NAPERVILLE, Ill.–A national effort is underway to get love for credit unions to go viral and trend across social media platforms on July 30.
The Illinois Credit Union System has launched a campaign called #ilovemycreditunion that it is making available free to other leagues, credit unions, CUSOs and vendors with a goal of involving both employees and members alike in the one-day promotion aimed at getting everyone to use the hashtag and drive greater awareness of CUs.
In support of the effort, the ICUS has created a resource hub that offers graphics ready made for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. In addition, it offers design tools, logo formats, printable promotions, ideas for incentives for CU employees and other engagement ideas.
The campaign includes a prize of $25,000 as a prize available to a league chosen at random from all participating state leagues that sign up at least five CUs in their respective state(s). The league, in turn, will be able to donate to a Children’s Miracle Network hospital.
The Idea
ICUS President/CEO Tom Kane said 20 of the 35 state leagues have agreed to participate and others plan to join the effort.
The idea for the social media blitz originated with Kane, who said the objective is to get as many people participating on social media platforms as possible, with the ultimate goal to go viral and begin trending on July 30, a date Kane said has no real significance other than it’s a Friday and people will be at work.
While initially being promoted to state leagues, the objective, said Kane, is then to have the credit unions that sign on market the campaign to their own employees, volunteers and members. All are free to use anything and everything that’s in the resource hub in any way they would like, including everything from the social media graphics to stickers that CUs can apply to deposit slips to raise member awareness.
Telling Stories
The campaign is urging employees and members alike to use the platforms to tell their own individual stories, for example, by posting stories and pictures of an automobile or a house a credit union made possible for a member.
Through Children’s Miracle Network, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young has agreed to appear in a video in support of #ilovemycredit union.