MSUFCU Recognized with Seven America’s Credit UnionsDiamond Awards

EAST LANSING, Mich. — MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) was recently recognized with seven national awards for its creative excellence efforts and outstanding results in marketing during 2024.

America’s Credit Unions Diamond Awards is the most prestigious annual credit union marketing competition that recognizes and rewards creative excellence for credit unions and advertising agencies that work on their behalf.

“It’s an honor to see our team’s creative vision recognized,” said Maria Presocki, MSUFCU’s Vice President of Marketing. “These awards demonstrate our ability to effectively communicate the value of the Credit Union’s services and programs and build lasting relationships with our members and community.”

MSUFCU submissions were honored with awards in the following categories:

Audience-Specific Marketing ― 2024 Student Welcome

For a campaign/program targeted to a segmented group, MSUFCU received additional recognition as a Category Best.

The Student Welcome campaign aimed to attract new members from Michigan State University’s incoming student class by delivering an engaging, relatable, and rewarding experience. The campaign strategy leveraged a “Y2K” design aesthetic to resonate with Gen Z and incorporated gamification to make the account-opening process exciting.

Brand Awareness ― Chicago Activations

Marketing efforts to increase brand awareness or recognition to current and/or potential members. It can be associated with a particular product, service, or the credit union brand.

In 2024, MSUFCU announced its expansion to Chicago with plans to open five new branches. The Chicago Activations campaign aimed to build brand awareness, engage more than 2,600 existing MSUFCU members, and attract nonmembers, including 10,000 MSU alumni in the area. Through multichannel outreach — targeted emails, mailers, outdoor advertising, social media, and in-person events — MSUFCU effectively engaged those audiences and positioned itself as a trusted financial partner.

Community Partnerships and Relations, Endorsements, or NIL Efforts ― Women of Sparta

Includes promotion and marketing tie-ins with other organizations, influencers, personalities, and/or sports figures.

The MSUFCU Women of Sparta NIL program is designed to empower MSU student-athletes in women’s sports while strengthening MSUFCU’s brand presence within the Spartan community. With a combined Instagram following of more than 160,000, the student-athletes act as authentic ambassadors for MSUFCU, posting relatable and engaging content about the Credit Union.

Cutting Edge ― In Good Taste Engagement Space

Entries in this category go outside the norm, such as the incorporation of new technologies, guerilla marketing efforts, or anything that demonstrates forward thinking.

The creation of In Good Taste was an intentional effort to transform a significant space within the MSU Union into a positive, vibrant hub for connection and community following the February 2023 active shooter tragedy. The Credit Union worked with the university to design a welcoming environment that celebrates MSU’s legacy while also reviving the beloved tradition of serving ice cream from the MSU Dairy Store in the space, including an exclusive flavor free for MSUFCU members. By blending nostalgia with innovation, the space serves as a bridge between MSU’s rich heritage and its dynamic present.

Email ― Amazon Prime Day

Email communication, either single or in a series, such as a nurturing workflow, that either added success to an existing campaign or was introduced by itself.

The week of Amazon Prime Day, emails were sent to MSUFCU and Oakland University Credit Union debit and credit cardholders highlighting a sweepstakes and the benefits of using an MSUFCU/OU Credit Union card. The campaign successfully boosted card usage and increased member engagement.

Ongoing Event ― The Social at 311

Activities or materials related to an annual or regularly scheduled ongoing event over the course of the calendar year, such as community volunteerism or giveback programs, and sponsorship and scholarship programs.

The Social at 311 event series was established to foster meaningful connections and community engagement by offering exclusive, enriching experiences for MSUFCU members, local vendors, and community partners. The events, which were well attended, featured experiences such as a floral bouquet-making class in March, a local food and beverage tour in April, a charcuterie board-making demonstration in September, a fall-themed canvas painting class in October, and a holiday wreath-making class in November.

PR Campaign ― Women of Sparta

This category recognizes the best one-time or ongoing PR/communications campaign or crisis management communications by an in-house PR team, a PR agency, or a combination of both, that effectively engaged others to raise awareness about a credit union.

MSUFCU announced its first Women of Sparta cohort in August 2024. Assisted by M3 Group, the national PR efforts around this announcement underscored the Credit Union’s innovative approach to NIL while strengthening awareness of MSUFCU’s role in empowering the next generation of leaders through financial and personal development programs.

ABOUT MSUFCU

Founded in 1937, MSUFCU has a national reputation for excellence and has received several top industry and workplace awards, including being named a Best Credit Union to Work For® by American Banker for the sixth year, a Top Workplace by the Detroit Free Press for 15 consecutive years, and a National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® winner for seven consecutive years. MSUFCU has also been certified as a Great Place to Work® for 11 consecutive years and has been recognized by the Credit Union National Association, earning first place for the people-helping-people philosophy Louise Herring Award. The Credit Union operates an award-winning, wholly owned credit union service organization, Reseda Group; along with digital financial platforms AlumniFi, Collegiate, and Pillur Business Banking; trade name Oakland University Credit Union; and its foundation, the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation. MSUFCU is headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan; and has 36 branches; more than 370,000 members; $8.26 billion in assets; and 1,200-plus employees. For more information, visit msufcu.org.