All Diamond Award winners in this category are listed below.
Category’s Best winners—marked with a 💎—earned the highest score within their asset grouping.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Billings, MT
We use staff in our marketing, which is a challenge when there is turnover. Our goal was to create an About Us video that would not be dated. The video had to tell our history, and mesh with our colorful, fun brand. We shot this entire "About Us" video in one take, which required an 80-foot custom-rigged camera dolly. When the camera started rolling, it never stopped, which means every actor had to hit their mark. Our team meticulously curated or built every prop and costume. And yes, we're cheeky. We hid little "easter eggs" throughout the video to reward the observer, from a photo of our first CEO to a cigar box that was used as our first vault. Our About Us video was a success because it effectively tells our story, reinforces our mission, and provides a meaningful connection with viewers.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Santa Rosa, CA
Working with Express Wine Delivery to capture their video testimonial was truly an honor. At first, they were hesitant to appear on camera since English is their second language. But after some reassurances, their testimonial became one of our most powerful stories to date. It wasn’t just the mention of all their RCU products and services; it was their authenticity and heart that told the real story. Hearing them share how they started the business in their garage years ago, while standing in their bustling warehouse now—alongside their growing team—perfectly illustrated the success they attributed to RCU. Video has a unique way of telling our brand story through the experiences of real Members. And this video was a prime example of that.
Assets less than $250 million | Newark, OH
The "TrueStories" campaign achieved high engagement on Facebook and Instagram. The success was driven by its content series, which cleverly played on the "True Crime" title format to capture audience attention. Our core takeaway is the power of authenticity and relatable context: the simple stories showing how we tangibly improved the financial lives of our members resonated with our viewers. This confirmed that our audience values genuine impact over corporate messaging, which is essential for fulfilling our mission to enrich the community.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Birmingham, AL
This campaign proved that storytelling rooted in local pride and authentic relationships is a powerful way to introduce a new brand to a tight-knit community. By partnering with Coach Kelly and focusing on Jax State Athletics, we created a video that connected with students, alumni, and residents at a personal level. Broadcasting these stories during high-profile programs and on social channels generated excitement, built rapid trust, and drove real engagement—well before our branch doors even opened. We learned that aligning with community traditions and trusted voices is far more effective than generic advertising, especially when launching in a new market. The campaign exceeded our expectations, laying a foundation of awareness and enthusiasm that will support AmFirst’s long-term presence at Jax State.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Bath, ME
The Ancorum brand purpose video became a cornerstone for launching the rebrand internally, helping employees connect emotionally to the mission behind the new identity. It wasn’t simply a video, it was an internal rallying tool used to spark pride, reinforce culture, and unify teams during a time of change. By telling the Ancorum story visually and narratively, we created clarity and excitement around who we are, why we exist, and what we promise our members. The response proved the power of purpose-driven storytelling. Employees reported a stronger understanding of the brand, and leadership used the video repeatedly as a tool for onboarding and engagement. It sets the tone for a successful rebrand rollout and created the buy-in needed for long-term adoption.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Capitola, CA
Bay Federal’s new brand commercials reinforced the credit union’s purpose at a pivotal moment of expansion. By launching emotionally resonant, purpose-driven storytelling, Bay Federal elevated brand visibility while remaining authentic and evergreen. The commercials shifted focus away from product and toward people—highlighting member ownership, community investment, and financial stability in a way that felt human, inclusive, and local. With over one million impressions delivered across English and Spanish-language programming, the campaign strengthened brand equity, supported broader membership momentum, and established long-term brand assets that will continue driving awareness and trust well beyond the initial launch window.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Moon Township, PA
This series highlighted the people behind Clearview’s success: its leaders, who embody our mission and vision and drive value for our members. Through authentic storytelling, we demonstrated that leadership is about fostering dialogue, sharing knowledge, and inspiring others to think differently. Each episode reinforced Clearview’s identity as a forward-thinking, people-driven organization committed to transparency, innovation, and community connection. The response to the series underscored a key takeaway: when leaders show up as real people, the brand becomes more relatable, more trusted, and clearly different.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Plymouth, MI
