If TruMark Financial Credit Union's new edgy and humorous awareness campaign strikes a chord with southeastern Pennsylvania residents it could be because they scripted it.

According to Ed Kroznuski, TruMark Financial vice President of marketing, extensive research by Polk-Lepson Research Group on behalf of the $1.2 billion credit union revealed that beyond the discontent with big banks following the parade of government bailouts, the collapse of the housing market, skyrocketing interest rates on credit cards and increasingly higher fees, consumers were frustrated with the excessive compensation among those big banker executives. Yet, they didn't feel there was a viable banking alternative.

"It resonates with locals because we took inspiration for this public awareness campaign directly from their comments and views," said Kroznuski. "We knew nationally consumers were unhappy with big banks. And when our research revealed that local consumers were just as angry specifically about higher fees, executive compensation, closed credit card lines and raised credit card rates, we saw an opportunity especially since it seems the Wells Fargo-Wachovia merger may be finalized by November 2010."