Arrows going different ways
Filene Research Institute plans to launch a new research center dedicated to Differentiation & Storytelling in July 2026. The center will study how brands build loyalty, how narratives influence behavior and how financial institutions can become more memorable to consumers.
"We've spent the past year hearing from credit union leaders who are wrestling with the challenge of doing meaningful work, but they're not breaking through. You told us you're tired of watching fintechs and big banks out-communicate us, even when they can't out-purpose us," Filene's EVP, Christie Kimbell, said.
The center's research, an initiative unveiled earlier this month during the America's Credit Unions Governmental Affairs Conference, will focus on helping credit unions better define and communicate their value to members, including how institutions can build trust, strengthen relevance and foster long-term loyalty.
Key questions the center plans to explore include:
- How credit unions can define and demonstrate a distinct value proposition for increasingly diverse member segments.
- How the industry can increase awareness of credit unions without relying on traditional education-focused messaging.
- How credit unions can create brand experiences that stand out in a competitive financial services landscape.
During the coming months, Filene will select a group of founding credit union sponsors to help shape the center's work and ensure its research, tools and frameworks address real-world challenges. The initial funding organization is orsa credit union, with FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, GoWest Credit Union Association and OneAZ Credit Union joining shortly after to support the initiative.
"The credit union movement is at an inflection point," Tansley Stearns, president/CEO of orsa credit union, said "As we grow in scale, we must turn up the volume on the impact credit unions make in the lives of Americans. Products can be replicated. Technology can be matched. Our stories cannot. This Center of Excellence is about equipping credit unions with the research, tools, and confidence to articulate their cooperative advantage in ways that meet the moment and resonate deeply with everyday Americans. Relevance is not assumed. It is earned. And storytelling is how we earn it and connect emotionally with those that need us most."
Echoing that focus on storytelling, Linda Armyn, president/CEO of FourLeaf, highlighted how credit unions can bring their commitment to community to life for members:
"Community isn't just a talking point for credit unions, it's who we are," Armyn said. "We show up, invest, and care differently than any other financial institution. But caring deeply and connecting meaningfully are two different things. The world has changed, and the way different people experience and expect 'community' has changed with it. This research will help us understand how to tell that story in a way that meets today's unique members."
Filene Research Institute conducts research and provides tools, events and advisory services to help credit unions address real-world challenges and improve consumer financial well-being. As an independent cooperative finance think tank, it connects leaders across the movement to share knowledge and develop practical solutions.
Joyce Moed can be reached at joyce.moed@arc-network.com
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