Ep 55 - How Bank Five Nine used heritage to rebrand for the future with Jeff McCarthy

Bank Marketing Show

Community banks, it’s time to stand out from the crowd. Rebrands are no small feat – and to make them successful, lots of parts need to align in order to develop something that no other bank can replicate.

In this episode, we interview Jeff McCarthy, SVP and Marketing Director of Bank Five Nine in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Jeff led the bank through a major rebranding project that has paid dividends in the last few years since it launched. Jeff walks us through his process, from the initial idea to the decision to rebrand the bank completely – and the steps they took to get there, including how he navigated obstacles along the way. And, he shares the successes they’ve seen since the brand launch.

Topics Include:

● Why it's important to differentiate your community bank

● How to prepare your customers for a brand change

● How a rebrand can help your community bank get better recognition

● What the process for a rebranding announcement looks like

● Why it’s important to overcommunicate the reason for a rebrand

Jeff McCarthy is the Senior Vice President, Marketing Director at Bank Five Nine. Headquartered in Oconomowoc, WI, Bank Five Nine is a community bank with roughly $1.8 billion in assets and fourteen branch locations.

Jeff has been with the bank for over ten years, leading the organization through a complete rebrand in 2020. For his work, Jeff was recognized as the CMO of the Year by the Milwaukee Business Journal and as a Notable Marketing Executive by BizTimes Milwaukee.

Before joining the bank, he worked primarily in account management for various Milwaukee-based advertising agencies.

Outside of the office, Jeff serves as the President of the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce and previously served as the Chairperson of the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Marketing Committee. He has been featured as a speaker at conferences for the WBA and the Washington Bankers Association, as well as at The Financial Brand Forum.

Resources Mentioned:

● Favorite Book or Resource: The Experience Maker by Dan Gingiss

● Website: https://www.bankfivenine.com/

● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmccarthy427/

● Email Jeff: [e-mail]

● Email Chris and Dan: [e-mail]

● Get Chris and Dan’s Bank Marketing Minute e-newsletter: bankmarketingminute.com