Sports Media Report
“My mother always said you are known by the company you keep, and I think we are in great company.”
With that, Investors Bank CEO Kevin Cummings helped kick off an expansion of their one year relationship with the New York Giants Tuesday, which now brings Investors Bank a bigger stage as the official branded debit card and checking account of Big Blue.
The partnership, which also includes a solid cause marketing component… each time New York scores either a touchdown, field goal or safety this season, Investors Bank will donate $250 to the non-for-profit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) of New Jersey…looks and sounds nice, but is it a smart investment with measurable ROI as Investors looks to grow in a crowded space with the like of Chase and Citi? They think so.
“We are the largest bank in New Jersey and continue to grow regionally (they recently doubled their presence on Long Island with the acquisition of Gold Coast Bank), so a partnership like this goes way beyond what a typical ROU would be,” Cummings said. “It aligns us another iconic partner, and that relationship for us is invaluable.”
The alignment also has the potential to expand even beyond the traditional borders the Giants have in the area, as Investors Bank has a national platform with their digital banking offerings, but for now, the focus is on being the biggest fish in the New York area sea the bank can be.
Cummings also added that the bank continues to look at other opportunities to use sports as a platform for growth, as they are already aligned with the New Jersey Devils and have a considerable investment in high school sports activation as well. “Our goal is to bring value and awareness to consumers no matter what the age, and a relationship with the Giants puts is on the radar of both die hard and casual fans with great regularity,” he added. “While yes we will look at numbers of new accounts and use of the card, at the end of the day we want to be a key member of the community for consumers, and there are few ways that we see work better than by investing with the teams our fans care for, and the Giants are a great fit for us.”
In the complex banking category, finding the right niche, be it locally or nationally, can be a complicated mix sometimes, as you see teams, or event like the US Open, split the finance category into many ways. However for Investors, their footprint and goals for engagement are pretty straightforward; win in the community, win with solid partners with a great culture, and let the results accrue.
A safe investment for a growing business.
