Success Stories
Connecting Through Comedy
Neighbors Credit Union Spoofs Dating Site to Promote Credit Cards
By Donna Adinolfe
What began as a joke turned into an award-winning ad campaign for Neighbors Credit Union, in Baton Rouge, LA. The result was a Swipe Right campaign that proved no idea is ever too far outside the box.
BACKGROUND: During a brainstorming session for their Elite Credit Card, marketing communications specialist Preston Guy made a joke about spoofing the Tinder dating app’s “swipe right” concept, said multimedia designer Chad Lopez. Instead of choosing the perfect life partner, as with Tinder, a potential client could swipe right to find the perfect credit card.
WHAT THEY DID: As a joke, Lopez made and posted a mockup of an ad using a stock image of a goofy guy in his cubicle. The higher-ups loved it and senior manager Dan Robichaux gave it the green light.
Being careful not to be offensive to anyone, designers of the Swipe Right campaign used comedic stock images of outlandishly styled individuals along with the subtitle, “Make sure you get what you’re looking for,” with an arrow directed at the credit card information.
The campaign ran mostly on Facebook and for a short time on Instagram.
RESULTS: For little cost, Neighbors Credit Union garnered 112 new applicants, some of whom also were new members to the credit union.
The Swipe Right campaign went on to win a 2019 Digital Advertising CUNA Diamond Award, which recognizes and rewards creative excellence and outstanding results in credit union marketing, according to the CUNA website.
LESSONS LEARNED:
- Make an effort to do something that’s out of your comfort zone.
- Use light-hearted comedy.
- Find what social media channel works for the target audience.
- In today’s socially sensitive environment, you need to make a strong effort not to be offensive.
