Overview

Credit Unions of Alberta (CUOA) wanted to present themselves to Albertans as an attractive option that was not only safe and effective, but most importantly as institutions that consumers could relate with. We saw the opportunity to position them as the good neighbour many Albertans didn’t even know they had.

Challenge

Consumers are largely hesitant to switch banking institutions – most have signed up to the bank their parents banked with and have stayed that way ever since. So, we thought: how might we position CUOA not an alternative but as a complementary option to their existing financial stack? Since awareness of Credit Unions was low among younger generations, we first had to strike an emotional connection with their target audience. Capturing attention away from competitors with higher budgets and greater resources necessitated thoughtful strategy and compelling creative precisely deployed in channels of maximum impact.

Insights

Understanding CUOA’s brand positioning was key. They are an ally and a friend to their clients – and all the profit they make gets returned to their members. This formed the basis of the “Good Neighbour” campaign, because a neighbour who actively makes you richer is the best kind of neighbour to have.

Results

With an immediate impact of +120% web traffic, "Good Neighbour" strategically enhanced brand awareness of CUOA in key demographics, expanding CUOA's reach and reinforcing trust across Alberta. The campaign's continued performance has set the stage for ongoing member acquisition and retention, fuelling future growth and operational scalability.