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Community Choice Credit Union

The credit union built for what’s next.

For nearly 90 years, Community Choice Credit Union has helped Michigan communities thrive. With more than $2B in assets, the trust they’d built was rock solid. The opportunity was meeting members in the places where banking now happens.

As member behavior shifted online, the brand and digital experience needed to catch up to everything Community Choice had become, and to where growth was headed.

They needed a modern identity, website, and marketing platform that could carry their purpose into every channel, clearly, consistently, and with deep humanity wherever people connected with them.

Minimalist illustration of a hot air balloon and small clouds floating on a light background with blue and yellow gradient areas.
A woman sits on the floor with a laptop, smiling and holding a mug, while a black and white dog rests its head on her shoulder. A plant and couch are in the background.

The Big Idea

Banking doesn’t start at a branch anymore.

Community Choice has always believed in showing up for people. Today, that means showing up in more places. Our research found that fewer than 10% of U.S. consumers now consider a physical branch their primary way of banking, and among Gen Z, that number drops to just 3%.

We used these insights to translate decades of trust into a modern brand and marketing system built for how people discover, choose, and engage with financial partners today. One that connects heart and clarity across every channel, turning everyday digital moments into lasting relationships.

It’s not just a new look or a new platform. It’s a new way of showing up for the next generation of members.

A young woman with long wavy blonde hair smiles softly. Above her, text reads Bank with Guidance on a light green background with star-like illustrations.
A dark green folder on a wooden surface reads Guiding you every step of the way. with the Community Choice Credit Union logo at the bottom.

Strategy & Approach

Preserve trust. Modernize everything around it.

Community Choice had earned deep trust over decades. Our role was to help that trust travel further. We focused on protecting what felt familiar while redesigning how people discover, understand, and engage with the brand today.

By sharpening positioning and aligning brand, content, and marketing into one cohesive system, we reduced friction and strengthened connection. The result is a clearer, more human experience built to support growth without losing what made Community Choice matter in the first place.

A set of 16 hand-drawn icons including a paper airplane, piggy bank, calendar, flower, graduation cap, open book, target, keys, clapping hands, seedling, wallet, pencil, rocket, lightbulb, and books.
A billboard shows a smiling woman lying on a blue couch, cuddling a fluffy cat, with text reading Keeping banking easy and banking information on the left.

Brand Identity

Human by design.
Built to grow.

We evolved Community Choice’s visual identity into a flexible system designed for real-world use. Color, typography, iconography, illustration, and layout were refined into a cohesive language that feels warm, modern, and easy to apply.

Every element works together across digital, in-branch, and campaign touchpoints, making the brand clearer and more consistent. The result is an identity teams can use with confidence. It’s one that feels familiar, scales effortlessly, and supports growth over time.

A branding guidelines document with sections on logo design, typography, color palette, imagery, and sample applications for a banking company.
A person wearing a cream-colored baseball cap with a circular, stylized “C” logo, looking down, in a dark collared shirt.
A person in white clothes and black sneakers holds a tote bag that says Happy starts with simple. with a plant and sun illustration printed on it.
A billboard outside a modern building displays a smiling woman and the text, Keeping banking easy, with the Community Choice Credit Union logo at the bottom.
A green water bottle with the text “Dream it. Plan it.” and a small paper airplane drawing, set against a light blue background with a few star illustrations.
A wooden table holds a candle, a booklet with a photo of a man and child, and a card that reads Choose peace of mind.
A person in a denim jacket pays with a card at a plant shop, holding a bouquet. Text reads More time well spent with the Community Choice Credit Union logo.
Vertical banner displaying Banking thats easy. You can count on us. above a smiling man carrying a laughing child on his shoulders, with graphic accents and a bank website link.
Seven colorful pins on a light blue background, featuring bank logos, uplifting phrases, and simple line illustrations like a paper airplane, plant, and hands high-fiving.

Marketing & Media

Growth. From first impressions to funded accounts.

