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Independent Bankers Association of Texas Recognizes Sulphur Springs-based Community Bank for its Video Marketing
SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas—The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT), the most significant state community banking association in the nation, recently honored Alliance Bank with a Best of Community Banking (BOCB) Award. Based in Sulphur Springs, the bank received a Community Spirit/Gold Eagle BOCB Award for its marketing initiatives. Alliance Bank received the honor on September 20 during IBAT’s 2021 Convention in Austin.
In an atmosphere of vanishing traditional advertising platforms, Alliance Bank sought to target its marketing and drive non-traditional advertising mediums, recognizing the immense potential impact of video-based content. Kicking off a series of video-based campaigns tied to community involvement, the bank developed progressive and cascading marketing campaigns that have spanned 12 months to date.
The first wave of marketing was combined market acquisition and expansion, community involvement, sports highlight reel sponsorship, and market PSAs. The second wave kicked off with a Facebook/Instagram/Twitter fan drive and advertising campaigns. It tapped advertising impressions previously unrealized at a meager cost per impression.
The third wave included an aggressive and technologically forward-thinking approach to using multiple social media platforms to drive product adoption. The fourth and final wave will be a historical series of videos highlighting the customer’s journey with Alliance Bank.
IBAT has celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of Texas community banks with the BOCB Award since 1991. Community banks play a critical role in their local communities. Therefore, they designed the Best of Community Banking competition to honor these banks for their commitment to helping their customers, neighbors, employees, and community. BOCB Awards recognize community banks throughout the state for their innovation, creativity, and success in fulfilling a specific community or internal need. Each submission receives a Gold Eagle, Silver Eagle, or Bronze Eagle award in one of six categories: bank culture, community service, financial literacy, marketing, architectural design, and, new this year, pandemic response.
“This past year has been challenging across the globe as we continue to fight the pandemic,” says Christopher Williston, IBAT president, and CEO. “But community bankers have been truly inspiring during these difficult days by processing a majority (57.5 percent) of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for small businesses and helping their communities when needed most. This year’s BOCB Award recipients were particularly inspiring in their efforts to meet the challenges brought on by the pandemic. This recognition is only a small token of our immense pride in Texas community banks to better the lives of those around them. I sincerely congratulate all of the 2021 BOCB Award recipients.”