In the wake of the Great Recession, the banking industry has had to endure an ongoing public-relations challenge, according to Jessica Annas, Meridian Bank’s Senior Vice President of Marketing.

“Banks were kind of unfairly viewed as the scapegoat for the Great Recession,” she said. “There weren’t a lot of positive stories about banks in the aftermath of the late 2000s. That’s unfortunate because banks do more good than most other industries, whether it’s through donations, sponsorships, capital campaigns, or loans to small businesses. They’re the economic drivers of communities.”

Throughout the years, Meridian Bank has contributed substantially to worthy organizations and institutions throughout its regional footprint, and its employees serve on boards, volunteer their time, and help raise funds — all in the spirit of giving back to local communities.

And it’s the Malvern-based bank’s affiliate partnership with American Community Journals that enables it to share the many stories of its impact.

ACJ is the parent company of VISTA, MONTCO, DELCO, BUCKSCO, and PHILADELPHIA Today — five hyperlocal news journals that serve as delivery vehicles for the branded storytelling of its affiliate partners. In essence, marketing and brand storytelling can transform businesses from mere entities selling products into compelling characters in a larger narrative, making it easier for customers to connect, remember, and choose them.

“Even outside the banking industry, in marketing and advertising in general, content creation is the name of the game throughout the last 15 years,” said Annas. “It’s hard to find someone who can speak to your brand, and ACJ has mastered that for us.”

ACJ routinely plants the stories of its affiliate partners in the inboxes and social-media feeds — and, thus, the hearts and minds — of more than 350,000 Delaware Valley professionals and residents. Forty percent of ACJ’s subscribers are business owners or are in senior management positions, 68 percent have a college degree, and 45 percent have household incomes of $150,000 or more.

In other words, ACJ’s readership is a cross-section of Meridian’s target audience. (The bank specializes in business and industrial lending, as well as retail and commercial real estate lending, and is annually ranked as a top lender in the Small Business Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania District.)

“It kind of seems like the entire business community is reading ACJ’s newsletters,” said Annas. “When one of our articles is published, everyone knows about it.”

Meridian was founded in 2004, and unlike traditional banks with branches on every street corner, its strategically placed branch network keeps overhead costs low. That allows Meridian to pass efficiencies and savings — in the form of better rates and robust digital access with sophisticated security — onto its customers. Throughout its 20-year history, the bank has helped thousands of business owners, homebuyers, and local residents achieve their financial goals and has donated millions of dollars to nonprofits.

Meridian’s affiliate partnership with ACJ ensures that these success stories are amplified and resonate with Greater Philadelphia’s most influential and engaged residents, business leaders, and decision-makers.

ACJ keeps its finger on the pulse of the region’s commercial, community, and cultural scene and prides itself on sharing the stories of businesses, like Meridian Bank, and professionals whose products and services meet the needs of those around them.

“From a marketing perspective, it takes so long to create content, and it takes equally as long to get the word out,” said Annas. “It’s such a load off our shoulders to be able to outsource that to ACJ. Their staff does the research to understand what we’re looking for and knows how to talk to our customers. When our stories are published, we print them out and share them.”

Learn more about how Meridian Bank focuses on customer growth and building the economics of the markets it serves.

Don’t miss this opportunity — fill out the form below to discover how American Community Journals can spread your organization’s news across Montgomery County and the Delaware Valley!

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