PALM DESERT, Calif.–Credit unions need to get past the “superficial marketing trend of brand purpose: and instead focus on cultural movements that drive real, lasting change in their communities, according to one person.
Speaking to the REACH Conference, Amanda Brinkman, in remarks titled “Do Well By Doing Good,” Brinkman, a producer, filmmaker and CEO of Sunshine Studios, told credit unions the financial industry is at a pivotal moment in redefining both brand purpose and corporate citizenship.
What no longer works, according to Brinkman, is a simple mission. Instead, she said FIs must demonstrate authentic, meaningful action to resonate with consumers in the current financial services landscape, according to the California, Nevada and Utah leagues, which host the REACH meeting.
“We have to really, really, really mind the ripple effect,” Brinkman said. “Action and meaning come from doing. We feel good when we are in service to each other. The next person you encounter, you will either leave them in a better place in that moment, or you will take energy from them.”
Post-Pandemic Slump
According to the leagues, Brinkman drew on her decade of research and experience leading groundbreaking campaigns for major brands such as BMW, Reebok and Sony, to offer insights tailored to CUs, telling the audience that after an intense re-evaluation of work and life during the pandemic, many individuals — including employees and members — are now experiencing a post-pandemic purpose slump.
Brinkman told credit unions that to reignite their collective sense of purpose, they must transform their commitment into practical, daily actions.
“This approach focuses on making the institution’s core mission visible and relevant to every individual team member, rather than treating purpose as a high-level marketing campaign,” according to the leagues.
“By aligning internal culture with external community impact, credit unions can significantly boost employee engagement and, consequently, improve the bottom line. This is a focus area as the industry navigates intensifying competition, rising compliance costs, and the ongoing challenge of attracting younger, purpose-driven demographics.”
‘Authentic Integration’
Brinkman said success hinges on leaders committing to this authentic integration of purpose and action. It also hinges on being content so you can truly live in service to the people around you, the leagues quoted Brinkman as observing.
“How do you be in service to the people around you? We all have different super powers, and these are power unique to you,” Brinkman said. “You are all really busy or really important — and that other person in your life is also really busy, really important, and happens to be a human being. Every time we get a new live human in a company or department, we oftentimes forget about our ripple effect. As leaders, that’s heavy. We have opportunities to not create negative ripple effects that follow workers home. We have a ripple effect opportunity within every moment with others.”
