There’s no fat cats putting their grubby little paws all over your money,’ USA Fed tells potential members.
Member-owned credit unions have long positioned themselves as an alternative to large, corporate banks, stressing friendlier service, lower fees and competitive rates on both loans and deposits.
Following a wave of major bank meltdowns and takeovers in the past two years, credit unions are highlighting those differences more than ever, and credit union executives say they have seen an influx of new customers who switched from banks.
San Diego-based USA Fed pulls no punches when it comes to banks. USA Fed’s Website bears the logo “180˚ from banking,” and tells visitors, “USA Fed’s got all the stuff those big bad banks do, except there’s no fat cats putting their grubby little paws all over your money. We’re just regular folks working together to help each other save more!”
“It’s kind of an in-your-face, very overt messaging,” designed to appeal to the credit union’s core constituency of younger adults and military members, says Mary Cunningham, USA Fed’s president and CEO.
But the approach also seems to tap into public resentment of large banks and their acceptance of billions of dollars in bailout funds from taxpayers. [Read story at SanDiegoMetro.com/by Joe Tash].
Posted by Bruen
at 12:01 AM PST
Updated: Monday, 8 March 2010 8:50 PM PST
