MECU launches marketing efforts as it looks to grow in the counties

MECU Credit Union launched a rebranding and marketing effort Tuesday as it seeks to grow, especially in the counties surrounding Baltimore.

Called MECU of Baltimore before the rebrand, MECU Credit Union will open a branch in Randallstown as it wants to attract more members in Baltimore’s surrounding counties, particularly in Baltimore County.

“We’re looking to grow name recognition and awareness throughout the Baltimore area,” said Tom Poe, MECU’s vice president of marketing. “As we move outside the city, we see a lot of upside there and a lot of opportunity.”

The credit union formed in 1936 as the Municipal Employees Credit Union. It primarily served Baltimore City government employees, including schoolteachers.

Since then it has grown to cover the entire city and part of the new rebrand and marketing push is to find members outside of Baltimore.

The rebrand includes a new logo, new colors, a new website and new branch designs. The marketing includes two television commercials and digital advertising.

The credit union’s expansion starts with a Randallstown branch, scheduled to be opened within the next couple of months, and potentially more. And branches are still central to MECU, despite the growth of online banking, mobile banking and ATMs, Poe said.

“The technology piece, the ATM piece is very important,” he said. “We still really view branches as important and being able to connect and serve our members face-to-face every day. A lot of our services are really only possible within branches.”

One of those services will be a new one for MECU, the LevelUP Financial Wellness Program. The financial wellness program includes one-on-one meetings with financial coaches and a needs assessment. It also has online tools to help members with their plans.

The credit union hopes the program can help new and existing members meet their financial goals, whether that means building credit, buying a home or getting ready for retirement.

“Having that ability to meet and talk with someone face-to-face, and over the phone to some degree, is still really important … especially from our younger members,” Poe said. “You would think that they are really trying to do everything themselves online. But what we have found is that they are very interested in having some of these resources available to them.”

MECU hopes that these efforts help it meet some of its own goals, including growing its members, deposits and loans.

Today, the credit union has more than 110,000 members and assets around $1.2 billion. 

MECU knows it will have been successful if it is growing outside of the city.

“Obviously, we are doing this to grow so we are looking to grow membership numbers and accounts and loans,” Poe said.

But it remains committed to the city, he added.

“We’re not looking to turn anyone away,” Poe said. “At the end of the day, we really pride ourselves on being welcoming and accessible.”