What automobile best personifies your credit union? I asked this question recently at one of my marketing team meetings. Everyone thought for a second and the answer that was most prevalent was “Chevrolet.” Well, I thought, that’s not very sexy. Chevrolet…..it sounds so basic, so middle class, and so bland.
Then I attended the DFW Auto Show in Dallas this past weekend and I had an epiphany. When I entered the showroom what automobile maker was front and center? You guessed it. It was Chevrolet. The display of cars and trucks was huge! The coveted Corvette had a special place all of its own. And the Camaro Z21 was prominently displayed on the rotating stage as if crowned the reigning king of Chevys. There was a widescreen video production celebrating the work horse truck of them all, the Chevrolet Silverado.
That’s when it hit me. I grew up with these cars. My grandfather had a Chevrolet truck and my father owned Chevrolet cars. My brother has owned two Chevrolets before he moved on to Mercedes. Heck, I owned two Chevys as well before I switched to Lexus. This basic, middle class, sometimes bland vehicle was the foundation of my family lifestyle automobile ownership. Even though I haven’t owned a Chevrolet in years, there was an emotional attachment that I could not deny.
So what’s wrong with Neighborhood Credit Union being a Chevrolet? Like Chevrolet, we have a long solid history. We’re the oldest credit union in Dallas with 82 years of serving members. Chevrolet has been the car of many generations of families and has served the middle class well. With a foundation of family membership and a member base that is largely working middle class Neighborhood CU is very similar. Our original field of membership was the U.S. Postal Service and our postal family still has a significant presence. We have transitioned from a credit union with products that are largely traditional to innovative products that are one of a kind for the Dallas-Fort Worth market such as our Prize Savings. Chevrolet has the most modest of cars to not one but two premier sports cars. Let’s not forget that the Silverado was the only truck that made it through the apocalyptic world shown in the 2012 Super Bowl commercial.
Lisa, the spokesperson on the Chevrolet stage at the auto show, said in referencing the Camaro Z21, “It’s the spirit of the past with a futuristic thrill.” I think that sums up the Neighborhood CU brand very well. I don’t mind being a Chevy at all.
Did I mention that our CEO drives a Chevrolet Tahoe? As they say, Chevy runs deep. And so does Neighborhood Credit Union.
