Still Sparkling From CUNA Conference

We are back from the 2011 CUNA Marketing and Business Development Conference, where credit unions across the nation converge (this year in Las Vegas) to get innovative, get inspired, and get some sparkly sparkly Diamond Awards.

Photo collage courtesy of the only phone pics Amy sent me. Amy, aka our CU Cheerleader was too busy spreading the credit union spirit and pep to take me some decent pics! Left is Roy at the podium as he rallies the general session about the power of internal culture. Right is our sparkly sparkly Diamond Awards (more on those momentarily.)



Even though some of us could only be there in spirit, a handful got our cheesy mugs played for the general session crowd on what I imagine was a huge screen, to illustrate how we practice-what-we-preach at Third Degree by embracing the tools of internal communication, and empowering our credit union clients to do the same. Roy is passionate about this subject. The grainy collage pic doesn't do his enthusiasm justice (that's okay Amy, we know you were probably constructing a pyramid of credit union marketers in a cheer at the time). So just imagine lots of pounding on the podium as he presented this to the crowd, along with Evita-like hand gestures.



Pre-conference, Third Degree created this "Powerful People" ant-themed video for the CUNA Council to help generate buzz and boost conference registration in the months leading up to Las Vegas. It was one of the highest attended marketing and biz development conferences for CUNA in the past eighteen years!

But now for the (drum roll please) Diamond Awards!



The "10 Reasons To Switch in 2010" campaign we created for Delta Community Credit Union out of Atlanta, was a big winner for the night. In addition to some merits, it won a Diamond for Print Ad.





The "10 Reasons" TV Campaign also snagged a Diamond for TV Series! If you recall we had quite a time creating these larger-than-life number props.



The whimsy of Northwest Georgia Credit Union's new look and feel was not lost on the judges either. Along with merits, the commercial that first launched the credit unions branding makeover was awarded a Diamond for :30 TV Spot.



In fact, whimsy was a winner all around, as Tinker Federal Credit Union got a Diamond for The SaveAbles Youth Marketing campaign, including the irresistible SaveATron himself.




Photo by Zach Nash.

Photo by Zach Nash.

Shark victims and financially empowering thumb lifeguards were not anything to sneeze at either, as the Buck The Norm, Ghouls Gone Wild Parade Entry also brought home a bloody hard-earned Diamond for TFCU.





But we've got to give a hand to plain old fashioned emotional connection, people, as TFCU's "Get Back To You" Complete Campaign stole some hearts and at least one Diamond, too.