For the First Time, New Ad Campaign Puts Faces Behind Bethpage Name -  Introducing Beth & Paige!
 
(Bethpage, N.Y.) – Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Long Island’s leading community financial institution, today announces a significant rebranding effort for the 69 year-old credit union, which was founded by employees of Grumman Aerospace in 1941.  Elements of the rebranding include new logo colors, a new tagline and supporting multi-media marketing campaign.   

Beginning today, with the intention of generating greater awareness for Bethpage Federal Credit Union among all Long Islanders, Bethpage Federal Credit Union is introducing a new look with a newly redesigned logo and tagline: Bethpage … You’ll love banking here.  Shades of teal and orange will replace Bethpage’s former navy blue brand color.  Bethpage’s new look will be included in all marketing and branding outreach materials and signage at all of its 21 branch locations. 

“Bethpage has experienced unprecedented growth this past year thanks to our members and despite a year of financial unrest, for the first time, Bethpage surpassed $1.5 billion in loans and three new branch locations were opened.  In addition to consumer lending, we have expanded our commercial real estate lending. With this, the time was ripe for a change.  So while many banks spent the past year rebuilding, Bethpage spent last year rebranding,” said Kirk Kordeleski, President and CEO, Bethpage Federal Credit Union.  

“We want to create a new image for ourselves that will support our continued growth as well as new growth strategies. We have the best rates and service on Long Island.  Now is the time to convey the credit union difference that our core members feel so passionately about, to non-members that might not be completely satisfied with their local banks or have low awareness of Bethpage and what credit unions are all about,” continued Kordeleski. 

“Credit unions have lower consumer awareness than large banks.  Consumers don’t realize the full array of personal and business banking products available,” said Gerard Schmitt, Vice President of Marketing, Bethpage Federal Credit Union.  “Bethpage members are extremely loyal and are enthusiastic advocates of the credit union difference.  Our new tagline – You’ll love banking here – underscores this.”

“Bethpage’s new look will include new brand colors to help Bethpage stand out from Long Island’s crowded banking marketplace of dark blue and red.  Changing our colors to shades of teal and orange will help us convey our difference in a highly visible and exciting way,” continued Gerard Schmitt.  

In addition to its new look and new tagline, a first-of-its-kind multi-media advertising campaign will support Bethpage’s new image with the introduction of Beth & Paige – two “employees” who were inspired by Bethpage’s own employees, who personify the Bethpage brand and go above and beyond their call of duty to assist Bethpage’s fiercely loyal members.  The advertising campaign will include broadcast ads that will run on cable television and radio, as well as print ads that will appear in newspapers, outdoor venues and online.          

“We want to stand out in this crowded marketplace and so it’s important that we successfully personify the Bethpage brand in all marketing outreach efforts.  Our employees are our greatest strength as are our many loyal members,” asserts Gerard Schmitt.  “We are committed to continuing to providing extraordinary value and service to our members.”   

Effective today, Bethpage’s new website address is www.lovebethpage.com.  Bethpage can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lovebethpage.  

Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative, existing solely to serve its members and has experienced rapid growth in recent years to position itself as a strong alternative to banks.  Bethpage was approved for the largest federal community charter in the U.S. in 2003 and now is Long Island’s largest credit union and leading community financial institution with over 165,000 members, 21 branches and 35 shared service center locations throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.   As a financial cooperative, Bethpage offers better rates, lower fees and a full menu of personal and commercial financial services.  

For the year ending December 31, 2009, Bethpage’s assets grew by 15% to $3.7 billion and membership increased by 20,000 for a total of 165,000 members.  A recent milestone, for the first time, Bethpage surpassed $1.5 billion in loans and opened three new branch locations  including a Roosevelt branch, which marked the first time a major financial institution launched in this underserved community in more than 20 years.

Bethpage maintains branch locations in Bay Shore, Bethpage, Central Islip, Commack, Elmont, Farmingdale, Freeport, Glen Cove, Hempstead, Huntington, Levittown, Lynbrook, Massapequa, Melville, Mineola, North Babylon, Port Jefferson, Riverhead, Smithtown, Roosevelt and Westbury with over 250 surcharge ATMs in King Kullen, 7-Eleven, Walgreen’s and Costco locations throughout Long Island. 

For more information, call 1-800-628-7070 or visit www.lovebethpage.com.