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Four Bank and Credit Union Marketing Lessons from Super Bowl LIX Commercials
Mark Arnold
Super Bowl LIX has come and gone. No three-peat for the Chiefs. No close game. No Travis Kelce proposal to Taylor Swift.
And no memorable commercials? While there may not have been a game-changing ad like Apple’s 1984 introduction of the Mac computer or Coke’s Mean Joe Green offering his jersey for a cold beverage, there were several spots that garnered attention. A few of them taught key marketing lessons for credit unions and community banks.
Here are four commercials that stood out…along with the bank and credit union marketing principle they illustrated:
Jeep: Tell Stories
Harrison Ford has been in some amazing stories (think Star Wars and Indiana Jones). And now he’s been in an amazing Super Bowl ad - Jeep.
In this two-minute video, Ford echoes some great thoughts in his iconic voice: “Life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual,” “There are real heroes in the world,” and “Write your own stories.” Of course, he is telling the story of Jeep. But more importantly, he’s encouraging your story to tie into Jeep’s story of freedom (and its brand).
When it comes to your bank and credit union marketing, tell more stories. And most importantly…make those stories about your members and customers. As Donald Miller says, “The customer is the hero, not your brand.” Tell a story about a single mom who couldn’t get a loan anywhere but your credit union. Tell a story about a start-up company that your community bank serviced from day one and now is growing exponentially. Tell a story about a family you’ve served for multiple generations.
When focusing on your marketing, tell more stories.
Google Pixel: Use Emotion
Not everyone liked this commercial from Google Pixel, but I thought it was spot-on by pulling on emotional threads. It shows a stay-at-home dad through the years with his daughter. There are shots of him feeding a toddler, playing dress up, reading books, dancing with a pre-teen, teaching driving lessons and taking his daughter to college. It’s enough to draw a tear from anyone (including several from me).
The most successful bank and credit union marketing efforts today are those that engage consumers on an emotional level. Let’s be clear: marketing is emotional. You must communicate your message clearly, quickly and credibly while striking an emotional chord. So how do you bring emotion into commodities like checking accounts and loans? You find your most passionate consumers and listen to them. You tell their stories (see point above).
When focusing on your marketing, use emotion.
Rocket Mortgage: Connect with Your Audience
How can you not like a commercial that features the classic John Denver song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads?” From shots of a pregnant woman saying, “Let’s get you home,” to little kids dancing, to service members singing on a plane, to the tagline “Own the Dream” - this commercial was certainly emotional (see point above).
But the most unique aspect of this spot was when it came back from commercial break. The audience in the stands at the game were singing the song. As broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt notes: “A moment of unity inspired by Rocket.” The commercial was not passive…it was active. It was an amazing scene to see people in the stands (fans of each team) singing along to the classic tune.
Marketing is not about “spraying and praying.” It’s not about wildly hoping your message will land. Marketing is about making connections. If you want your bank and credit union marketing to be more effective, look for ways to connect with your niche audiences. Examples include activities at community events, telling stories and teaching your staff how to have connecting conversations.
When focusing on your marketing, connect with your audience.
Uber Eats: Use Humor
Many of this year’s commercials attempted to be funny but one stood out to me: Uber Eats. Their ad featuring fellow University of Texas alum Matthew McConaughey had me rolling. Using Kevin Bacon with the line “Everybody loves bacon,” how the Buffalo Bills named their franchise, making fun of Peyton Manning’s “Omaha” call, cameos from Martha Stewart and Greta Gerwig - this Uber Eats spot had it all.
Similarly, try and leverage humor when it comes to your bank and credit union marketing. Of course, the problem is most financial institutions are boring. But no one talks about a boring business. Look for ways to bring a chuckle with a clever headline or unusual visual. Consumers receive over 3,000 advertising messages a day. They often only pause when an ad captures their attention by making them laugh.
When focusing on your marketing, use humor.
Go Beyond Awareness
One other thing these ads teach us is that marketing awareness is fool’s gold (anyone remember Pets.com and the sock puppets?). Your bank and credit union marketing must tell stories, use emotion, connect with your audience and use humor.
You apply those principles and you won’t just raise marketing awareness…you will achieve marketing growth.
Ready to dig deep and venture past awareness? Book a free consultation for a bank or credit union marketing assessment that gives you the tools to take your marketing past the regular season and straight to the Big Game.