We designed a system where media, messaging, and lifecycle work together. Campaigns introduce the brand to new audiences, while simple, well-timed entry points help turn interest into action.

Because every step is measured, we can see what actually drives progress. More than 80% of exposed visitors are net-new, and connected TV has steadily expanded reach beyond existing members. At the same time, optimized lead flows have dramatically reduced cost per qualified lead, generating hundreds of new members each month.

The result is a clearer path to growth, built on insight, not assumption.

A white Community Choice credit union card with Mastercard logo on a green gradient background. Text reads: CHOICE CHECKING. A simple checking account with all the perks.
Illustration of two hands high-fiving under the text Hello, neighbor! Well get you on track. with a button labeled Become a member.
A young woman sits outside using her smartphone, with the text Bank with guidance and a community credit union logo above her.
A graphic with the text Guiding you every step of the way, an illustration of an open book with an arrow, and a button labeled Become a member.
A woman pets two dogs in a grassy park on a sunny day, with the text “Your path to success” and a Community Choice Credit Union logo above.
A hand holds a black Community Choice Credit Union Mastercard above the text Discover the convenience and a green Apply now button.
Two people sit on the floor, smiling and talking over coffee. Text reads, We dont complicate it. We just make it better. A Learn more button appears below.
A young woman with shoulder-length hair smiles and looks upward, framed by trees, with the text Dream it. Plan it. displayed above her.
A smartphone on a woven chair displays an app with categories like Growing family, New Job, Pets, Student debt, and Retirement. Decorative star and arch shapes are nearby.
A collection of mobile banking app interface screens showing options for checking accounts, lending, rewards, and congratulatory messages, with illustrated icons and friendly, colorful designs.

Brand Awareness Campaign

Banking that fits real life.

To bring the idea to life, we focused on moments, not products. The campaign shows how Community Choice supports real people at pivotal points in their everyday lives, using financial tools as enablers rather than the story itself.

Each spot centered on a relatable moment:

  • Online Banking — A retiree confidently manages her finances and personal goals from anywhere.
  • HELOC — A couple turns an unfinished nursery into their dream space as they prepare for their baby.
  • Express Cash — A son quickly secures funds online for a last-minute birthday surprise.

Produced for TV and digital with our partners at Timber and Frame, the stories feel lived-in and relatable, building brand awareness while reinforcing Community Choice as a partner people can count on.

Results

The digital, and creative and marketing efforts delivered measurable impact, significantly increasing brand awareness and member growth.

43%
Increase in brand awareness
5.3x
Increase in digital application volume
452%
Growth in online new membership volume
Three mobile banking app screens display account options, donation statistics, testimonials, and images of diverse families and individuals.

Digital Experience

The engine behind everything else.

We redesigned the CCCU website to create a banking experience that is both intuitive and approachable. Built with a member-first mindset, the new site emphasizes simplicity, accessibility, and clear communication, guiding members toward what they need faster and with greater confidence.

Fully responsive and performance-optimized, the site delivers a seamless experience across devices while reflecting the brand’s neighborly warmth and trust. More than a digital platform, it’s a true extension of the CCCU experience, connecting members to the tools and guidance they need to thrive.

A laptop screen displays a website for Community Choice, featuring a banner image of friends outdoors and text promoting 24/7 home loans with an “Apply now” button.
A bank website page features a smiling woman on a couch talking on her phone, with sections explaining online loan application steps and benefits, plus an image of a person using a laptop near a window.
A woman on a couch using a phone, two people meeting over documents, statistics on a green background, and diverse people smiling and working together.
A person wearing a dark green shirt with the text “Neighbors helping neighbors” and a white circular logo underneath.
A person holds a smartphone displaying a banking app with a woman using a tablet and text promoting simple banking services and features.
A dark blue letter C surrounded by radial bars forming a sunburst pattern on a light green and yellow gradient background.

Let's work together.

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