Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Long Island's leading community financial institution, was honored with five leading credit union industry awards including the industry's highest award, the Diamond Award, which recognizes outstanding marketing and business development achievements in the credit union industry. The award was given to Bethpage by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Marketing & Business Development Council at its annual 2011 conference held recently in Las Vegas.
Based in Washington, D.C., CUNA is the premier national trade association serving America's credit unions. The CUNA Marketing and Business Development Council is a national network comprised of nearly 1,000 credit union marketing and business development professionals. Awards each year are given in each of 33 categories ranging from advertising to community events and beyond.
Bethpage received the Diamond Award in the Branding/Corporate Identify category for its 2010 rebranding effort and multi-media marketing campaign which included the introduction of a new logo, a new tagline, and the Beth & Paige personalities - two employees who were inspired by Bethpage's own employees, who personify the Bethpage brand and go above and beyond their call of duty to assist Bethpage's fiercely loyal members.
Bethpage launched its rebranding campaign in March 2010 to break through the clutter of competitive financial advertising and position itself as the premier community financial institution on Long Island, said Gerard Schmitt, Vice President of Marketing, Bethpage Federal Credit Union.
We are thrilled to have received the Diamond Award, the highest award given by CUNA, for this multi-media marketing campaign, which has tremendously helped Bethpage stand out in Long Island's crowded banking marketplace, continued Schmitt.
The Diamond Awards recognize the best-of-the-best in credit union marketing, advertising, and business development, said Anne Legg, CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Chair and Vice President of Marketing for Cabrillo Credit Union in San Diego, California. It takes hard work, imagination, and perseverance to be selected as a Diamond Award winner from nearly 1,000 entries.
Bethpage also received four Merit Awards from the CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council in the Point of Display category for its Auto Loan displays featuring Beth & Paige, in the Retail Merchandising category for its branch merchandising, in the Newsletter category for its Members First newsletter, and finally, in the Social Media category, for its successful Beth & Paige Need a Vacation! photo contest. The July 2010 interactive contest challenged fans to take personalities Beth & Paige along with them on their summer vacation and post their most fun, unique and creative vacation photos to Bethpage's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lovebethpage, for a chance to win prizes. With a 398% increase in daily page views and a 190% increase in daily interactions, the photo contest increased Bethpage's Facebook fan count substantially over a two-month period.
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, existing solely to serve its members and has experienced rapid growth in recent years to become a strong alternative to banks. Bethpage was approved for the largest federal community charter in the U.S. in 2003 and now is Long Island's largest credit union and leading community financial institution with over 180,000 members, 22 branches and 60 shared service center locations throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. As a financial cooperative, Bethpage offers better rates, lower fees and a full menu of personal and commercial financial services.
Bethpage maintains branch locations in Bay Shore, Bethpage, Central Islip, Commack, Elmont, Farmingdale, Freeport, Glen Cove, Hempstead, Huntington, Levittown, Lynbrook, Massapequa, Melville, Mineola, North Babylon, Port Jefferson, Riverhead, Seaford, Smithtown, Roosevelt and Westbury with over 250 surcharge-free ATMs including those in King Kullen, 7-Eleven, Walgreen's and Costco locations throughout Long Island. For more information, call 1-800-628-7070 or visit www.lovebethpage.com.