Billboards, magazine and newspaper ads, and other marketing channels should not be used as a canvas for creative teams to display their creative genius.

The purpose of most advertising is to sell products.

I was reminded of this yesterday while passing a billboard with an ad from my local credit union.  I hate picking on my own credit union but they constantly provide me with wonderful opportunities.

Here’s the copy on the billboard in question:

Bank in debt to

America?

Come on over!        Credit Union Name

Also important to note is the word “Bank” appears in blue while the word “America” appears in red.  Next, note the positioning of the two words.  The remaining headline and subhead copy appear in black.

It’s no coincidence that the corporate colors of Bank of America are blue and red.

The headline is an obvious reference to the fact that Bank of America took a massive dose of TARP money.

But so what?

What does taking TARP money have to do with my local credit union?

If my wife’s reaction to the meaning of the billboard message is any indication, the creative team’s attempt at humor is being lost on the majority of viewers.

On the other hand, I can just imagine the laughter and high-fives at the creative meeting when the team members came up with this jewel.  I’m just a bit surprised that it would be approved by the credit union’s CMO and CEO.

Unfortunately, the credit union squandered precious marketing dollars to indulge the creative genius of its in-house marketing agency.

For the past several months, the credit union has been running newspaper ads consistently promoting its low-rate auto loans.  As a result, you’d think the billboard messages would support the auto loan campaign.

This is not some remote billboard on a less-traveled street.  It’s located at one of the busier, stop light intersections in downtown Sacramento, at the bottom of an elevated highway off-ramp.  It gets thousands of views a day.

It’s right across the street from one of the city’s busiest gas stations.  And ironically, it’s located in the parking lot of an auto repair center.  What better location for the credit union’s low rate auto loan message.

Instead, it’s being wasted on some clever dig at one of the credit union’s largest competitors.  I’m sure the marketing folks at Bank of America are worried sick over this billboard message.