Above is one of the digital billboards showing attendees in real time at Bronco Bash.

The $453 million Consumers Credit Union helped put a community celebration in the spotlight last week by partnering with an outdoor digital signage company to stream live photos from Western Michigan University's 2013 Bronco Bash, an annual back-to-school festival open to the Kalamazoo, Mich., community.

The Sept. 13 festival featured games, live music, other entertainment and the opportunity to learn about local businesses and organizations. An estimated 20,000 people attended this year's Bronco Bash, including 400 student organizations, university departments and local businesses, the credit union said.

As in past years, the 52,000-member Consumers brought its educational Cash Car to Bronco Bash and invited visitors to answer financial trivia questions to win various prizes. This year included a new twist: Visitors to the Cash Car had the added opportunity of appearing on Adams Outdoors' digital billboards throughout the Kalamazoo area.

Billboards were updated via live stream throughout the event. People who appeared in the photos were invited to visit Consumers Credit Union's Facebook page following the event to view and share the billboard images.

More than 100 people participated in the photo fun and the credit union posted about 50 pictures (mostly groups of two or three students) on the digital billboards during the four-hour event, the credit union said, and the photos were a popular topic on Consumer's Facebook page.

“We've been participating in Western's Bronco Bash for years, and we were so excited this year to be able to welcome new and returning students with live billboards and share that with the Kalamazoo community,” said Lynne Jarman-Johnson, the credit union's CMO.

She said the credit union staff enjoyed the immediate interaction with WMU students and plan to bring the digital billboard concept to future community events.

“Our community takes pride in WMU—many alumni stay in Kalamazoo, and in fact, we have many Western grads on our staff—and we enjoyed celebrating that community connection,” Jarman-Johnson added.