Superman (Credit Unions) vs. Batman (Banks)

The beleaguered battle between banks and credit unions is as old as credit unions themselves. So, that got me thinking about other epic battles and one significant one came to mind, even though it’s an imaginary one: Batman vs. Superman. Many a geek (myself included) have argued for and against either superhero winning with no conclusive answer ever reached. But it is fun to debate.

While I have no doubt who wins the banks vs. credit unions battle (credit unions, of course), I started thinking of the fun parallels we can make between these two epic battles. First, you have to decide which of us is Batman and which is Superman. Loyalties and preferences aside, I opt for credit unions as Superman and banks as Batman. Here’s why:

·         Superman always puts the little guy first, just like credit unions. Think of all the times he’s stopped people from being crushed, drowned or otherwise obliterated. Batman’s only concern is stopping bad guys.

·         Superman uses internal powers to fight for justice and the American way. Credit unions grow membership by word-of-mouth and referrals. Batman relies on a bunch of gadgets and fancy cars to do what he needs to do. Banks sure do love their gadgets.

·         Superman’s love of humanity, and one human in particular – Lois Lane, is the foundation for who he is and what he does. Just like credit unions love the communities they serve. Batman is a bit of a narcissist focusing on revenge for his parent’s death, not the greater good. Enough said on this one ...

·         Superman’s only true weakness is kryptonite. Credit unions are built on strong values and practices – leaving us few weaknesses. Batman is only human, with all our foibles and weaknesses. Banks’ weaknesses have definitely been brought to light recently!

I’m sure you can come up with many more analogies about the similarities or differences of all concerned, but you get where I’m going with this. Apart from this being a fun exercise in imagination, it can also be fuel to how you approach your members and your credit union’s marketing strategy. Maybe it’s time to really think about how your members perceive your credit union and what “super powers” you have that banks don’t.

With all of the positive attention credit unions have received the past couple of years, thanks to banks not using their powers for good, now is the perfect time to assess your credit union’s brand. Determine what you can do to help keep the momentum of this positive power going. Put a solid plan together focusing on what makes us different. Maybe even show your members that there’s a little bit of Superman in all of us.