Larissa explains it all
Posted by Brent Dixon on January 24th, 2008
This is a straight-up re-post from Currency Tim’s blog, but I don’t care because this video needs to be posted as many places in Credit Uniondom as possible.
Please watch 19-year old Larissa, spokesperson for Commonwealth CU’s Young & Free campaign, explain the difference between credit unions and banks.
To quote Charlie from an earlier tweet:
“Larissa’s vid is just what I have in mind when I picture a national CU vs Bank differentiation campaign.”
Question for Tim:
Would you ever consider re-editing, and re-releasing a less-Y&F-branded version for CUs to put on their own homepages, “about us” pages, and blogs?
Question for CUs:
Is this something you’d like to put in front of your members?
I’d do everything in my power to get it past our marketing department!
BRENT! I was just about to send Tim an email asking if that video could be re-cut for general CU use!
Tim – that’s two re-cut requests now. :)
“I agree that the Y&F video is impressive, but isn’t it just a Common Craft ripoff?”
Common Craft: http://www.commoncraft.com/
The above was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw it. I sound-boarded that comment off someone else and their reply was to the effect that the style was similar, but the content is just so good.
I’ll just sit and chew on that for a while.
@Robbie, Jeff & Brent – I will leave the general re-cut response to Tim & CWCU. Because I am a little-biased and insensitive, would it be that terrible to leave the Y&F mention in?
@CUSkeptic – When I first saw this vid, Common Craft is what first came to mind as well. I made some queries and yes, Larrisa was given some references to other visual and written communcation-styles, including Common Craft, of which I am a big fan. I so dislike cheap knock-offs, but Larissa’s vid & content is, as your sound board said, “just so good”.
The styles are similar, but it really is a great video with a lot of education crammed into it.
I think the video is brilliantly executed and written. I would want to put this in front of my members.
While I think the idea of a national differentiation campaign is good, I think we need to first make a concerted effort to involve more members in the democratic process we tout so heavily.
From what I’ve witnessed, the annual CU meeting to which the members are invited and at which they can vote are not attended by actual members. Sure, members of the CU’s management team show up and vote. No offense, folks, but they don’t count.
When was the last time an member who wasn’t on your CU’s payroll participate in the meeting, let alone attend?
I’ve asked colleagues at CUs around the country over the years about how many members show up at their annual meeting and have yet to get a number higher than 20. This seems to be a trend. This is sad. This needs to change.
There was an article in CU Times about a year or two ago that spotlighted one CU chartering a bus to shuttle members to and from their annual meeting. Granted, that same approach becomes unwieldy with larger CUs but it at least someone drank enough of the Kool-Aid to do it.
I get excited when I see videos like Larissa’s. They make me feel like, as part of a credit union, I’m part of something bigger than myself. Something unique and powerful, something more than profit that exists to make people’s lives better.
That spirit – indeed, the very essence of the credit union movement – exists only as long as it involves the people we serve. I hope that, in the quest to tell everyone what makes us different, that we are brave enough to actually BE different.
Brent – you totally stole my post!
I saw that video yesterday and thought, “Wow, I should post that sometime soon.”
I did post it to the DE and Marketing Council list serves though.
You are good Brent…almost too good. At least I know you have good taste :)
Love it! So glad we decided not to give iPods away. :) And yeah, I would put this in front of my members.
It’s on You Tube so anyone can use it, right? I think it’s great and plan on putting it on the Boardcast (with all the proper achknowledgments of course.
Andy - our annual meeting has become famous as a great time for everyone attending. We get what I think is a good turnout,100 members. We have a Sunday brunch and it’s become a wonderful family outing for members.Our annual meeting here at Maine State cu got around 400 people. It fills up the civic center floor. Mostly its older people who have been going every year forever. But still, it turns out to be a huge event that goes from 6 till midnight. Its usually a pretty good time.
Brent, interestingly before you posted this with your question:
“Would you ever consider re-editing, and re-releasing a less-Y&F-branded version for CUs to put on their own homepages, “about us” pages, and blogs?”
We had already received a few e-mails to that effect.
I had a conference call with Larissa and the folks from Common Wealth Credit Union this morning. First of all, I want to make it clear that this is not Currency Marketing’s property to distribute. Larissa Walkiw wrote it, filmed and animated it on her own.
Here is the deal with credits and licensing.
• The video is to be distributed by online means only
• The original YouTube video (from the larissawalkiw account) must be posted. This can easily be done by using the embed code provided by YouTube.
• The video is to be distributed for educational purposes only.
• The video must be properly credited and accompanied by a link to the Young & Free website: www.youngfreealberta.com
“The video is the property of Larissa Walkiw and Common Wealth Credit Union. Please visit www.youngfreealberta.com to learn more.”
• Option attribution:
“Larissa rocks my socks.”
