Q3 SWAP Update

The SWAP campaign is gaining strong momentum and driving increased consumer engagement.

By Lindsey Hefta, DakCU VP of Marketing and Communications

Since our Q2 update, the State Wide Awareness Program (SWAP) credit union awareness campaign has continued to gain strong traction, with steady growth in both reach and engagement. A major driver of this momentum has been the launch of our digital and print billboard placements, which went live February 1 and will continue running through April. With these new placements in rotation, total year-to-date impressions have climbed to approximately 5.5 million across North and South Dakota, underscoring the value of a diversified, always-on approach to credit union awareness.

One of the most notable highlights this year has been the expanded use of digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. These placements allow us to meet Millennials and Gen Z where they are—gyms, coffee shops, campuses, local hotspots—and the results speak for themselves. Over the past five months, DOOH has generated more than 130,000 impressions and, more importantly, has encouraged real action. During this same period, monthly visits to the SWAP landing page jumped from fewer than 50 to more than 3,000 visits, showing a clear trend: consumers are engaging with our messaging and scanning QR codes to learn more and connect with a nearby credit union.

Our targeted online newspaper and digital ads continue to reinforce this progress. These efforts, which focus on reaching younger and underbanked audiences, have delivered nearly 2 million impressions, strengthening consistent visibility across multiple touchpoints.

As channels and tactics evolve, SWAP’s mission has remained the same: to elevate broad credit union awareness across the Dakotas. The campaign is intentionally designed to complement not replace individual credit union marketing efforts. When SWAP’s statewide messaging aligns with your institution’s local outreach, it increases the chances that when consumers search for a credit union, ask questions about cooperative banking, or land on our website, your credit union becomes part of their consideration set.

The results so far growing impressions, rising engagement, and clear, measurable consumer actions show that the strategy is working. Our refreshed, Dakota-driven creative continues to resonate and is helping strengthen consumer understanding of the unique value credit unions provide.

If you have questions about the creative assets or feedback on remaining placement for 2025-2026, please reach out to me directly.
 
Thank you all for your ongoing support and collaboration in growing credit union awareness across the Dakotas!

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