.”

Building off the success of the 2019 campaign, the Canadian Credit Union Association and Camp Jefferson are in the planning stages of an expanded program in 2020.