07/28/2010

There actually IS meat on bacon!

By Nala Henkel

Most of you have probably seen that Cheryl and I have thrown our collective hat in the ring to be the CU Water Cooler Symposium WildCard Speaker.

When you work in marketing and advertising, surrounded by fun co-workers and fun clients, on an incredibly fun and innovative product (Young & Free) it's hard not to let that spill over into contest entry for a wildcard speaker’s spot (as evidenced by our most recent campaign video).

But we want to clarify something—our presentation isn't going to focus on funny videos and bacon, it's going to delve into research we are doing with Gen Y'ers in regards to their use of social media platforms.

We are asking a cross section of young people across North America about:
• Which platforms they use
• What they actually use them for
• What they would never use them for
• And how they perceive businesses interjecting in those spaces

(just to name a few)

We will be compiling these results and sharing 3 practical ways that Credit Unions can take this information and implement a social media strategy in these spaces that will be relevant and get results.

So here’s what you need to know: yes, half of us are young and both of us are silly, but we're going to deliver a fun presentation that will leave the audience with some insight into how Gen Y is actually using social media and share information on how credit unions can get involved and get bottom line results.

We’re really excited to have a conversation about this, and if you are too, you can vote for us here:

http://www.cuwatercoolersymposium.com/vote/

Voting closes Friday at 2pm PT.

All the best,

Nala (and Cheryl)

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06/04/2010

Young & Free Ontario launches today for Libro Financial Group and United Communities Credit Union!

By Tim McAlpine

We helped Libro Financial Group and United Communities Credit Union launch Young & Free Ontario today.

Ontario joins (in order) Alberta, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama  Tennessee, Mississippi and St. Louis to become the eighth Young & Free region in North America.

It's great to have a second region live in Canada! And it's not just any region—Ontario is by far the most populated province in Canada with over 13 million residents! Or put another way, 40% of Canada's population.

Ontario is our second region in North America and first region in Canada to undertake the Young & Free program as a collaborative initiative. The majority of our programs have been single credit unions representing a small section of their home state or province. This is unique partnership between two like-minded, non-competing credit unions that serve Southwestern Ontario. It’s exciting to see collaboration between two well respected credit unions. By coming together, they are able to share the costs and amplify their reach.

Nala and I travelled to Ontario in March and shot the CEO launch video while we were there. Jack Smit and Jim Lynn had a fun time working with each other and did a great job!

Please take a moment and visit the Young & Free Ontario microsite. You can also follow along on Twitter and Facebook.

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05/28/2010

Young & Free St. Louis launches today. Sometimes it's worth the wait!

By Tim McAlpine

On October 4, 2007, I gave a presentation at the FORUM Solutions Partnership Symposium in Indiana. As part of my talk, I introduced Young & Free Alberta, which had just launched that day.

In the audience was Eric Acree, the Executive Vice President of Vantage Credit Union in St. Louis, Missouri. He was immediately struck by the concept and when he learned in early 2008 that Young & Free was going North America wide, he championed the concept at Vantage and signed the first US contract. Vantage has the exclusive rights to Missouri, but chose to go with the Young & Free St. Louis name since all of their branches are located in the Greater St. Louis area with spill over into southern Illinois.

Why the two-and-half-year wait? The folks at Vantage had some very big plans! Vantage has paired Young & Free with an incredible new account and a custom-built online banking system specifically designed for the 18-to-25 crowd. All built in-house!

Dubbed Not Your Mama's Account, it has an impressive mix of products and services, but the real key is the online experience with significant real-world members benefits.

At the center of the package is the coolest online banking system that I have ever seen. In addition to standard banking and bill pay capabilities, this next generation of online banking system includes:

• Personal finance tool that uses keyword “tagging” and feeds spending/saving forecasts to help members with budgeting
• Relevant merchant ads and coupon offers based on merchants/services used according to actual transaction history
• Social media integration that incorporates real-time feeds from the member's own Twitter and Facebook accounts, and feeds from the VantageCU Twitter account and website
• Value-offer summaries let members know how much they’ve saved or could have saved based on coupons redeemed as well as Vantage offers/savings and rebates received
• All-inclusive landing page that incorporates a high-level total services view, spending forecast, holds/alerts, last five transactions, upcoming bills, quick transfer feature, spending tags, merchant ads and coupons, Vantage offers/savings and rebates, and social media feeds, all in one single view

What I love is the very unique approach to budgeting. The system does not require young people to spend a lot of time setting up a PFM tool and dedicating ongoing time to updating and monitoring their budget. Instead, the system learns about your habits and forecasts your spending automatically and presents that info to you on the dashboard at all times.

In addition, the ability to deliver relevant ads and coupons for specific spending habits is awesome. Vantage has built an incredible self-serve advertising platform on the back-end for local merchants complete with Google map integration. I've seen the demo a couple of times now and it's impressive.

Near the end of the CEO intro video, Hubert Hoosman, Jr. touches on a few of the features. Check it out.

We have proven that the Young & Free concept works at attracting young adults to credit unions and we know that when there is a unique and attractive product offer coupled with the program, young people become members. We are so looking forward to seeing what happens when something truly different and new is added to the mix!

Every Young & Free region comes together when a senior champion believes in it and when there is a great supporting cast. St. Louis is no exception. It's been great working with Eric and his team including Kathy, Cam, Matt, Sarah and Jennifer.

Please take a moment and visit the Young & Free St. Louis microsite. You can also follow along on Twitter and Facebook.

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04/26/2010

My advice: don't over think, over edit and under power your social marketing efforts

By Tim McAlpine

The fine folks from the CU Grow blog interviewed me after my presentation last month at the 2010 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council Conference in Washington, DC.

