Hope Credit Union
Expanding Financial Tools And Building Racial Equity Across The Deep South
Fenton helped HOPE, a leading Black- and women-owned financial institution, maximize visibility after receiving $92.6 million from the U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Capital Investment Program (ECIP). Fenton developed a media relations plan, radio media tour, and advertorial campaign to raise awareness of HOPE’s expanded capacity to serve families and businesses across the Deep South. The campaign secured significant coverage from major outlets like the Associated Press, Essence, and American Banker, and facilitated 1,534 radio broadcasts, generating 4.67 million impressions. Additionally, HOPE’s CEO was invited to an ECIP event with Vice President Kamala Harris, highlighting the importance of this capital infusion. Fenton also placed advertorials in key business publications, further amplifying HOPE’s message.
What We Did
- Media Relations Strategy Development
- Media List Creation for Regional and National Reporters
- Messaging Development and Messaging Training Module
- Radio Media Tour Coordination and Interviews
- Advertorial Campaign Development and Execution
- Publication Recommendations and Selection
- Creative Oversight and Content Development for Advertorials
- Contract Negotiation and Invoicing for Advertorials
- Broadcast Interview Coordination
- Strategic Placement in Business Journals Across the Deep South
- Coverage in National, Local, and Trade Media
CHALLENGE
On June 28, HOPE received $92.6 million in secondary capital from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Emergency Capital Investment Program (ECIP). These funds position HOPE to support between $700 million to $1 billion in deposits to finance families, businesses, community facilities and otherwise improve lives across the Deep South. These funds will enable the nation’s leading Black- and women-owned financial institution to serve more than 150,000 people over the next 10 years. Recognizing this as a major moment for HOPE, the HOPE team asked Fenton to develop a media relations plan, messaging, a messaging training module, an advertising suite and a radio music tour plan to markedly increase awareness of HOPE among potential members and partners.
APPROACH
To increase awareness of HOPE among potential members and partners, Fenton developed a thorough list of a wide range of reporters across the Deep South, as well as reporters focused on Black issues, business and finance. Fenton also coordinated a radio media tour in communities across the Deep South, leading to various interviews with HOPE leaders where they were able to widely broadcast key information about ECIP and its benefits.
Fenton also coordinated a comprehensive campaign to place advertorials in business journals across key cities throughout the Deep South.
Fenton oversaw all aspects of the advertorial campaign, including publication recommendations, direct coordination with selected publications, oversight of all creative decisions and contract negotiation and invoicing.
IMPACT
As a result of our efforts, we garnered significant coverage for the announcement from national, local and trade media, including the Associated Press, Essence, and American Banker. We also generated several broadcast interview opportunities for HOPE leadership. The White House also recognized ECIP and invited HOPE CEO Bill Bynum to participate in an event with Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Janet L. Yellen, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA). The ECIP radio media tour resulted in 1,534 broadcasts and 4,670,640 audience impressions.
Fenton’s efforts in the ECIP advertorial campaign led to placements in the following publications: Arkansas Business, Birmingham Business Journal, Business Alabama, Memphis Business Journal, Mississippi Business Journal, Montgomery Business Journal and New Orleans CityBusiness.
