Extreme Makevover: Business Edition

By Theresa Witham

Recently, while catching up on my knitting blog reading, I stumbled upon an American Express small business promotion.

American Express's Project RE:Brand pairs small business American Express customers with small business marketing companies (also American Express customers) to provide a brand makeover. So far, three small, family-owned companies have won a re-branding session with a different marketer. Each rebrand plays out in a series of videos on the American Express Web site. The first video series features a yarn company owned by a husband and wife looking to revamp their advertising. I started watching the videos as a knitter but soon started thinking as an editor who covers credit union marketing and business lending.

I think credit unions that offer small business loans and services should steal this idea. Pair up with a local ad agency or branding consultant (or maybe even a CUES Supplier member?) and run a contest in your market. The prize: a session, or two or three with the marketers, sponsored by your credit union. Pitch it as an Extreme Makeover: Business Edition to your local media. It could be a unique way to get the word out about your small business products.

First Financial Federal Credit Union has already found a unique way to reach out to small businesses, winning CUES Golden Mirror Awards recognition in the process. The CU surveyed local businesses about what they were looking for in their business banking, by sending out 7,000 over-sized postcards with personalized URLs. The incentive for filling out the PURL survey was a chance to win $5,000 worth of radio advertising on the area's most frequently listened to station. Check out the CU's GMA entry form here.

Theresa Witham is a CUES editor.

Comments

[mike lawson]

Love this idea, Theresa. Any time you can incorporate video on your website, that's a virtual magnet for visitors. Couple this medium with a member-driven contest and you have a marketing campaign winner. Plus, it just sounds like fun to do.

I hope CUs take you up on your/American Express idea. Videos are so easy and cheap to produce these days. We'll see.

[Chris Ricci]

Wow, that would already accomplish a lot of things for your company. Did the idea push through in your local market? That could stimulate the local business scene.