Rewards checking with a super hero theme.

• Position: Customer Acquisition - Harvard Savings Bank - Brief article

Institution: Harvard Savings Bank, Harvard, III.

Asset size: $169 million

This is an example of a multimedia campaign--including video--conducted by a very small asset-size institution.

The bank redesigned its entire menu of checking products, adding a new product called WOW Rewards Checking. The goal was to grow the bank's account portfolio while offering something different from competitor products.

The basics of the WOW Reward Checking: Make 12 debit card transactions (credit or signature-based) and have one direct deposit each month, and you will earn 2.5 percent interest up to $15,000. Any amount over $15,000 will earn 0.5 percent on entire balance. To open, $100; no minimum balanced required, no monthly maintenance free; free online checking, bill pay, e-statements, overdraft protection transfer and debit card.

For the first six months, the bank sponsored a WIN BIG Contest in which any new accounts (or any existing accounts that moved into the WOW account) were...