The Importance of Branding for Credit Unions in a Marketing Driven World - Lessons Learned from Coca-Cola. Presented by Michael La Kier, May 2006 at the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (GCUA) Annual Convention.

1. The Importance of BrandingThe Importance of Branding
Michael La Kier
Board Member & Marketing Committee Member,
The Coca-Cola Company Family Federal Credit Union
Michael La Kier
Board Member & Marketing Committee Member,
The Coca-Cola Company Family Federal Credit Union

2. What is a brand?
• Definition
– Representation of a bundle of goods
and/or services “sold” to consumers

3. Why create a brand?
• Importance
– In a world of clutter, branding can
represent a point of difference

4. Importance of branding to
The Coca-Cola Company
• Beverages are just
beverages, right?
• Critical element to:
– Create an emotional
connection
– Build an on-going
relationship
– Create order from
chaos

5. Services vs Product Marketing
• Intangibility of offering
• Services “consumed” immediately
• Employees an integral part of the
experience
• Bottom line: services more difficult to
brand and market

6. Putting the principles into action
• Desire to create a better, clearer
identity and have a POV
• To be more than just an ‘alternative
to a bank’
• To play up our point of difference

7. Putting the principles into action
• Desire to create a better, clearer
identity and have a POV
• To be more than just an ‘alternative
to a bank’
• To play up our point of difference