Gesa Credit Union Rooted in Community, Ready for Growth: Gesa Credit Union’s Brand Transformation
Aligning purpose, people, and presence for a stronger, modern brand
Gesa Credit Union, a Washington-based financial institution, who, at the time had 28 branches and over 400 employees, has long been recognized for its deep community roots and commitment to local impact. But as its member base expanded and expectations shifted, Gesa found itself at a pivotal juncture. It needed a brand identity that matched its growth trajectory, modern and ambitious, yet firmly grounded in the values that defined its culture.
To bring this vision to life, Gesa partnered with BrandActive to lead a comprehensive brand implementation that would turn strategy into reality, align internal and external stakeholders, and deliver a brand experience as powerful as the organization’s purpose.
Modeling the Future: A Strategy Built for Scale
BrandActive began by conducting a detailed asset inventory across Gesa’s operations, identifying over 2,000 branded items, ranging from signage and collateral to digital platforms and employee materials. We developed two implementation scenarios: a six-month and a twelve-month timeline, each outlining cost and resource implications to inform executive decision-making.
Projected investment ranged from $2.4M to $3.2M, with the largest cost drivers including signage, employee engagement, digital and marcom assets, and sponsorship activations. With a roadmap in place, BrandActive worked side-by-side with Gesa’s leadership and four additional agencies to build an integrated timeline that would guide every phase of launch—from employee training to customer communications and asset conversion.
From Strategy to Execution: A Cross-Functional Rollout
Executing a rebrand across every touchpoint requires more than a plan, it demands orchestration. BrandActive helped stand up and manage nine internal workgroups, each focused on a distinct area of the brand rollout. We worked across teams and systems to ensure consistency, clarity, and momentum.
The scope of transformation included:
- Signage and Environmental Branding at 28 branches
- Mobile App and Website updates
- Debit and Credit Card redesign and distribution
- 36 ATM conversions
- Vehicle wraps and branded collateral
- Sponsorship alignment and activation
In parallel, we helped Gesa streamline its marketing library, retiring 160 outdated assets and neutralizing 40 more, to ensure brand clarity and reduce long-term operational overhead.
Making the Brand Real for Employees
Perhaps most importantly, the rebrand wasn’t just launched. It was lived.
Recognizing that internal adoption would be critical to success, BrandActive partnered with Gesa to design an employee engagement program that empowered teams to understand, embrace, and champion the new brand from Day 1. Through training, internal storytelling, and thoughtful sequencing of engagement moments, the new brand was introduced in a way that resonated deeply, preserving what employees loved about Gesa while inviting them into what’s next.
A Confident Step Forward
Gesa’s brand transformation was more than cosmetic. It was a strategic, cross-functional evolution that honored its heritage while positioning it for long-term growth. With a modern identity in place and a cohesive rollout behind it, Gesa now shows up with greater consistency, confidence, and community impact than ever before.
Have questions or curious about how we can help with your next brand implementation? Reach out to Rich Zhang at r.zhang@brandactive.com.