The changing of a calendar year is a great time to reexamine and refresh your marketing approaches, so our team hosted a webinar focused on that exact topic.
In an effort to stir creativity and offer inspiration, our “Keep it Fresh” webinar explored hot campaign topics for quarters one and two, graphic design styles consumers are responding to and storytelling tactics that entice engagement and build trust.
If you missed it, you can watch the recorded webinar. You can also access our archive of previous webinars, with topics that include multi-channel marketing, core conversion communications and loan generation.
Here’s a summary of “Keep it Fresh”:
Hot Campaigns for Winter and Spring
Mortgages and HELOCs
Interest rates have been at an all-time high, so the prediction is that they’ll go down or at least stabilize, which will likely spur more buyers to search for homes. HELOCs tend to heat up from February to April, because people want to fix up their homes and patios before summer.
Auto Loans
The auto industry is bouncing back with more inventory, so demands for new and used cars will go up as prices go down. Dealerships run deals in the new year to make room for new inventory, and spring and early summer are other peak times for auto loans and refinancing.
Member Acquisition
We all know that getting new accountholders is important for any bank or credit union. New accountholders mean growth with new deposits and loans and pushes for acquisition generally happen at the beginning and end of the year.
Balance Transfers
In the new year, people are thinking about what they want to accomplish. A lot of people make New Year’s resolutions to increase their wealth. Transferring high interest debt to a lower interest personal loan or credit card can result in major savings – making it a great time of year to offer a special promotion.
Fresh Design Trends
Movement
Animations grab the attention of viewers because our brains are naturally drawn to things that move. Use animations in your social media, digital advertisements, landing pages, eNewsletters and more.
Two animation trends to implement include:
- Kinetic text – Individual letters or entire words that are animated on a screen to make a memorable impression.
- Animated logos – Increase brand recognition and retention with an animated logo.
Nostalgia
The 1990s and early 2000s are rich with funky design styles that banks and credit unions can tap into. Why should you look to the past for design inspiration? People often remember past decades fondly, and nostalgic design taps into those happy memories, creating feelings of connection between your organization and the person looking at your ad.
Design elements to include:
- Vibrant colors
- Abstract shapes & flowy designs
- Funky fonts
Post-Pandemic Vibrancy
The last few years have been really tough, so naturally everyone is ready to get back out in the world. People are craving refreshing color palettes, bold fonts and photography that showcases human connection. Think:
- Modern
- Fun
- Energetic
- Celebratory
Stand Out With a Specialty Piece
Digital marketing is huge right now, but we like to remind our clients that print materials, in addition to digital marketing, is the best way to make the biggest impact. You may be sending direct mail pieces and postcards but consider adding something extra that really stands out.
Create something people will want to keep:
- Wall calendar
- Specialty mailer (die-cut mailer, postcard with a magnet, pop-up mailer)
- Educational resource guide
Engage & Inform With Storytelling
Substance and Education
The era of click-baity, cliff-hanger headlines is coming to a close. People want substance, especially from their financial institution. You can tap into feelings of safety and security, confidence, peace of mind and hope by educating your accountholders and the broader community. Your institution is an expert – an authority on financial products and money management – so leverage that and build trust.
When creating a campaign, ask:
- How are we adding value to people’s lives?
- How can we educate people?
- How does this connect to our mission and vision?
Share What Your Organization Cares About
People want to align themselves with organizations that stand for something good, and there are a lot of ways to do this. Does your organization care about sustainability? If you do, say it outright on your website and explain how your company is doing its part to lower its carbon footprint. You can also translate this to your products and services – for example, by promoting loan options to buy solar panels. The important part is for your community to be aware of what issues your business aligns itself with and see that as part of your identity. No matter what the issue is, there’s probably a way the financial industry can be part of the solution.
Everyday Solutions
When you’re creating a campaign, think about how you’re offering a solution. Show people how you can save them time, energy/stress and money. Now take these principles and use them to tell a story. Why does someone get a credit card or home loan? Use those “why’s” to set the scene for a story. Stories drive emotions, and emotions drive actions.
image.works Can Help
Want help implementing one of these design trends or storytelling approaches? Our team can offer insight and suggestions every step of the way.
Whether you have a campaign theme already in mind, or you want ideas about what’s performing well in the market, our account managers are here to make your lives easier. Our graphic designers can offer a new perspective and can pull inspiration that works with your established brand. Our copywriters have a deep understanding of what each generation responds to and how to leverage that with wording that motivates your audience to act.
Curious to learn more?
Request a quote or welcome kit, or place an order for an upcoming project. We’re always happy to chat about your needs and how we can make your job easier. Reach us by phone or email at 800.777.1663 or info@imageworksdirect.com.