FIRST SOUTHERN NATIONAL BANK: WE BELIEVE IN YOU

Clarifying A Brand & Translating Magic

First Southern National Bank logo. Digital Marketing, Website Design, Branding, Graphic Design, Logo Design, Advertising, and Marketing Agency services in Danville, Kentucky.

As a community bank with just over 40 years under its belt, First Southern National Bank had gained a reputation as a strong institution built by leveraging a relatively small number of very profitable relationships. Since the beginning, a high value was put on in-person conversations and word-of-mouth referrals and the bank had utilized that approach to drive steady success. By 2018, the world around them was changing. Rather than rest on their laurels, leadership saw declining numbers of younger customers and the emergence of non-traditional fintech competitors as a call to more clearly define who they were to the world at large.

Up until 2018, First Southern had done very little paid advertising. Beyond that, each market had its interpretation of the company brand. From messaging to fonts to colors to photos to signage, for people without a personal connection to the banks, the signals were mixed at best. Along with the need for a cohesive brand to unite their locations across geography and channels, they also needed to translate the magic of in-person connections to platforms like websites, digital banking, mobile apps, and interactive teller machines.

THE CHALLENGE

Define the brand and build a theme to connect emotionally with potential customers.

Old fsnb.net screen capture

Internal Focus

We analyzed existing materials to identify what worked and what didn’t, aiming to isolate their identity from amidst the clutter. Despite strengths, such as a partially launched rebrand and digital tools, there were clear issues. Inconsistencies in language and visual branding across platforms made it seem like different banks. Additionally, their content was overly focused on their team rather than their customers and solutions.

new fsnb.net website design screengrab. Digital Marketing, Website Design, Branding, Graphic Design, Logo Design, Advertising, and Marketing Agency services in Danville, Kentucky.

Solutions Focus

While showcasing great team members might seem natural, it’s crucial to first communicate why potential customers should connect with your brand. The adage, ‘No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care,’ resonated with us. First Southern wasn’t competing on rates or gimmicks but on genuine investment in their customers’ success. Through leadership meetings, team surveys, and industry analysis, we identified their core strength: a commitment to coaching customers toward financial freedom. This led to the tagline, ‘WE BELIEVE IN YOU.’

THE SOLUTION

It became clear that consistency in messaging and visuals was task one. To run effective advertising, we had to begin by building brand standards (they had none), a new website, new print materials, and a new approach to social media and email. In short, we had to rebuild everything but the logo from the ground up.

THE RESULTS

From 2018 through 2023, the bank saw its overall assets grow by more than 42% and its year-over-year net income grow by as much as 61% (from 2021 to 2022). Beyond those numbers, impacts could be measured all around.

FROM 2018 TO 2023

fsnb.net users increased by 13% from 2018 to 2023. Digital Marketing, Website Design, Branding, Graphic Design, Logo Design, Advertising, and Marketing Agency services in Danville, Kentucky.
SOURCED FROM GOOGLE ANALYTICS
Ad sourced users on fsnb.net increased by 3161% from 2018 to 2023. Digital Marketing, Website Design, Branding, Graphic Design, Logo Design, Advertising, and Marketing Agency services in Danville, Kentucky.
SOURCED FROM GOOGLE ANALYTICS
Contributors on this project include Brett Wiseman (Graphic Design), Gabe Osborne (Photography/Videography), Jenna Walker (Content Creation), Robin Cooney (Content Creation/On-Screen Talent), Array (Credit Monitoring Solution), and Banzai (Financial Literacy Content).