This article was originally published in The Financial Brand.

Fintechs are sleek. Megabanks seem to be everywhere. And being “local” alone no longer closes a deal.

In a financial services world where geography is optional and digital expectations are sky-high, community banks and credit unions face an existential question: How can we matter more to the people we serve?

The answer is brand.

Not as a marketing afterthought, but as a strategic engine that defines relevance, builds trust and turns transactions into relationships.

In some ways, brand is the only asset most institutions fully own, and it’s also one that can’t be commoditized. It shapes how people feel about your institution before they ever walk through a door or download your app. It’s the reason someone chooses you over a fintech with a better interface or a megabank with deeper pockets and more locations. Brand determines how often you come up in conversations among community members.

In a crowded, digital-first financial ecosystem, brand isn’t the icing, it’s the infrastructure.

What Brand Can Do That Marketing Alone Can’t

Brand is more than aesthetics and visuals. It’s about how people feel about your institution, and how those feelings turn into action. Done right, brand gives community financial institutions the ability to:

• Compete on connection, not just rates.
• Lead with emotional resonance, not just rational arguments.
• Reinvent what “community” means for a digital-first generation.

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Here are five ways community banks and credit unions are using brand as a lever for growth, and winning.

1. Redefine what makes you different.

Don’t just say “We’re local.” Prove why it matters.

Today’s customers may live in your market, but they also live online. Instead of relying on geography, define your value through purpose, focus or community impact.

Case in point: Teachers Federal Credit Union

Originally centered around educators, TFCU has embraced a purpose-driven brand to expand its reach without losing its mission. By highlighting empowerment through education and designing specialized financial products, the organization has retained credibility while growing membership.

2. Tell a more emotional story.

Trust, empathy, mission — these are emotional ideas. Treat them that way.

Instead of messaging that lists features or rates, lead with human benefit and purpose. Why do you exist? Who are you for? Why should someone care?

Case in point: Redwood Credit Union

When wildfires devastated communities in northern California, it became a symbol of recovery. Redwood CU’s campaigns told emotional, member-led stories and reinforced its longstanding role as a community pillar.

3. Modernize without losing your soul.

A visual refresh can signal relevance without abandoning heritage.

Many institutions haven’t touched their identity in years. But a dated look sends the wrong message, especially to digital natives. The key is evolution, not reinvention.

Case in point: First Horizon Bank

Following its merger with Iberiabank, First Horizon undertook a brand refresh to unify the two institutions. The new visual identity blended clean, modern design with regional warmth, preserving familiarity while signaling a future-ready mindset.

4. Make the customer journey part of the brand.

Surprise and delight aren’t just for big brands.

Map key interactions, online and off, and find places to infuse them with your brand values. From onboarding to app user experience to how your staff answers the phone, brand can show up in meaningful, unexpected ways.

Case in point: Vibrant Credit Union

Vibrant redesigned branches and customer onboarding with hospitality in mind — drawing inspiration from Apple Stores and boutique hotels. Even its ATM screens feature playful, brand-consistent messages that stand out in an otherwise mundane category.

5. Campaign with heart and clarity.

Integrated marketing isn’t just multichannel, it’s multidimensional.

Today’s campaigns must speak to both hearts and minds, combining digital fluency with your authentic voice. Use brand as your north star for every touchpoint, from social media to branch signage.

Case in point: Hope Credit Union

HOPE serves historically underserved communities across the Deep South, combining community-driven storytelling with powerful, mission-based messaging. Its campaigns bridge local activism and financial education, all under a clear, authentic brand mission.

The middle ground is disappearing. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room to grow. Brand-savvy community banks and credit unions have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to punch above their weight, not by acting bigger, but by acting bolder.

VSA's Jerry Stiedaman wrote an article for WARC, “With consumers craving stability, now is the big opportunity for big brands.” Read an excerpt below.
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Ongoing consumer uncertainty means that for big brands, it’s time to shine. Despite the call to disrupt and reimagine business—a call that spawned a thousand startups—the national and global turmoil of the past few years (and in the financial sector the past few months) has brought about a significant shift in consumer priorities. The result is a renewed focus on the familiar and reliable.

