Marketing On An Island: How Credit Unions Can Connect Through Animal Crossing
As coronavirus cases began in March of 2020 and lockdown orders were implemented, people had to come with ways to pass the time at home.
Fortuitously, Animal Crossing: New Horizons released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch on March 20, and millions of players escaped from the chaos of the outside world to a deserted island that they could shape into their own little slice of paradise! Meanwhile, businesses and brands around the world were forced to look for different ways to reach consumers stuck at home, and upon seeing the massive success of the game, created islands of their own.
As credit unions continue to deal with the global pandemic, innovative digital marketing channels will remain prevalent. The creativity and freedom that Animal Crossing allows players can be a fun and unique way for credit unions to reach out and educate the public about what they can do for members, their mission and their successes.
As an example, Ally Bank hosted a limited-time promotional event during October in which players could visit “Ally Island” and sell their turnips (a valuable commodity within the game) for an incredibly high price of 1,000 Bells per turnip. (Bells are Animal Crossing’s primary currency used to buy items and pay off debts.) Could this game be more aligned with credit unions?! In an interview with Fortune, Ally’s chief marketing officer, Andrea Brimmer, had this to say about using the game as part of their marketing:
Dos and Don’ts
If your credit union dives into the Animal Crossing craze, keep a few things in mind. Nintendo implemented guidelines for business and organizations that want to use the game for marketing purposes. You can read the full list of rules here, but here is a quick rundown while creating your credit union’s island:
Keep it family friendly. While plenty of adults play the game, it’s still primarily marketed to children, so keep it rated E for EVERYONE.
No politics allowed! Don’t offend or discriminate. Period.
Keep your campaign inside the game. Don’t direct anyone to any outside websites or social media platforms, even if they are your own.
Do not try to earn revenue through the game.
Do not give out false information. Seems like a no-brainer, but it’s in the rules, so follow it!
With these in mind, let your creativity shine and have some fun teaching the world what credit unions are all about!
