By Terri Kaufman
FNBC Bank links arms with community for best in class video.
At 96 years old, Boyd Jackson is a man of few words. So after FNBC Bank’s video producer recorded an interview with him, the concern was, “Did we get enough to tell a compelling story?”
Turns out they had just the right amount of content to win Best Video in Asset Class Under $500 Million in the 2017 ABA Bank Marketing Video Contest.
FNBC + Boyd Jackson = Better Together is a 32-second video that illustrates the bank’s deep roots in the communities it serves. The video is set in Ash Flat, Arkansas, where Boyd Jackson lives and FNBC is headquartered.
In the video, Jackson reminisces about getting a $150 loan in 1941 to buy a team of mules for farming. Mr. Jackson’s story of his relationship with the bank, told in his own words, is a poignant reminder of how much people value long-term relationships with their local banks.
“My CEO got very emotional hearing Mr. Jackson,” said Molly Carpenter, vice president of Marketing and Public Relations for FNBC. “It really tugged on his heartstrings.”
FNBC has been in business for more than 100 years.
Chartered in 1912 as First National Banking Company, the institution vaulted into its second century by converting to a state chartered bank, and became FNBC Bank in 2013. For the rebranding that accompanied those changes, the bank brought on an advertising agency out of Little Rock to help management better define the bank’s culture.
According to Carpenter, the exploration process brought into focus the important, long-term relationships they had with customers. That emphasis led to the creation of the “Better Together” marketing campaign.
Better Together is now completing its second year highlighting its customer relationships, with posters prominent in bank branches. Advertising in the first year consisted mostly of print and billboard ads and radio spots.
Then in 2016, FNBC produced its first video.
It started out as a collage of Better Together print ads. The attention it drew inspired the bank to produce four videos of individual customer stories. The videos are integrated with the rest of the campaign on the bank’s website and on social media platforms. They have aired in rotation as pre-feature ads in Ash Flat’s local movie theatre. Because of the bank’s locations across two states, customer television markets are fragmented. As a result, TV ad buys have not been practical.
All four videos were submitted to this year’s ABA Marketing Video Contest.
“Our community really showed up to vote for our contest videos,” Carpenter said. Marketing efforts to support voting included Facebook reminders and an email boost campaign to bank customers. People enthusiastically posted messages on Facebook, increasing views.
The video with Boyd Jackson seemed to resonate the most.
Maybe it’s the man’s longevity, or the power of telling a simple story. What you see in the video is who he is, Carpenter confirmed:
“Our creative director interviewed him in the a.m. and shot video in the afternoon. Mr. Jackson didn’t talk much, and he didn’t need much editing. He came to the shoot alone—he’s very independent. He was a great sport, though. He road that tractor back and forth a long time so the director could get just the right shot.”
FNBC Bank has seen very positive growth results since the Better Together campaign was launched.
In that timeframe, the bank acquired two commercial lending teams that initiated the moves from other banks based on FNBC’s growing profile. Over the past 18 months FNBC assets have grown by $65 million, without acquisitions. The bank’s Net Promoter Score has remained strong every month, and its reputation as a community bank of choice has strengthened.
“The way we take care of our customers is not all that unique,” said Carpenter. “Most community banks are deeply committed to pulling up a chair and helping them fulfill their goals and realize their dreams. [As a marketer], when you’re thinking about how to share your stories, you have to ask, what does set you apart? That’s what everyone needs to think about.”
What sets FNBC Bank apart from other banks is how closely they link arms with people in the community. The video shoot is a perfect example. See the man on the front porch with Mr. Jackson in the video? They’ve known each other for many years—he’s the bank’s Chairman of the Board. And, when he and the video crew left the bank building to film at Mr. Jackson’s house, they just had to walk across the street to get there.
Terri Kaufman is a content marketing specialist and freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. area. Email: [email protected]. LinkedIn
