Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 23 A P R I L 1 , 2 0 1 9 families arguing over the TV remote, today they're developing customer profiles and online advertising content targeting specific consumer groups. Facebook and Google, with their global platforms and sophisticated targeting and measurement capabili- ties, are believed to account more than half the world's digital ad revenue, up from 25% in 2014. ough it's not unusual for larger banks and insurers to spend heavily on prime-time TV ad blasts — think Geico lizard and Farmers Insurance squirrel mishaps — that's less common for smaller players with less to spend and more to gain from digital's targeted reach. Among financial service provid- ers who opt for digital, there's a grow- ing preference for mobile ads, in part to reach younger consumers. "If you're an established bank look- ing to appeal to an older demographic, you'll do more TV. But those that are trying to appeal to a younger audience are more likely to be online," says Nancy Roberts, marketing program coordina- tor at Husson University in Bangor. "My students, who are getting their first bank accounts, don't have a television, they're streaming everything. More digital is happening in part because many banks are trying to get that new account." Meredith Strang Burgess, president and CEO of Burgess Advertising & Marketing in Falmouth, has a similar observation, saying: "You can be so specific with digital and literally target your buy to reach 20-to-34 olds that live within a specific zip code. It's a lot less expen- sive than TV, and you can track it in real time and tweak as you go along. What people don't appreciate is that it takes time to monitor a campaign." Social media is an important part of that, a no-cost multiplier to spread the word. Unum's "We've got U" saw more than 200,000 social media shares in the first week alone just through employees, who were also the starting point for the brand revamp conversation going back more than two years. "From our perspective, there is no better endorsement than an excited employee base getting behind an idea and championing it," says VIA's CEO Leeann Leahy, noting that the ads grab attention in the critical opening seconds with an unusually bold, confident state- ment from a benefits provider. "It takes a lot of confidence for a brand to say, 'We don't want you to worry about us,'" she says, appreciative of the creative license from the client. "at's fun to get to play in." In general, Husson's Roberts says she's noticed more financial firms telling stories in unexpected ways and opting for reputational advertising rather than around a specific product. One example is Norway Savings Bank's "Live Your Life in Color" cam- paign that runs on both TV and digital. Patricia Weigel, Norway Savings' president and CEO, says the long- running campaign aims to reflect that its customers come from all walks of life — and that Norway Savings is there to help them reach all their goals. "It is an emotional connection and also reflects our culture of fun, and our pursuit of high achievement, in every- thing we do," she says. Credit unions Credit unions in Maine have been quick to embrace digital video advertising, including one being set up to lend to farmers and food entrepreneurs. To introduce the brand as they set out to raise capital for the Maine Harvest Credit Project, founders Sam May and Scott Budde enlisted Black Fly Media of Portland. It produced videos featuring the people the future credit union is meant to serve — an art house-like reel of real people toil- ing on their farms and in the fields, as well as the Maine Harvest team explaining their intentions. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » F O C U S P H O T O / B L A C K F LY M E D I A Jason Nelson, principal and founder of Black Fly Media, on an Aroostook County video shoot for the Maine Harvest Credit Project.

• Cover