Reader's guide.

• Position: IDEA BANK

The "Idea Bank" showcases outstanding examples of advertising and other marketing campaigns from financial institutions of all sizes and locations. The names of all advertising and communications agencies are included where appropriate.

Small Business/Humor

Hands-on Lending

Institution: Planters Bank & Trust Co., Indianola, Miss.

Asset size: $622 million

For this campaign, the bank wanted to focus on small-business and agricultural customers. The purpose of the ads was to show the bank's commitment to customers.

A local pizza company was selected for use in the small-business ad. Lost Pizza Company has opened one restaurant and, when the campaign was launched, were preparing to open a second restaurant. Agriculture was targeted because it is a large industry in the Mississippi Delta, where the community bank is located.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Brand/Humor

Here's Our Two Cents

Institution: Belmont Savings Bank, Belmont, Mass.

Asset size: $500 million

Agency: PARTNERS+simons

The bank has been using two animated pennies as spokespersons in its advertising. The pennies have personalities like the M&M characters. The pennies are informational, funny and have a point-of-view about banking. ("The bank should help the customer, not hurt him.")

The campaign shown here was in reaction to new fees by big I banks. The campaign positions the bank as the local, low-fee and choice-rich alternative without fees for ATMS--and with better rates I on home equity loans. The tag line for the campaign was, "How Can I We Help You?"

Multimedia

Trust Us

Institution: VIST Financial, Wyomissing, Pa.

Asset size: $1.4 billion

Agency: The Anderson Group, Fritztown, Pa.(concept and transit and print ads); Liquid Interactive, Breiningsville, Pa, (website design); Evoke by Design, Reading, Pa. (direct mail design)

Last year, VIST acquired a bank through an FDIC assist and, after the account conversion, wanted to increase its brand image within the market. The result was a multimedia campaign in the Philadelphia marketing using TV, radio, billboards, direct mail. special events and online.

The campaign was based on a "trust" theme. The campaign was designed to attract attention to the company's more than 100 years in business.

The ads featured friendly faces of several trusted advisers and tapped into the used of QR codes that allowed customers to scan the marketing piece to learn more about VIST. The link to the QR code invited readers to a celebratory party at several of...