Westerra Credit Union

Category / Discipline

Brand Transformation & Creative Leadership

Role

Art Direction, Implementation, Production, Strategy

Client

Westerra Credit Union

Year

2020-2023

Westerra Credit Union, founded in 1934, is rooted in a rich history of education, and the brand has been a staple of the community since its inception. But the world was changing around Westerra, and sleepy old credit unions can’t survive in today’s fintech world. Westerra realized it was time for not just a facelift, but an entire rebrand. It began with understanding our purpose: “We exist to teach one another to prosper.” Beyond logos, and colors, Westerra is actively changing the way a credit union can do business and attract new members with the technology- and consumer experience-focused solutions we expect from big banks, but with the member-obsessed passion of a community financial institution.

My Role

I served as the brand's in-house associate creative director, managing our product campaigns and day-to-day marketing creative needs, overseeing a small team of in-house and freelance talent, and developing strategy and working with partners and stakeholders to implement a wide range of rebrand components.

Rebrand

Westerra began it's brand transformation in 2020, including signage, website, branch design, and a full corporate identity package.

Role: Creative direction, implementation, production leadership

Brand Promise

Money isn't easy, but Westerra wants to make it easier. While credit unions exist to serve their members, they don't always have the resources to compete with the larger banks. Westerra believes in providing modern tools to make banking more convenient while offering member-first guidance and services to help us all do money better.

The Idea

You Can Do Money

Understanding money is an achievable skill, and Westerra is up to the task to show you how.

Bringing the Brand to Life

Logo

Online Account Opening

Swag

Debit Card Redesign

Caption: secondary placement showing campaign scale.

Beyond implementing the new identity, I led campaigns across recruiting, product marketing and member acquisition. The selected work below spans multiple stages of my relationship with Westerra, including campaigns created before the rebrand.

Selected Campaigns

Additional campaigns created across a multi-year relationship with Westerra, spanning both sides of the brand transformation.

Role: Creative direction, campaign strategy, production leadership

Westerra Works

— 2022

In a fiercely competitive talent market, Westerra needed to show why working there was unlike working anywhere else. We created a series of cinematic employee profiles centered on individual contribution, growth and organizational impact. The initiative strengthened internal pride while creating an authentic platform for recruiting and retention.

The Westerra Bridge Loan

— 2021

Before the rebrand, Westerra needed to differentiate a bridge-loan product in Colorado’s intensely competitive housing market. We turned the homebuying process into a literal bidding war. The campaign highlighted the gritty contest between competing homebuyers where only those who move quickly and strategically can prevail. Westerra's solution? A bridge loan product that allows homeowners to tap into their current equity to meet sellers on their competitive timelines.

Outdoor