Guiding customers through the bank switch they didn't ask for

In August 2016, KeyBank was in the process of acquiring First Niagara Financial Group in New York. First Niagara was the hometown favorite; it was also the second largest bank in New York. KeyBank wanted to avoid the perception of being the overbearing bank coming in and taking over the little guy. And they had good reason. Research showed that in general, consumers distrust big banks and that during acquisitions, consumers are 3x as likely to switch. As the content manager for the project, I nixed the idea of a stodgy website and jargon-laden transition docs. Instead, I helped direct and write the MeetKeyBank.com microsite full of real KeyBank and First Niagara employees welcoming customers and answering questions—in their own words.