ALEXANDRIA, Va.– Spectra Credit Union has been honored with five national Diamond Awards fromthe CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council for the credit union’s inclusive “You Are Welcome” brand awareness campaign, new logo, website, debit/credit card designs, and overall rebrand.
The credit union’s new brand received a Category’s Best Award for the rebrand category. The name SPECTRA was selected because it speaks to the credit union’s foundation with Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), specifically to the iconic radar dish that still sits atop their home office that once used the electromagnetic spectrum to search the universe for new discoveries. The word also relates to the distribution of colors produced when light is dispersed by a prism, like the diverse population in the Washington, DC-area market, the CU said.
The Spectra website received a Category’s Best Award for the website category. As part of the complete rebrand, Spectra developed a new website to showcase the credit union’s new identity. The new site is clean, organized, and strategically designed so that it appeals to both members and prospective members, the CU said.
The Spectra logo received a Category’s Best Award for the logo category. The Spectra symbol was created by combining the letter S with a vibrant geometric design inspired by a pattern made up of triangles, which are a symbol of unity, stability, and strength.
Spectra’s “You Are Welcome” brand awareness campaign received a Diamond Award. The campaign speaks directly to the diverse, disenfranchised, underbanked people in the community who havestruggled to find a banking “home." View the full video in English here and in Spanish here.
The new debit and credit card designs received a Diamond Award for the plastic access card design category. While each card is different, they each incorporate a different piece of the geometric “S” icon and signature gradient color palette to work together as a group.
“Our new brand is the culmination of nearly four years of research, creative development, name selection, and ultimately, the roll-out campaign,” said CEO Kristin Shultz. “We pride ourselves oninclusivity and serving people from all walks of life.