The Diamond Awards are highly coveted in our industry. Credit union marketers from across the country gathered on Friday, March 11, in Los Angeles for the annual Diamond Dinner and Awards Presentation. Held during the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference, the awards recognize and reward creative excellence and outstanding results in credit union marketing. Over 1,200 entries spanned 35 categories, and Synergent is proud to have created five of the winning campaigns in collaboration with the credit unions we serve.
“Personally and on behalf of Synergent, I want to congratulate all of this year’s Diamond Award winners,” said Doug MacDonald, Vice President of Synergent Marketing Services. “It is always impressive and inspiring to see the winning campaigns and the shared enthusiasm within our industry. Helping five of our credit unions achieve this honor is just the icing on the cake.”
LIVE SUPPORT ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN
Acadia Federal Credit Union
Fort Kent, ME
Assets: $289,551,850 | Members: 16,097
2022 Diamond Award – Membership Marketing
Acadia FCU wanted to be sure their members knew they had a new way to connect, no matter where they were at a given time. In their Live Support Campaign, they highlighted that members could contact the credit union wherever they may be via instant message, video chat, screen sharing, audio, and phone. Partnering with Synergent, they launched a campaign that targeted all 16,000+ members. The omni-channel initiative included a custom video, email, digital graphics for inside and outside the branch, social media graphics, and flyers. The cohesive, coordinated design elements were brand-focused, using Acadia’s color palette and echoed elements used on their website and in other marketing materials.
ANNUAL REPORT
Katahdin Federal Credit Union
Millinocket, ME
Assets: $95,163,683 | Members: 8,066
2022 Category’s Best Diamond Award – Annual Reports
Katahdin FCU was honored to again receive a Diamond Award for their Annual Report, having also received one in 2020. Each year, Katahdin FCU creates a theme for their annual report that can also be incorporated at their annual meeting. Their goal is to create excitement surrounding the meeting and encourage members to attend. This year’s winning theme focused on “Navigating 2020 Together,” a nod to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ways members and the community came together to overcome trying times. The cover photo used had a personal connection. It was submitted by an employee/member and depicted their nephew white water kayaking upstream, which the design team agreed conveyed the feelings experienced by so many over the prior months.
DIGITAL ANNUAL REPORT
OTIS Federal Credit Union
Jay, ME
Assets: $229,260,985 | Members: 11,074
2022 Diamond Award – Annual Reports
For the second year in a row, OTIS FCU continued their digital-forward approach to their annual report and built it online to meet members where they are: at home and on-the-go. This interactive format provided members with an intuitive, subliminal transition away from the traditional paper report which was used prior to shifting their annual meeting to an online format. With easy-to-navigate pages presented in a way that is accessible and responsive on all devices, the refreshed look and feel increases readability and shareability. Its theme focused on journeys: both the journey of membership and the journey of the credit union.
ONBOARDING CAMPAIGN
Oxford Federal Credit Union
Mexico, ME
Assets: $271,687,200 | Members: 18,174
2022 Diamond Award – Brand Awareness
Oxford FCU recognizes that it is crucial to ensure the first 30 days of the new member experience are positive and educational. To foster this transition from new member to lifelong partner, they worked with Synergent Marketing Services to create a comprehensive digital experience that would provide new members with direct access to relevant products, services, and information. Their goal was to encourage product adoption and lending activity while making members feel connected to their new credit union. Using email, interactive landing pages, and postcards (for members who did not provide an email address), new members received targeted communications with special offers for checking, Visa credit cards, loans, and referrals. In total, one landing page, 15 emails, and 12 postcards were created.
ONLINE BANKING CONVERSION | FLIP DECKS
Education First Credit Union
Beaumont, Texas
Assets: $538,987,947 | Members: 34,186
2022 Diamond Award – Content Marketing
When completing an online banking conversion, Education First FCU knew they had to provide members with information about the new platform. Partnering with Synergent Marketing Services, 22 PDF flip decks were created as step-by-step online resources to be housed on the credit union’s website. These instructed members on how to enroll in the new platform, provided an overview of the online banking dashboard, and included numerous how-to guides in areas such as managing payments, secure messaging, bill pay, transfers, eDoc enrollment, alerts, and Remote Deposit Capture. Graphic elements complemented those of both the new platform and the credit union’s existing branding.
