When compliance rules.

• Author: Wachtel, George

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BANK MARKETERS sire faced with an overzealous compliance department? Normally, the marketing message suffers. Here is an example from of a postcard selling an equity tine of credit from Chicopee Savings, Massachusetts.

1 Graphics: The picture side of this postcard starts off with a pleasing image of two young people measuring for their next home improvement project, and it also serves as a nice "graphic border" holding the page together.

2 Marketing Message: But from type size and style, Chicopee Savings, believes that the most important fact to communicate is that they are celebrating their 160th anniversary. And the second most "What's in it for me?" is their low equity line rate. I disagree. In my opinion, the most important things to tell the prospect are hinted at in the words below: If the consumer needs. cash for home improvements or other needs, they can tap their home equity.

3 Disclaimer Copy: Here is the first negative impact of compliance wording. Unless I am mistaken, there is no need to even show the FDIC savings bug and take up valuable space with the paragraph of wording on a savings product, while selling a loan product.

4 Parallel Wording: Small point from a former English major: in order for the three bullet points to be in parallel construction, the middle one should read "Debt Consolidation" and not be an active verb tense.

5 Mailing Side Message: Here is where they should be reinforcing the equity line benefits but, instead...