“Members First” Attitude Garners Statewide Media Attention for Affinity Plus
Recent headlines have been riddled by news of
government bailouts and the recession, but Affinity Plus’ “members first,
business second” credo helped the organization steer clear of controversy. Risdall
McKinney Public Relations boosted the visibility of Affinity Plus, Minnesota’s
second-largest credit union, with a media relations campaign touting its
different approach to service.
Consumer frustration with large national and regional banks is turning more members to organizations like Affinity Plus –a full service credit union that has a cooperative model focused on its members. The organization logged a 5.8 percent growth in membership last year alone, nearly three times the industry average, based mainly on word of mouth and existing member relationships.
To gain media coverage and establish thought leadership among its current and potential members, Risdall McKinney Public Relations (RMPR) developed and executed a public relations campaign aimed at the key Minnesota markets. The media outreach was implemented concurrently with a media audit that gauged existing media coverage of Affinity Plus as well as reporters’ familiarity with the organization. The outreach focused on introducing Affinity Plus and its different way of doing business to reporters while presenting Affinity Plus President and CEO Kyle Markland as a thought leader in the industry.
The resulting media coverage provided well-deserved recognition for a financial services organization thriving despite the recession. A Business Forum column authored by Markland informed Star Tribune readers that Affinity Plus has a very different approach to dealing with delinquency that works. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal profiled Affinity Plus as a “recession buster” through a full-page article focusing on the credit union’s rapid growth over the past five years. In Finance & Commerce, Markland was interviewed in a Q&A on the Affinity Plus difference. And in greater Minnesota, the Duluth News Tribune highlighted Affinity Plus’ unique way of helping members.
The stories provided a solid foundation for an ongoing media relations campaign and informed Minnesotans of an alternative to large national and regional banks. In addition, the media audit revealed that reporters are eager to hear more from Affinity Plus – an encouraging sign that there are future opportunities for this unique organization’s voice to be heard.
Client: Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Media Outlets: Star Tribune, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Finance & Commerce, Duluth News Tribune
Date: March - May 2010
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View Star Tribune Column
View Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Article
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