PSCU Sought New Impact With USA Today Ad

ST. PETERSBERG, Fla. – PSCU Financial Services paid less than $5,000 for a full-page advertisement in USA Today to get the attention of credit union executives and board members assembled at the 2003 CUNA GAC, according to Brian Crawford, Chief Marketing Officer for the firm. “Credit unions have probably noticed that we are stressing our new brand in our advertising in 2003,” Crawford said. “Placing an advertisement in the regional run of USA Today aimed at the Washington D.C. market was a cost-effective way of reiterating our message,” he added. PSCU changed its name to PSCU Financial Services in 2002 in order to highlight the inclusion of new products and new pricing procedures into its services. Crawford said the advertisement cost less than $5,000 because it was only a regional run and that the firm had sought the different venue for the ad in order to raise interest in the firm. “We knew the USA Today would be circulated in the hotels where conference attendees were staying,” Crawford said, “and we knew they would not expect to see the ad in USA Today so it would have a greater chance of getting attention.” Even though the advertisement ran in a general interest publication, Crawford said credit union executives, board members and decision makers remained the advertisement’s target audience.