YouTube Federal Credit Yawn-ion
Posted by Randall Pearson at 11/4/2007 5:52 PM 
Categories: Financial Institutions,social computing,Business,Marketing
Categories: Financial Institutions,social computing,Business,Marketing
Well the cat's out of the blog. Credit Unions have discovered YouTube. Sadly, the majority aren't doing much creative with that discovery. A quick, unscientific perusal found most simply posting their TV commercials featuring their 60-year-old CEO in a blue suit. They're getting 38 views...
If you're going to do YouTube, try to avoid this social disgrace. Don’t start your video with the proud history of your credit union… unless you’re doing so with obvious irreverence.
Face it… the people who like your TV commercials aren’t on YouTube… and the people on YouTube don’t like your commercials. If we can’t enjoy it, don’t post it because it is likely to be (at best) irrelevant, and anyone who accidentally views it is likely to have reinforced their impression that financial institutions are stodgy… oh, pardon my word choice... boooooring!
Professional polish might not be critical (and is certainly less important that being fun), but don't post something that's abysmal quality, either.
The very few who have done a good job, haven't necessarily spent a truckload of money. They just showed an awareness of the audience and context.
Stinkers- 28 credit union employees
- 8 competitors
- 2 were accidental visits
If you're going to do YouTube, try to avoid this social disgrace. Don’t start your video with the proud history of your credit union… unless you’re doing so with obvious irreverence.
Face it… the people who like your TV commercials aren’t on YouTube… and the people on YouTube don’t like your commercials. If we can’t enjoy it, don’t post it because it is likely to be (at best) irrelevant, and anyone who accidentally views it is likely to have reinforced their impression that financial institutions are stodgy… oh, pardon my word choice... boooooring!
Professional polish might not be critical (and is certainly less important that being fun), but don't post something that's abysmal quality, either.
The very few who have done a good job, haven't necessarily spent a truckload of money. They just showed an awareness of the audience and context.
Navigant - The highlighted program is on target. The presentation fails in three ways. It's totally formal, too long, and the audio does not match the video.
UFirst - Home video of the UFirst CEO recounting the credit union history just isn't YouTube material.
Best in Show
Co-op Services - TV commercial bloopers were really quite funny! Showing the human side and presenting the credit union in a positive light.
Members- Now here's a series of videos appealing to football fans, sponsored by a credit union. It's not a one-shot deal. It's socially interesting. It isn't regionally linked, so I wonder how many potential members were reached. At the very least, it was creatively appropriate to YouTube. Nicely done!
FastWrap
Be fun. Take advantage of the whole program. Give the viewer a reason to forward it and to subscribe to your site.
Randall S. Pearson
What else has been tried? Results?
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