SACRAMENTO, Calif. – SAFE Credit Union has found that home iswhere a great promotional campaign begins. A creative Fall Fix-Upcampaign has helped SAFE CU, in just two years, build its homeequity loan provider profile. Playing on the popular televisionhome improvement series Trading Spaces' angle of two neighborswilling to swap houses to redecorate one room in each other's home,the promotion has become something of an event that keeps the over$1 billion credit union's name at the top of consumers' minds whiletaking a playful approach to home improvement. “Reality televisionis such a big deal now and when we started this last year we hadgrown tired of direct mail pieces and wanted something fun. So intalking with our PR firm Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn, Inc. wecame up with this idea and it's been great,” said SAFE CU VicePresident of Marketing Faith Galati. “Our interest is improving thefinancial well-being of our members and their quality of life andwhat better way to enjoy life than by making your home a betterplace to live?” Galati adds that the promotion has gone a long wayto delivering the message that SAFE is “the place to go to unlock ahome's potential.” To get the word out, SAFE CU traded the typicaldirect mailings for local “celebrity” endorsements. As part of itsexisting media partnerships, instead of producing its own radiospots, during drive-time and certain popular programs the hostswould talk up the SAFE CU event. The deal also included liveremotes to keep the buzz going. Galati says the publicity was greatbecause no additional funds had to be allocated for the promotion.To keep the campaign fresh this year SAFE CU added a “Mars andVenus” twist: the husbands would remodel a family room in onehouse, while their wives would remodel a family room in the otherhouse. The campaign tagline put it like this: “Two neighbors, tworooms, two designers, two totally different points of view.” Tomake entering a snap, applications could be completed on the SAFECU Web site. The winning couples were selected for meetingeligibility requirements, which included room size, neighborproximity and if the rooms had the greatest potential for change.As with the first year where it opted for local favorites ratherthan big store chains, SAFE partnered with ACE Hardware andregional interior design firm Home Interiors By Western Contract,which donated the services of two interior designers armed with afew thousand of dollars in furniture. To keep things light, SAFEalso invited professional comedian Jack Gallagher to act as host.“We've received tremendous response. I attended a conference ondiversity recently, and when people learned I was from SAFE, theyreplied, `Oh, you guys are the credit union that has that homeremodeling event!' ” Galati said. Contest winners Jason and HollyCable, joined by their neighbors Tyler and Rochelle Price turnedtheir quiet cul-de-sac into a flurry of activity during the twodays of intense remodeling. They were assisted by Home Interiors ByWestern Contract designers Jocette Fugitt, and Jackie Givas andCasey Sharley, who advised what design strategies to follow afterquick brainstorm sessions with each team. “ It interested my wife,so by default, it interested me,” joked Tyler Price, about why heagreed to compete. The two teams were not allowed to see what theother team was doing and a strip of blue masking tape marked “MenOnly” cut across the Cable's driveway. No stereotypical genderdesigns here as the men opted for a crackle finish and the womengave the family room a touch of plaid. Both teams were happy withhow their rooms turned out and following the unveiling, SAFE CUhosted a block party with catered food from Chevy's Mexicanrestaurant, an event that attracted about 100 people and includednot only the neighbors, but a television news crew, workers frompartners Western Contract and ACE Hardware, several radio talk showhosts and SAFE staffers. The campaign proved a success for thecredit union as well. “Last year we quadrupled our equity volume,this year the first month's data was almost triple that so our$7,500 total spent on the campaign so far has brought in about $6-9million a month,” said Galati. “It does take a lot of detailedplanning and time to get all the permits involved but it is wellworth it -the staff and members loved it and the sponsors keepcoming back so next year we'll find another way to mix it up.”[email protected]