Union Bank Of California @ WING Latino Group – LA.

Union Bank of California, N.A. announced the selection of WING Latino Group as its new advertising agency of record to handle creative development for the bank’s new advertising directed at the Hispanic market.

Los Angeles-based WING Latino Group was selected from several candidates during a three-month search process. The meticulous process included interviews, an extensive request for proposal response and multiple presentations.

“We selected the agency which most closely fit our needs. We chose WING Latino because they know the Hispanic community, and they have a strong understanding of the banking industry and the specific needs of this segment. They had a strong team and offered innovative solutions to reach this market,” said Jessica Anderson, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Union Bank.

The agency will support overall marketing efforts for the bank’s emerging markets administration, launched five years ago to incorporate marketing and the delivery of marketing products to reach the ethnic communities in California. The administration seeks to gain the business of financially savvy potential customers who are looking to open a new bank account and want a banking partner who meets their financial needs in a culturally sensitive way.

“The agency will assist an important segment for Union Bank. We recognize that the ethnic segments wield formidable economic clout, and we are committed to serving them through our traditional services and products,” said Maria Gallo, senior vice president and manager of the bank’s emerging markets administration.

Since the administration was established, 180 of Union Bank’s 259 branches serve predominantly ethnic communities throughout the state. These branches are among the bank’s most successful in meeting their sales goals. The bank attributes this success to the multi-ethnic and multi-lingual staff, which comprises these branches.

Additionally to augment its services to the Hispanic market, Union Bank opened the Commerce Business Center — a banking facility designed specifically for small business owners who want bilingual bankers — based on the success of its first Business Center in Santa Ana, which was launched last year.

Union Bank has been offering a wide range of financial services targeting the fast-growing ethnic markets. In 1993, the bank launched its Cash & Save offices — an innovative network of bank branches offering check cashing, wire transfers, money orders and traditional and non-traditional banking services to people in low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods and in immigrant communities. That same year the Union Bank launched its Urban Enterprise Banking organization to increase access to business financing to women and/or minority owned businesses in California, Oregon and Washington. In 2000, the bank joined forces with Nix Check Cashing and non-profit Operation HOPE, Inc. to offer banking services to underserved
neighborhoods in California.