Case Study: Fort Worth Community
Promotional Campaigns

A Worthy Brand

In 2008 Forth Worth Community launched a new brand platform developed by Third Degree. "You're Worth More" positioning was crafted to differentiate Fort Worth Community from banks, and to overcome any perception that the credit union had lost their "personal touch" on the heels of a recent expansion.

Now Let's Talk About Loans

The first adaptation of the new brand came quickly, with an objective to increase Fort Worth's loan portfolio with home and auto loans in the first quarter of 2009. Highly-targeted variable direct mail paired with a loan-oriented microsite (LoansWorthMore.org) were the main components that leveraged digital technology to create a customized experience. Typically return on investment on variable data averages out at double the normal return.

Really Winding Up

In 2010 Fort Worth wanted to take a holiday loan promotion they had been doing for ten years and update it to fit their new brand as well. The Holiday Fast Cash product was focused primarily on current members who are the most likely to get this type of loan (many members getting it every year).

Third Degree developed a "wind up" theme using imagery of wind-up toys, and messaging that played upon the urgency of the holidays. Deliverables included three versions of direct mail, outdoor boards, drive-thru banners, teller counter posters, newspaper ads, statement stuffers, standees and online advertising.

The Nuts And Bolts

The Holiday Fast Cash loan is a personal/signature loan with a maximum of $15,000. The member has 12 months to repay at a special low rate of 7.9%. And while Fort Worth has offered this seasonal loan before, the "Wind Up Your Holidays" push gave out more loans this year than in the promotion's ten year history.

Carefree Checking

Most recently Fort Worth Community has begun a more long-term awareness campaign to help boost checking accounts. A challenge is that without a high-yield interest rate differentiation doesn't come quite as easily. However, Fort Worth found when they compared their fees to competition like Chase, Bank of America and Navy Federal, they were a better value, specifically when it came to no or low fees for overdrafts, wire transfers, etc.



With Third Degree's help, they are positioning their product as simple, absolutely free, with no fees and coupled with a people over profits branding message. Campaign elements include a microsite, carefreechecking.org, on-hold messaging, print, direct mail, outdoor, drive-thru banners, online ads, standees, HTML email and more.




The primary target is members without a checking account. These members primarily have CDs, auto and personal loans. But a secondary target is non members that live within a 1 mile radius of the 13 branches. This outdoor board (complete with an oversized balloon extension) has been an eye-catching and buzz-generating medium for members and prospects.

Forth Worth Community looks forward to increased awareness and checking growth with this recent outreach. The results are still to be seen, but the effort Fort Worth has put forth has created a forward momentum for their internal team, their membership, and ultimately towards their growth. They are a great example of staying true to an established brand look, feel and messaging, while being flexible enough to adapt it to short and long term promotions alike.

Go Loans

In addition to checking, increasing loans has also become a priority. Typically Fort Worth Community members like to get loans during the summer, so we took advantage of the seasonality (and the theme) to create an extension board. Fort Worth's "Go Loan" board is just another example of a little extra execution going a long way to reach out and engage the viewer. The vacation imagery and the illusion of a real beach umbrella creates a scene the members could picture themselves a part of. So while they are imagining their toes in the sand, they're also boosting Fort Worth's loan numbers as the credit union gears up for the larger holiday loan push coming around again in the fall.