To build brand awareness, we wanted to inspire women to Dream Wild™ with us by showing how good it feels to take those first steps toward a seemingly impossible goal… no matter how big or small. As part of a larger campaign, this spot stars Daisy bear, our logo and mascot, come to life. She acts as the inner voice of our hero, urging her to act on her dream of escaping the office to climb a mountain and cheering her on as she triumphantly takes that first step toward her dreams.The brand spot shown here ran on streaming TV, OLA, social, site and branch screens, a CFCU first for both streaming tv and full-motion video in branch. It was also versioned for vertical, :15 second variations, and built with QR code offer frames to spark down-funnel conversion.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Plymouth, MI
A new brand. A streaming TV first for CFCU. To build brand awareness, we wanted to inspire women to Dream Wild™ with us by showing how good it feels to take those first steps toward a seemingly impossible goal… no matter how big or small. As part of a larger campaign, this spot stars Daisy bear, our logo and mascot, come to life. She acts as the inner voice of our hero, urging her to act on her dream of escaping the office to climb a mountain and cheering her on as she triumphantly takes that first step toward her dreams. The brand spot shown here ran on streaming TV, OLA, social, site and branch screens, a CFCU first for both streaming tv and full-motion video in branch. It was also versioned for vertical, :15 second variations, and built with QR code offer frames to spark down-funnel conversion.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Cedar Rapids, IA
Our 90th Anniversary video used authentic brand storytelling to bring Corda Credit Union’s purpose, history, and values to life. Created to celebrate Corda’s 90-year legacy, the video connects past, present, and future by highlighting the people-first philosophy that has guided the credit union since its founding. Rather than focusing on products, it emphasizes emotional connection, community impact, and the deeper “why” behind Corda’s work, helping audiences clearly understand who we are. Launched on May 1, 2025, the video debuted on Corda’s website and across social media, inviting members, employees, and the community to celebrate this milestone together. Its impact continues well beyond launch, serving as a key part of new employee onboarding, inclusion in our Indirect email series to introduce prospective members, and a featured piece at business development events, where it has generated positive feedback and meaningful conversations about Corda’s history, growth, and future.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Detroit, MI
This campaign was about celebrating real women making a difference in our community and showing that we are more than a credit union, we’re a local partner that cares. The campaign successfully strengthened our brand image, highlighted community leaders, and connected with audiences both on air and online
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Stewartville, MN
This campaign reinforced that the most powerful way to communicate purpose is to slow down and listen. By focusing on long-form, unscripted member storytelling, we learned that audiences are willing to invest time in stories that feel real, respectful, and human. Rather than telling people what our credit union stands for, we allowed members to show it through their lived experiences. The depth of engagement demonstrated that authenticity builds trust more effectively than promotional messaging, especially in financial services. These films became more than campaign assets, they evolved into evergreen stories that continue to humanize our brand, strengthen alignment with our mission, and remind us that when people see themselves reflected in a story, connection follows naturally.
Assets greater than $1 billion | Bannockburn, IL
The Tahnikah’s Story video has been very helpful in encouraging those who, like Tahnikah, want to empower themselves to become a homeowner but need assistance in understanding the obstacles in front of them and learning how to overcome them. The objectives to increase awareness of the services the GLCU Foundation provides, reduce the stigma of asking for help and demonstrate the impact the Housing Counselors provide in making the housing journey more accessible are more easily achieved when the real-life story is communicated by a person who was able to eventually reach their dream of homeownership.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Hadley, MA
This campaign reinforced the power of authentic storytelling in a crowded financial services landscape. By letting real members tell their own stories, we were able to humanize our brand, challenge long-standing misconceptions about who UMassFive serves, and create an emotional connection that traditional product-driven marketing often misses. We learned that short-form video is especially effective when it feels unscripted, relatable, and rooted in community, allowing viewers to see themselves reflected in the story. These member stories helped reposition UMassFive from a “college-affiliated” credit union to a community-centered financial cooperative, while strengthening trust and relevance across a broader audience. This campaign allowed us to increase awareness, deepen brand affinity, and reaffirm that our greatest differentiator isn’t a rate or a product, it’s the people and relationships behind the brand.
Assets $250 million – $1 billion | Sioux Falls, SD
The Moments That Matter video demonstrates how purpose-driven storytelling can humanize a financial brand. By focusing on universally shared life moments rather than products, the video creates an emotional connection that reflects Voyage’s mission and values. A nostalgic visual style allows each moment to come into focus, reinforcing Voyage’s role as a lifelong partner through every stage of life. The key takeaway is that when credit unions lead with empathy and authenticity, video becomes a powerful tool for building trust, relevance, and lasting brand affinity.
