CO-OP Financial Services, a consortium of credit unions, responded to these fees by providing fee-free ATMs to its 371 member institutions. That meant any credit union member could withdraw cash from any ATM affiliated with CO-OP without surcharges.
In 1997, CO-OP came to PCGCampbell with the following challenges: help boost ATM transaction volumes, increase network membership, build its network across the country and communicate the strength, value and leadership of the CO-OP brand. |
Realizing that the CO-OP brand first needed a fresh face, PCGCampbell’s creative department redesigned the CO-OP logo to make it distinctive and instantly recognizable. This set the stage for a marketing and public relations assault.
We created a consumer awareness campaign through regional and national cooperative advertising and a new website. We did strategic planning and gave sales/membership support. And we successfully pitched major publications to tell the CO-OP story with a convincing “David (credit unions) vs. Goliath (big banks)” angle.
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Member credit unions increased from 371 to nearly 2,000 -- this represents 24 million credit union members, 4 million of whom were recruited in 2005 alone. CO-OP customers now have access to more than 25,000 surcharge-free ATMS in every state and Canadian province.
CO-OP Financial Services is the Number 1 credit union ATM source (known in the industry as “’EFT," or "Electronic Fund Transfer" networks) and processor in the U.S. financial services industry. It has grown from eighth to fourth place among all EFT networks.
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