After watching it, I should put a footnote on my 'ignore compliance and legal' comment. I don't want to get anyone in hot water! I would involve those that have product and compliance knowledge at your credit union in your social media marketing activities and equip your 'social voices' with the know-how and freedom to put accurate information out there without a lot of editorial review.

The point I was trying to make is don't let the red tape get in the way of enthusiasm and action and don't just try things half way. Use common sense and connect with your audience in a meaningful way.

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04/20/2010

We are helping CUES look for the credit union industry's best and brightest!

We are partnering with the Credit Union Executives Society to launch “Next Top Credit Union Exec,” a program for the industry’s emerging leaders modeled after our popular Young & Free program.

The Next Top Credit Union Exec contest searches for emerging leaders from within the credit union industry. Credit union employees 35 and under (or those new to the financial services industry) apply by creating a 60-second video about themselves and a project they are working on, a project they are planning, or an idea they have for their credit union. All videos will be on display at www.NextTopCreditUnionExec.com.

“Young & Free has found a recipe for success in searching for young credit union members, and we are excited to use the same format to seek out creative and smart young professionals from within the credit union industry,” said Dale Schumacher, chairman, CUES’ board of directors and president/CEO, Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union, Tampa, Fla.

Interested participants can apply by June 1, 2010, at www.NextTopCreditUnionExec.com. Applicants will be organized according to six geographical regions. The industry and online public will vote for their favorite applicant in each region from June 4–14, 2010. The applicant in each region who receives the most votes will become a Regional Finalist for the Next Top Credit Union Exec and will receive a reward package valued at $5,000.

The six Regional Finalists will present on the progress of their project, program or idea, at CUES’ CEO/Executive Team Network in Dallas, November 7–10, 2010. The finalist who scores the highest via a combination of a judging panel, audience and online votes will receive the title Next Top Credit Union Exec and an educational package valued at $20,000.

“We can’t wait to watch how this unfolds. There are so many talented young professionals within our industry, and our hope is that we reveal the breadth of our emerging leaders through this contest,” added Schumacher. ”Plus, we feel the prize package is one that can take our young professionals to the next level of leadership within their organizations.”

In addition, CUES is launching a new membership, CUES NextGen, designed specifically for members 35 and under. Learn more about the CUES NextGen membership and the Next Top Credit Union Exec contest.

This program has been lots of fun to work on and we are really looking forward to seeing how it plays out. I'm sure you know someone at your credit union who would make an excellent candidate!

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04/06/2010

Young & Free Mississippi launches today with 21 credit unions!

We helped the Mississippi Credit Union Association (MSCUA), representing 21 participating credit unions to roll out Young & Free Mississippi today. Mississippi joins Alberta, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee to become the sixth Young & Free region in North America.

Young & Free credit unions to date have been single credit unions representing a section of its home state or province. It’s exciting to see a group of credit unions embrace Young & Free and make this program truly state-wide. I'm confident that this cooperation amongst a group of credit unions will make Young & Free Mississippi a great success.

This came together because of the leadership and passion of a number of key people that believed in Young & Free, including Doug Adams from MUNA Federal Credit Union who championed it at the committee level and MSCUA CEO, Charles Elliott. Here's what Charles had to say about the program.

“I am excited to see Mississippi credit unions cooperatively working together to ensure their future by reaching out to a critical new generation of potential members. Young & Free provides credit unions with the greatest opportunity for success in reaching young adults by utilizing social media instead of solely traditional media. The ultimate goal of Young & Free Mississippi is to help our credit unions connect with young adults and to help us understand how we can serve the under-25 Mississippi crowd better than any other financial institution.”

Nala and I travelled to Mississippi in February and shot this fun launch video with most of the participating credit union CEOs. As luck would have it, the video shoot was the day before Mississippi received a huge dump of snow!

Please take a moment and visit the Young & Free Mississippi microsite. You can also follow along on Twitter and Facebook.

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03/16/2010

Living Young & Free Show 013: Money and Marriage, the Buying Calendar and Financial Vices

By Tim McAlpine

Chris from Alabama talks with married couples to find out what financial steps they've taken in their relationships, Josh from South Carolina walks us through the buying calendar and Joshua from Texas teaches us about financial vices.

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02/26/2010

All Young & Free got was a lousy T-shirt...

By Tim McAlpine

... and a bunch of exposure by social media maestro Jason Sadler and his new sidekick Evan White!

We bought another day of shirt wearing on I Wear Your Shirt on Wednesday, February 24. Young & Free received a full day of Tweetin', Facebookin', Flickrin', Ustreamin' and YouTubin' by both Jason in Florida and Evan in California. A highlight was this cool video that Jason put together!

Fun stuff and another successful day on I Wear Your Shirt! Thanks Jason and Evan.

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02/19/2010

Living Young & Free Show 012: Landing a Job, Video Games on the Cheap and the Golden Rules of Haggling

By Tim McAlpine

Josh from South Carolina talks about things to avoid when job searching, Joshua from Texas takes a look at video games on the cheap and Chris from Alabama goes over the three golden rules of haggling.

You can also download all of the episode as a podcast from iTunes. 

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02/08/2010

Announcing the strangest credit union music video contest ever

What if we mashed up "Pants on the Ground", Move Your Money and Why Gen Y Live with the love of credit unions and the public's growing animosity against the biggest of big TARP-taking mega banks as a very strange and wonderful way to promote credit unions? Throw in an Apple iPad and this challenge could not get any more topical! Sounds like good fun huh? Watch the video to learn more.

Now head to the contest page for the complete story.

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