We’ve talked before on these pages about the power of user generated video for your credit union. It’s cost effective, it’s innovative, and it’s a way to engage your members in helping you grow your credit union.
So when this awesome example of the concept crossed my desk earlier this week, I had to take a few minutes to pass it along.
Here’s the essence of the concept…Inviting people who care about the credit union industry to use their creative talents to tell a story in a way that will capture attention and tell a story.
The example is the current video contest on YoungFreeHQ.com.
The idea is as simple as it is brilliant: Leverage an event that has already connected with a generation of potential credit union members, i.e., the American Idol TV Show, to tell the credit union story by inviting people to submit self-created videos that area a take-off from one of the show’s most compelling sound bites this season: “Lookin’ Like a Fool with Your Pants on the Ground.”
If you have somehow missed this little diddy, it was sung by an elderly man at the end of one of the shows initial selection episodes. Since then it has been widely parodied on YouTube.com, t-shirts have been created and sold, and bloggers across the planet have commented, discussed, and shared the original video clip–a clip which has been viewed more than 4.38 million times as of this morning.
Enter the Young & Free team…Gen Y leaders who believe in credit unions and want to spread the message to others and create the “Lookin’ Like a Fool With Your Money in a Bank” video contest.
Enough said. This is worth more than a casual look, and its not about whether you personally like the videos or even the concept. It is about the power of the approach…an approach that can be used in any number of ways to develop powerful messages for your credit union by inviting your members to create them.
ACTION ADVICE: Have your planning team take a look at this contest and the underlying concept. Brainstorm ways that you can use this approach with your members…contests that link to local events and traditions, contests for the best personal financial management tips, contests for sharing personal success stories that were made possible by your credit union. Be creative, get comfortable allowing your members to expand the impact of their stories, and leverage this powerful approach to growing your credit union and expanding your impact today!
