Brief
bcu is a $2billion customer-owned bank with a 50-year history of serving communities on NSW’s mid-north coast and south-east Queensland. Coffs Harbour-based bcu is integral to the fabric of the region, much loved by members for providing services and branches big banks won’t.
In 2019, bcu’s board announced a merger with Perth’s $4billion P&N Bank to assure the organisation’s long-term sustainability.
bcu’s constitution provided a hurdle to the transaction. It required more than 25% of eligible members to vote and more than 75% to approve.
Baseline research indicated that 59% of likely voters were supportive, 27% were undecided and 14% opposed.
This campaign was built on a foundation of qualitative and quantitative research that included:
Cole Lawson developed a strategy comprising five, non-negotiable pillars that all had to succeed in order to secure the vote. Our integrated campaign, “bcu depends on you”, utilised targeted owned, earned and paid creative featuring real influencers and bcu staff. We contributed to and delivered more than 500 pieces of output including the merger prospectus and:
A program of staff social events, board and executive Q&As, focus groups and a comprehensive training program engaged and educated every employee on their role in achieving the required vote.
We also designed and delivered store polling booths to be discussion starters and private voting areas for members. In-store voting was supplemented by online and app integration and SMS engagement with younger members.
radio advertisements
YouTube ad campaigns
briefings and coverage
and social content
events and in-store videos
Results and Impact
Between 16 September and 22 October 2019:
Against the odds, the motion was approved and the merger proceeded.