Inspiring new members, one goal at a time

While continuing our efforts on strengthening the Ascend Federal Credit Union brand, the Lewis team saw an opportunity for growth in the Nashville DMA. To seize on that opportunity, we proposed to create a campaign that would attract new members—and energize the existing ones—via Ascend’s mortgage, new auto loan and deposit offerings.

The Lewis team responded by creating a campaign largely designed to appeal to a younger demographic (adults in their 30’s and 40’s) than those previously targeted by Ascend, with scenarios that also were more relatable to individuals living in a metropolitan area.

The resulting work painted Ascend as a sophisticated financial partner who can help people achieve their goals, even if those goals may not seem immediately attainable—the latter point reinforced by the campaign line “We’re here to help make your “someday”... someday soon.”

In the months following the launch of the campaign, Ascend saw an increase in web traffic and in product growth from the targeted younger demographics. Ascend also saw significant growth in membership from the targeted demographics, with ages 18-34 now accounting over 50% of auto, mortgage, and rec loan new members. The campaign also won the coveted Diamond Award from the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Council.