Leesport Bank, Pa., rebrands with six entities as a unified financial company.

• Position: Marketing News

After a period of expansion through acquisition that started in 2000, Leesport Bank, Wyomissing, Pa., grew from a small community bank into a financial conglomerate consisting of seven discrete entities--including insurance, mortgage and financial management providers. (The seven entities were Leesport Bank, Madison Bank, Essick & Barr, Boothby Group, Philadelphia Financial Mortgage, Madison Financial Advisors and Madison Insurance Consultants.)

This conglomerate served a geographic area consisting of seven counties, including Philadelphia. The group had over $1 billion in assets.

Recently, Leesport Bank decided to unify the various entities under one unified brand that focused on commercial business.

The bank engaged an outside consultant to assist with the unification process and also with creating the needed organizational and operational synergy--as well as the process for cultivating client relationships across the various lines of business.

The consultant, Brownstein Group, worked with the bank to conduct research both with bank managers and customers. The consultant also did an industry competitive analysis. Analysis of the survey results led to the creation of a new strategic positioning: "Trusted financial adviser focused on meeting the needs of your business."

Next, bank and consultant creating a new brand identity, including a name, logo, stationery and supporting marketing materials. At the end of the three-month naming process, a management committee agreed to a new name--VIST Financial. VIST is an acronym representing the core values of the newly united company--Vision, Integrity, Solutions and Trust.

Following the brand identity creation, the consultant developed an internal launch campaign to generate awareness and excitement among Leesport employees, many of whom had valid hesitation about all of the change occurring and how this change might impact them. The bank worked to address employee concerns by easing them into the new brand slowly through a series of e-mails and posters, which "teased" the employees by showing them...