ABA brand leveraged in name change

Northwestern Financial Review, Aug 1, 2001

[chronicle]

The Bank Marketing Association is dropping the name it adopted in 1970 and now calls itself the ABA Marketing Network.

A subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, ABA Marketing Network was formed in 1915 as the Financial Advertisers Association. In 1948 it became the Financial Public Relations Association and in 1965 it was renamed the Bank Public Relations and Marketing Association.

Local chapters of the old BMA will change their name to chapters of the ABA Marketing Network.

ABA said no services will be affected by the name change. The organization is best known for its School Bank Marketing and Management, an annual conference, a magazine and an awards program.

Doug Adamson, ABA's executive director for professional development said the new name gives the organization leverages ABA brand awareness.

"Rather than maintaining two separate identities with ABA and BMA, it makes sense to leverage the single brand identity," said Alisha Johnson, board member for the ABA Marketing Network. Johnson is marketing vice president for Highland Bank in St. Paul, Minn.