Most credit unions have a marketing person. Few have a PR strategy. That distinction matters more than ever in an AI-driven world.
Katy Wegnon, Chief Experience Officer at GoWest, shares with The Credit Union Connection Founder/CEO Sarah Snell Cooke that she is seeing this gap firsthand. Credit unions are doing extraordinary work in their communities—launching job fairs when banks lay off workers, helping government employees survive shutdowns and collaborating to support fire victims. But they’re not telling those stories, and their silence has consequences.
Credit Union PR in the Age of AI
Here’s what most credit union leaders don’t understand: AI systems constantly scan press releases and news coverage, learning what makes an organization credible. When your credit union wins a recognized award, the MAXX awards by GoWest, or generates media coverage, AI treats that as a signal of trust and expertise. That signal shapes where your organization appears when someone asks ChatGPT for credit union recommendations.
“Awards are one of the most underrated drivers of AI visibility,” Katie said.
They provide third-party validation, structured information by category and publication on high-authority domains—exactly what AI systems recognize.
PR and marketing are not interchangeable. PR builds credibility and brand. Marketing drives campaigns. Right now, credit unions invest in marketing while their PR remains the weak link.
Credit Unions’ Humility Problem
Credit unions are humble. That’s a strength in many contexts. But when competing against fintechs and banks for consumer understanding, media attention and policy influence, humility becomes a liability.
Banks aren’t waiting for credit unions to tell their story; they’re actively shaping the narrative. If credit unions don’t speak up, the only perspective journalists and their readers will hear is the banking industry’s.
Katy’s advice is simple: Say yes to media interviews. Say yes to awards. Say yes to member stories that show what makes credit unions different.
Sarah added, “It’s not bragging if it’s true.”
The other challenge is operationalizing story collection from member experiences with your call centers and loan officers, finding the extraordinary in everyday work, and sharing it consistently.
Listen to Katy’s full conversation with Sarah to hear how AI is reshaping PR, why credit union storytelling matters more than you think, and what practical steps your institution can take to build this missing muscle.