I think this is fair. And what’s the harm in giving credit to where credit’s due?
Also to the point of Common Craft. Ironically, I first learned about those videos on Open Source CU, when Brent posted a sample. I sent it to Larissa and said, “Hey something like this would be cool.”
In hindsight, we should have put an “Inspired by Common Craft” scene in. I know there at least two more in production and will make sure to ask Larissa to add that in.
Tim,
Not to be “that guy”, but by posting it to YouTube it seems that Larissa granted a “a non-exclusive license” to “use, reproduce, distribute, display and perform” not only to YouTube, but also each YouTube user.
Section 6C in their terms of use: http://www.youtube.com/t/terms
Now, I really have no idea what that means, and I’m not suggesting that the terms you listed above are unreasonable, I’m just saying that the distribution method may have tied the hands of Common Wealth Credit Union in this matter.
Also, I believe that if Common Wealth Credit Union was paying Larissa to do the video, I believe it belongs to them and not Larissa. (Unless a different agreement exists.)
I would LOVE for someone who actually knows what they are talking about to comment/post about social media, ownership, usage, and distribution methods.
@CU Skeptic
By definition, you are ‘that guy’ :)
No doubt on the YouTube issue.
Feel free to embed the code on any website or blog. If you can give a shout out to Larissa and Common Wealth, great.
Technically, Common Wealth is the owner, but I feel strongly that the credit for this outstanding work is 100% Larissa.
On another note, since you have come out of semi-retirement, I am officially asking you to be a guest on our new podcast. I’ve published one and have a couple in the can. What do you say? Number 4?
I’ll even do the FBI relocation scramble to your voice!
Tim,
I guess I am that guy….
I would gladly do your podcast. Send me an email and we’ll work out the details.
cuskeptic => gmail
On a separate note, how many people are anxiously awaiting part 2?
@ Robbie: I laughed when I read “get it past my marketing department.”
@ The Infamous CU Skeptic: I agree with Caleb and your sound board. Stylistically, its certainly inspired by Common Craft…but a monkey can move bits of paper around in front of a camera, but that doesn’t make it entertaining or insightful. It takes a special kind of talent, like Larissa’s, to put together an explanation like that with such clarity and entertainment value.
I think it as more homage than ripoff.
@ Christopher: You should post it too! Get this sucker in front of as many industry kids as possible. CUs should take note of this kind of creativity, playfulness, and dead-on communication.
And I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for part 2.
@ Tim & Caleb: Credit should definitely be given where credit is due. I just think with the specific CU reference and product plug, its a lot less likely to be put in front of members by other credit unions. You know how that conversation will go: “well I want our members to be focused on our credit union!”
But I agree that Larissa and Y & F should absolutely get a shout out in some attribution text outside of the video, if a re-cut ever did happen.
Also, I cannot wait to hear your podcast with the CU Skeptic.
@ Andy: Wow, that you get 400 people to come to a 6 – midnight credit union party is awesome. You need to share your secrets. Passionate membership? Free things? Booze? Members who are passionate about free things and booze?
@ other Andy: I love this quote from you -
I totally agree. And getting that to actually play out in CUs nationally, I think, is key before any kind of national awareness is campaign is attempted.
@ Terrell: I really like your post on the Verity blog yesterday about the problems that still exist even when you have a really incredible value proposition. It’s interesting to juxtapose that reality next to hearty and near-sighted CU idealism.
It’s almost unnerving to sit in an industry with such incredible cultural relevance and competitive potential, but still see such a struggle for market share.
@ Ginny: I wish I had some brunch right now.
Wow. Don’t know where they found Larissa but you don’t get 19yr olds that talented and articulate anywhere. As for the CommonCraft deal…I think she was innovative for taking after that style, not stealing it. Whiteboard video has been around for a while and you certainly can’t copyright paper dolls and cut outs. To be honest, I called CommonCraft about making me the same video, though now I am going to leave that alone (first come, first serve…way to go Larissa and Commonwealth). This is the type of Gen Y stuff we need to see more of. I for one look forward to seeing what else they come up with…
Note* I called CommonCraft 2 months ago…before her video posted, not because of it, and again, I am not going that direction. For anyone who hasn’t seen CommonCraft’s stuff, I suggest checking out their zombie video, it’s hilarious. http://www.commoncraft.com/zombies
@ Brent – you make a really good point.
... Credit should definitely be given where credit is due. I just think with the specific CU reference and product plug, its a lot less likely to be put in front of members by other credit unions. You know how that conversation will go: “well I want our members to be focused on our credit union!”
... In the spirit of Open Source, I’ll see what I can do after the full series has been created and published on the Young & Free Alberta site.
Thanks again for your help popularizing this video. It is an important message to get out there.
“Hey Mr. Banker, check this out. Owned!”