Beginnings Credit Union & Empeople Credit Union garner industry recognition
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 – From new corporate identity to retail display and merchandising, Adrenaline and Beginnings Credit Union and Empeople Credit Union have received national recognition in America’s Credit Unions’ Marketing, PR & Development Council Diamond Awards. The most prestigious credit union marketing and business development honor, this annual awards competition recognizes the nation’s best credit union efforts during the past year. This year’s competition drew a record 1,481 submissions, representing nearly every state and asset class. With 181 winners, just 12% of entrants receive this significant industry honor.
Beginnings Credit Union was awarded a diamond in the Rebrand/New Corporate Identity category for their comprehensive identity transformation. The rebrand reflects a strategic shift from a legacy identity that no longer aligned with the credit union’s growth goals and evolving member expectations. The rebrand established a new name and fully integrated identity system designed to express institutional purpose and resonate across generations. This recognition highlights the impact of building brands with intention – where strategy, storytelling, and design work together.
Empeople Credit Union: Retail Display for Modern Member Engagement
Empeople Credit Union received a diamond in the Retail Display & Merchandising category for their streamlined approach to member engagement in the branch environment. The initiative redefines the role of merchandising in the branch, shifting away from product-driven displays toward a more intentional, consultative experience. By emphasizing clean, purposeful design, Empeople created spaces that support conversation, education, and connection. Digital signage plays a central role, enabling flexible, relevant messaging while preserving a streamlined space – reinforcing the credit union as a trusted financial partner rather than a transactional provider.
America’s Credit Unions is the unified voice for not-for-profit credit unions and their more than 140 million members nationwide. The organization’s Marketing, PR & Development Council is a member-led, collaborative community of credit union leaders providing vibrant peer interaction, new ideas and innovation advocating for the success of the credit union movement. For more than 30 years, the Diamond Awards have celebrated excellence in credit union marketing. For the full list of winners, visit the 2026 Diamond Awards website.
To learn more about creating award-winning brand and marketing campaigns for your bank or credit union, or to speak with one of Adrenaline’s brand experience experts, contact us today.
Adrenaline is an end-to-end brand experience company serving the financial industry. We move brands and businesses ahead by delivering on every aspect of their experience across digital and physical channels, from strategy through implementation. We create brands people love and engage audiences with story-led design and insights-driven marketing; and we design and build transformative brand experiences across branch networks, leading the construction of physical spaces that drive business advantage and make the brand experience real.