According to PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, 96% of those surveyed said they were planning on adopting cost-saving behaviors in 2023. The study also showed that 69% of consumers altered their nonessential spending in the previous six months. These statistics show that consumers are adopting much more careful spending habits in 2023, and brands will need to make their offerings feel truly valuable amid growing price sensitivities.

The antithesis of long-lasting value? A company with shady credentials or an unproven track record. Startups have been hit particularly hard with this brand connotation—failures have left thousands of consumers in the lurch. As one example, before its recent sale to e-commerce specialist Retention Brands, the subscription makeup service Birchbox left customers without their monthly boxes for some time. The brand posted a mea culpa on Instagram, citing “a host of unprecedented setbacks that are affecting all of you, our cherished members.” It’s no wonder that people seek safety over novelty.

The startup landscape is also getting walloped by financial factors. Rising interest rates around the world mean they are increasingly vulnerable to competition. VC funding is radically slowing after the worst Q4 since 2013. And the startup-friendly tech sector has seen more than 100,000 layoffs this year. This damage was further compounded by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in early March. Many startups relied on SVB for banking and payroll—in fact, 88% of Forbes’ “Next Billion-Dollar Startups” were SVB customers.

With startups hurting from financial difficulties and reputation damages, more established brands have a clear opportunity here to reposition their offerings and lean into the demand for safety and consistency with a longevity well suited to the task.

So how does the big brand take advantage of these times? Here are three thought starters:

1. Refocus and strengthen your core experience.

The last decade has seen a barrage of brands differentiating themselves with a veneer of friendly colors and unconventional marketing tactics. While that might get people in the door, it certainly won’t make them stay. By refocusing on stability and strength, you’re investing in your company’s future: Bain & Company says that “across a wide range of businesses, customers generate increasing profits each year they stay with a company. In financial services, for example, a 5% increase in customer retention produces more than a 25% increase in profit.” Put simply, existing customers spend more than new customers. Plus, their referral potential gives you a free, built-in acquisition machine.

Read more.

VSA’s Jerry Stiedaman, Associate Partner, Client Engagement, was recently published in MedCity News. His article, “Healthcare and Gen X: 4 Things Marketers Need to Get Right,” examines how despite its spending and decision-making power, Gen X is routinely overlooked by healthcare marketers. Jerry outlines why healthcare marketers should consider the Gen X audience, and the four steps to winning the generation’s loyalty and attention.

Read an excerpt below.

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When it comes to healthcare marketing, Generation X once again gets the short end of the attention stick.

Overshadowed by boomers—a prime target for healthcare advertising dollars as they age and require more care—and millennials—the holy grail audience for the emerging health-tech industry—Gen X’s unique healthcare needs and position often leave its members underserved and mostly ignored.

Gaining the attention and loyalty of just one Gen X consumer can grant healthcare marketers a fast-track audience with all of their family members.”

This oversight is a massive missed opportunity for healthcare marketers. First off, Gen X is at the height of its spending potential. Its U.S. population of 65 million has saved a collective $13 trillion and owns 29% of the nation’s household wealth (versus just 6.4% owned by millennials).

It’s also the sandwich generation, which means Gen Xers make healthcare decisions for their aging boomer parents and their millennial children in addition to themselves. Gaining the attention and loyalty of just one Gen X consumer can grant healthcare marketers a fast-track audience with all of their family members.

Just like its neighboring generations, Gen X has unique perspectives and needs that marketers must know. Here are four ways that healthcare marketers can better connect with their Gen X consumers:

1. Make it branded

Gen X was the first real healthcare consumer, coming into purchasing power after the patient rights movement of the 1970s and the healthcare consumer rights movement of the 1990s. It also witnessed the rise of pharmaceutical ads targeted directly to consumers, which began as early as the ’80s and exploded full force in the late ’90s. As with other buying experiences, Gen X is accustomed to shopping around for its healthcare.

Gen X’s comparison for the self-determined selection of healthcare experiences makes investing in a brand critically important for healthcare businesses. Companies need to invest in a strong brand that stands out from competitors and creates a connection with the Gen X consumer. Ensuring a consistent, clear narrative across all points of the consumer journey demands a brand that is well-equipped to carry its message.

Read more.