Ibelong.org

By Joyce Moed, Reporter

Perhaps one of the most unique features of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association’s new statewide marketing campaign, slated to begin July 9th, is its development of a new website designed to help potential members find a credit union to join.

The website, www.iBelong.org, which will be operational simultaneously with the campaign next month, will feature a credit-union locator.

“One of the neat features is that our developer has tied it into Google maps,” said Mike Wishnow, senior vice president of communications and marketing for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association.

The site will allow prospective members to search for credit unions by two mechanisms: proximity and industry.

“You would just put in the industry where your work, worship, etc. or where you live,” Wishnow said.

“Another one of the features will be My Story, which will allow current Pennsylvania credit-union members to comment on their credit-union experiences. The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association is currently asking credit unions throughout the state to submit thank-you letters and positive feedback they have received from their members. Members will only be identified by their credit union, first name and first initial of their last name.

The marketing campaign as a whole will be implemented with goals of raising awareness of credit unions and increasing membership growth, Wishnow said.

“In February of 2006 our board put together a task force of CEOs to study what we could do to increase membership growth and raise credit-union awareness,” Wishnow said. “What they came up with was a statewide campaign including television and radio. It was approved in August.”
The 18-month campaign will cost about $2.5 million, Wishnow said, and will include television advertisements broadcast in every marketing in Pennsylvania. “And it’s going to be supported by radio,” he added. Additional sources include some print and possibly billboard, and the iBelong website.

“Initially it was conceived to be a two-year campaign,” Wishnow said. He said it was backed into being an 18-month campaign when they realized the undertaking involved.

The entire concept will be known as the iBelong campaign.

“A ‘sense of belong’ really struck a chord with our focus group,” Wishnow said.
The target market for the campaign is females, ages 25 to 49.

“Research shows that in the vast majority of households, they’re the ones making the financial transactions,” Wishnow said.

The campaign, including the website, was debuted to Pennsylvania credit unions on June 13th.
In all, the campaign is expected to be successful.

“We feel pretty good about it,” Wishnow said.