The Story

Okay. So I understand that what I’m about to say is completely risky, especially knowing that I’m a former member of the Umpqua Bank Creative Strategies Team (that’s outside-the-box for Marketing). But you have to put all that aside and understand that I’m putting my own reputation at stake in an effort to give you […]

I read a great, brief post on Seth Godin’s blog just now. Check it out at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/creativity.html. What he says here is so true for bank marketing and credit union marketing. The toughest part of building an experiential brand is actually making it happen. Marketing is nice and tidy for executives […]

I hear a lot of talk in the bank marketing and credit union marketing world about “THE customer or member experience.” Like it’s a single thing, that elusive customer experience. Not the case. It’s like 10,000 things (touchpoints) that comprise that bigger experience.
Why not build the bigger experience by identifying and fine-tuning each of those […]

I’m not always this literal. But this time, I really mean that your brand doesn’t stink. On the other hand, it doesn’t smell too good either. Why? Because you’re probably not thinking about how smell is part of your brand.
But it is.
Brand experiences are multi-sensory. You can […]

Not the “I’ve been in banking for 30 years and I know everything” kind of experience. The kind of experience that we all look forward to at Starbucks—the smell, the lighting, the wood, etc. The kind of experience Jet Blue delivers every time we step within 30 yards of their terminals at the airport. And the kind of experience visionaries like Umpqua Bank create with their coffee, chocolate coins and retail atmosphere.