Background

Our client for this study—the world’s largest credit union—decided to embark on a more aggressive marketing strategy. In order to understand its “field of membership” it turned to Brandware to develop a benchmark tracking survey that included several complex qualifying heuristics.

Our client learned that its target market is significantly larger than previously believed, dramatically changing the organization’s understanding of the size and scope of its target audience.  Because of these findings, management chose to work with Brandware on a variety of other marketing research initiatives.

Challenge

Our client for this study is the world’s largest credit union, with over $40 billion in assets, nearly four million members, over 200 branch offices, and nearly 8,000 employees worldwide. It serves all Department of Defense military and civilian personnel and their families.

When the client’s management decided to embark on a more aggressive marketing strategy, it turned to Brandware Research.

Approach

Brandware helped management to determine the size of its “field of membership” based on a sophisticated benchmark tracking survey that incorporated several complex qualifying heuristics.  Using the benchmark survey and subsequent waves that sample over 2,000 target members each quarter, Brandware has tracked funnel measures, brand associations, product usage rates, competitor positions, and response to the client’s new communications campaign.  We have even used the tracking program to prioritize different target customer groups based on their propensity to become a member.

Results

Because of Brandware’s tracking program, the client’s management learned that its target market is significantly larger than previously believed, dramatically changing the organization’s understanding of the size and scope of its target audience. Management has also used Brandware’s tracking program to refine marketing messages and optimize media plans to more effectively market to existing and potential members.