A Case History: Adams Dairy Bank
Background
Launched in January 2008, Adams Dairy Bank was 51% owned by Capital Bancorp Limited, an out-of-state bank holding company, and 210 local stockholders. Based in Blue Springs, Missouri, the bank showed remarkable signs of growth through sustained delivery of outstanding customer service in only its first year of existence.
Marketing and advertising was fairly limited in 2008, supported by limited Capital Bancorp staff, with a very organic focus on referrals and customer service.
In January 2009, Adams Dairy Bank President and CEO David Chinnery hired EAG to supplement marketing efforts and challenged us to become an extension of the bank, developing a brand that would compete with even the largest, most established banks in the community.
Our goal was to enhance every touch-point between the bank, and its customers and community, to not only support significant growth but to gain recognizable community achievement.
The Strategy
The strategy developed was to redefine customer service. We believed that national banks had watered-down the meaning of customer service. We also believed that national banks had minimized the importance of local community banking in its true sense. That a bank on every corner didn’t necessarily define local or community.
The Tactics & Message
First and foremost, Chinnery and the leadership staff made an undying commitment to customer service delivery beyond what is normally expected from a bank. With that as our backdrop, EAG ventured into new territory regarding message delivery.
EAG believed banking could be fun and serious at the same time. We felt national banks had talked down to our community, not with our community. We also felt that if there was humor to be directed, it should be directed at ourselves.
The branding and messaging for Adams Dairy Bank is simple; Fun. Honest. Irreverent. Homegrown.
There was an even bolder statement made when the phrase “Bank Local” became a trademarked indicator of Adams Dairy Bank’s commitment to the community.
The Results
Obstacles were plenty. Throw in an economic downturn in 2008 and a quickly failing parent bank holding company and optimism was cautionary. Yet the bank successfully navigated a buy-out of the holding company, became 100% locally owned and the marketing message was accepted whole-heartedly by the local community.
Today Adams Dairy Bank is a pillar of the Blue Springs and eastern Jackson County community, recognized for their leadership on many levels. Still a relatively small bank, Adams Dairy Bank is growing at a pace consistent with the desires of the local owners and far exceeding all other new banks launched during that same period. Most importantly, customers are fans.
A Constant Reminder
The work of EAG is secondary to the work of the staff and leadership of Adams Dairy Bank. A true brand is defined by actions, not words or pictures. Customer service delivery with a local flavor enables EAG to craft a supporting message that works. We must remind ourselves everyday that a brand does not come from marketing, it comes from action.
The Work
EAG provides consulting, brand management, graphic design, copywriting, online marketing and a host of related services for Adams Dairy Bank. We are their external marketing department.