Embarrassing/puzzling Bank of Ann Arbor billboard
If you're looking for a place to do business with, go with UMCU (University of Michigan Credit Union).
Not only are they not a bank, but they have Michigan Block M debit cards. Oh and they don't do crap like this-
It's truly a family affair this time of year in Michigan! #Respect pic.twitter.com/rzE3bcImmT
— bank of ann arbor (@bankofannarbor) April 3, 2019
Fuck him. He is one of if not the biggest reason the Football program went through the problems it went through. Too busy hanging out on his boat to answer Les Miles phone call and then had one of the worst clownshow coaching searches ever.
You do realize WD that Martin hired John Beilein. He missed on the football hire, but he hit a home run with the Beilein hire.
I think the biggest reason Beilien was hired was because of his endorsement by Tim McCormack.
From listening to the recent Sam Webb interview with Ron English, I tend to believe that Bo’s influence prevented Les Miles from getting the job. Even in the afterlife, Bo was powerful.
I don't think the OP (nor I, nor anyone else) said that the bank was "associated with UM" or "beholden to the Block M," nor was that the point. They are an Ann Arbor bank. It's right in their name. Ann Arbor IS the University of Michigan, like it or not. Do I think the bank's managers should be drawn-and-quartered because of this, or that they'll lose 90% of their customers overnight? No. But it's just a deep misunderstanding of their own market. I've lived here 20 years, and assume you've been here a while too. Most people in this town are somewhere between "average UM fans" and "rabid psychopath UM fans." It's going to rub a bunch of folks the wrong way, even if only in a "huh, that was a weird billboard to put up" kind of way, and I'd bet this ends up being a net negative for them - they WILL lose some existing customers, along with some potential future customers.
" What percentage of Ann Arbor residents - whether affiliated with the university in any way or not - are UM fans? Maybe 90%? "
In all honesty... probably well less than 50% if we're talking permanent residents.
Heck - I play in a band that is 4/5 U of M employees. All live in the area. 3 of the 5 band members are MSU grads and fans.
In my office (I'm a U of M employee) it's about 50/50 - and that is UofM employees we're talking about.
Not sure I agree here for permanent residents. I live in the neighborhood behind Meijer on Saline Rd, and every single one of my neighbors that I know are Michigan fans. At my kids’ daycare, I would say the families are 75/80% Michigan.
As for professional offices and UofM employees, I would agree it is more split in the middle. My wife works for the University as well, and the fan base is actually more diverse as they hire from around the state and country.
/s
There, fixed it for you Bank of Ann Arbor.
Mother fucker
not knowing where you make your money is not a good look for a bank. obviously whoever approved that billboard did not attend either university.
EDIT: google ads must be improving their technology. the banner ads on the side of this post for me are for Credit Unions with the tag line: Tired of your bank?
kind of perfect ad placement.
UMCU does not use a "block M". They were "asked" to refrain from using it years ago by U of M. The two are not affiliated with each other.
Uh........what are you talking about?
When you join UMCU you are offered your pick between a helmet or Block M debit card. I have the Block M card.
That is not UMCU using the Block M.
That is UMCU selling you a credit card where the credit card provider is using the Block M under a licensing agreement with U of M.
I would honestly close my account. But I also put MSU t shirts on the hanger behind the UofM t shirts at the store.
Hahaha....i do the same thing. That is awesome!
Holy shit, I thought I was the only nutso fan who does this shit.
I'm going to go open an account just so I can close it!
I guess I know where I'll never be storing my money....all hundreds of dollars of it.
Down the street on Stadium they had a sign last fall that said "Like Spartans and Wolverines Love Paul Bunyan's Ax"
Why would we care about Wisconsin and Minnesota's rivalry trophy? You can tell it's some dude who is googling "Michigan football sports wolverines" when coming up with his ideas for billboards
Perich Advertising. Also Ann Arbor-based, "Two blocks from Zingermans." Current tagline is Strike A Nerve. I'd say they did that. Been doing some kind of green thing for Bank of Ann Arbor since 2016. So they obviously thought, "Oooh, kuhl! We can put something MSU on there, because green, get it?!? AND it'll 'Strike A Nerve,' maybe more than one!"
