PRIME Award Submission: “Protect Financial Choice” Campaign

July 27, 2018

PRIME AWARDS

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100-WORD SUMMARY FOR AWARD CEREMONY

PRIME AWARDS

Overview & Challenge PolicyWorks launched a robust campaign titled “Protect Financial Choice” for client the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL). The campaign launched in December 2017 and ran through the state legislative session in May 2018. Knowing the credit union brand and not-for-profit cooperative structure was going to be countered by the state banking association during the legislation session, PolicyWorks needed to create a proactive campaign for ICUL to educate Iowa consumers and lawmakers about the importance of having financial choice in Iowa’s marketplace. With 1.1 million Iowans choosing credit unions as their financial partner, the stakes were high to ensure a change in legislation did not happen that would hinder the credit union industry’s ability to serve Iowans.

Objective & Audiences The campaign included both short and longterm goals. While the immediate challenge was to ward off bad legislation that would negatively impact credit unions, the polling results showed a longer term goal of filling the education gap that exists with Iowans. Therefore, the campaign objectives included:

1. Educate legislators to avoid legislation that would increase credit union taxes.2. Educate Iowans about the credit union difference.3. Build support and community in the credit union movement.

Research & Planning PolicyWorks worked with the Credit Union National Association to poll Iowans in the fall of 2017. The results helped inform messaging and strategy for the campaign. For example, the poll found that 62% of Iowans do not know the difference between a bank and a credit union.

Strategy Utilizing the poll results and intel from political insiders, PolicyWorks selected “Protect Financial Choice” as the campaign theme to educate Iowans about the need for choice and competition in the financial marketplace, as well as feed into the Republican-led legislature’s belief in consumer choice. As expected, the state banking association attacked the credit union not-for-profit structure during the legislative session and lobbyed legislators to increase taxes on credit unions and their members. The campaign was fluid throughout the legislative session as the PolicyWorks team worked to adapt to the ever-changing legislative climate and marketing tactics.

Implementation & Tactics Earned Media

▪ Editorial Board Visits - PolicyWorks coordinated a round of statewide editorial board visits in November/December of2017 to enable Iowa credit union leaders to meet with thought leaders prior to the start of the 2018 legislative session.

▪ Opinion Editorials – PolicyWorks worked with credit union CEOs to craft and place unique opinion editorials in theirrespective hometown papers around Iowa. While each piece was unique and personalized for the market, each Op Edutilized the “Protect Financial Choice” theme.

▪ Traditional Stories – PolicyWorks pitched stories and field interview requests from state and national media during thestate legislative session.

▪ Press Event – PolicyWorks coordinated a massive “rally” at the Iowa State Capitol to showcase the broad support ofcredit unions to policymakers. The rally served as a press opportunity, and PolicyWorks successfully recruited print, TVand radio reporters to the event and received state and national coverage.

Digital Media ▪ Launched ProtectFinancialChoice.com to serve as hub for information and action.▪ Digital Ad Campaign – Launched a statewide digital ad campaign in Decemeber 2017 that ran through the legislative

session.o Platforms used included paid social, Google ads, display ads and lead-in video ads.o Two ads sets were created for the campaign. The first ad set was positive and focused on how Iowa consumers win

with choice and competition. The second ad set was more pointed with a “no tax increase” message and was

deployed after the banker-backed tax increase showed up in a Senate bill. ▪ Social Media

o In addition to paid social media efforts, PolicyWorks created a series of social media posts that were distributed tocredit union “Champions” throughout the state and were shared organically.

Paid Media ▪ TV Commercials – Developed four TV commercials to adapt to the changing needs of the legislative session. These

included:o “Exteriors” – an animated spot to educate Iowans on the difference between banks and credit unions.o “Taxation” – a spot that focused on the bankers efforts to increase taxes on credit union members and the need to

protect financial choice.o “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” – a spot that highlighted the hypocrisy of the Senate tax plan to “reduce” taxes that

had a tax increase for credit unions included in it. This spot has a direct call to action for people to contactlegislators.▪ This commercial’s goal was shock value and to incite action. It earned ICUL additional media coverage.

o “Keep the Wolf Out” – a spot that aired after the first Wolf commercial once the House unveiled its tax plan thatdid not include a tax increase for credit unions.

▪ Radio Ads – PolicyWorks coordinated statewide radio ads with similar scripts and themes as the commercials that airedthroughout the legislative session.

Grassroots Advocacy ▪ Coordinated a credit union “champions” program to have a select group of statewide brand ambassadors to help

disseminate materials and important information to credit union employees and members statewide.▪ Developed numerous one-page handouts and talking points for advocates to take to town hall events or meetings

with legislators at the Capitol.▪ Coordinated four events at the Capitol throughout the legislative session.▪ Coordinated an ongoing email campaign to legislators throughout the entire legislative session, as well as a

handwritten letter campaign for credit union advocates to communicate with their legislators.

Results & Evaluation The Protect Financial Choice campaign was successful in warding off bad legislation and preserving the credit union choice for Iowa consumers. Results include:

▪ Goal 1: Educate legislators to avoid legislation that would increase credit union taxes.o Result – The tax battle became one of the most hot-button issues of the 2018 state legislative session, and

the campaign was successful in aiding lobby efforts to ward off a tax increase for Iowa credit unions andtheir members. While the battle could arise in future years, credit unions won the issue this year.

▪ Goal 2: Educate Iowans about the credit union difference.o Results – The campaign reached countless Iowans to help fill the education gap.

▪ TV commercial impressions – 23 million▪ Radio listeners – 3.2 million▪ Earned media stories – 100▪ Digital ad Impressions – 22 million▪ Organic Facebook impressions from advocacy images shared with champions – 200,611▪ Unique advocacy website visitors – 80,000

▪ Goal 3: Build support and community in the credit union movement.o Results –

▪ New credit union advocates recruited and engaged – 18,000▪ Coordinated four events at the Capitol with more than 1,000 people attending▪ Emails sent to legislators – 40,000▪ Handwritten letters sent to legislators – 2,500▪ Legislative townhall meetings and events attended by advocates – 330

Protect Financial Choice Supporting Materials: Earned Media Examples

Protect Financial Choice Supporting Materials: Digital Examples

Protect Financial Choice Supporting Materials: Event Examples