Ernie Perich is the guy who created the Noid for Domino's.
Fucking soft as a baby shit
Why not? Spartans can only get jobs as Uber or Lyft drivers, so they spend a lot of time on the road. Problem is, they store their money under their mattress and not in a bank.
/classist asshole
This week...greenstrual cycle?
Hopefully tomorrow that billboard reads "Screw that. We fired that dumbass ad agency. Forever Go Blue. Die Sparty."
Fuck this stupid shit, they should be embarrassed
Glad I don’t use this bank. Will make sure I never do.
I'm not a Bank of Ann Arbor customer, and even if I was, this billboard would have zero impact on my business there.
That doesn't mean it's not pretty stupid marketing for Ann Arbor. I would bet the percentage of their customers who agree with the sentiment on the billboard is pretty low.
The question I have is whether there's a single financial institution in the Lansing area that would EVER in a million years put up a billboard saying "This week, we bleed maize and blue. Good luck in the Final Four, Wolverines."
The answer to that is zero.
Imagine Huntington Bank in Columbus putting up a billboard like that if we made the CFP. That thing would be burned down within hours.
This is exactly, 100% correct. It would ABSOLUTELY. NEVER. HAPPEN.
And before any douche-nugget on here even says it, the "but WE'RE classier than them" nonsense is dumb. BoAA should have either stayed silent on the topic, or they should have said something like, "Well shit, I guess we're Texas Tech fans this weekend."
OSU pukes would burn that place to the ground.
Based on Facebook likes -the Ann Arbor zip codes are about 60/40 for UM/MSU.
It's not a huge divide.
No. FB likes are a terrible, terrible metric.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/03/upshot/ncaa-football-map.html#10,42.079,-83.560
This is actually a great and detailed study on it.
The more realistic numbers for Ann Arbor are:
- 60-70% U of M Fans
- 10-20% MSU Fans
- 20-30% Unaffiliated (non sports fans) OR other P5 schools.
State does not stand a chance vs Texas Tech. Owens will do work on defense vs Tilman and Ward. Culver is the best player on the floor and Maretti is a better shooter than McPoyle
Interesting. I saw this post and thought it was an overreaction.
Apparently it is not. I mean the billboard is definitely dumb, but the amount of people personally offended by it has me puzzled
Which Is why they made a mistake. Why take a chance of offending your customers? A dipshit move for sure.
F that shit. I will never root for Sparty or OSU. Period, end of story...bye bye.
Old man Potter up to no good
George Bailey should have let the crowd exact street justice on that evil old man. He didn't let them. Look at what he's doing now.
Had my identity stolen when a UMCU employee stole and sold records. I’d be ok with the billboard
They paid money to do that?
For all three Spartan fans in A2?
the Ann Arbor Domino's employs more than 3 drivers.
On a similar note, my local bank was just bought by a larger out of state bank. I had been slightly miffed at this news until I discovered the new bank's colors are maize and blue and thus its cards are much more snazzy than the lame green ones I currently possess.
Moral of the story: yay, capitalism!
I don't see how any Michigan fan emotionally invested in the team would support Sparty. If MSU wins it all we wont hear the end of it
Not cheering for state. Can't do it. I'd cheer for a drug cartel funded squad of ineligible players from around the world before I'd think about wanting MSU to do well at anything for any length of time. Ever.
What a trash dump!!
And I was so happy to hear less of their uninspired and tired radio ads.
"Bank of Ann Arbor loves to help" or whatever the catch phrase is, amusing for about a week after the campaign got going after that it was reach for the off button.
I almost want to purchase the billboard preceding this one and say
"The next billboard you see does not represent anyone's opinion other than the idiots at Bank of Ann Arbor.
Go Blue!!"