Meriwest Credit Union wins 2026 MarCom Gold Award for holiday campaign

Meriwest Credit Union earned a 2026 MarCom Gold Award for “Meriwest Magic,” a holiday commercial series created entirely in-house in San Jose. The award puts the credit union among more than 6,000 entries and spotlights its member-focused marketing work.

Why it matters: - The MarCom Gold Award gives Meriwest Credit Union national recognition for an in-house campaign built around its member relationships and community ties. - The win reinforces the credit union’s brand message at a time when financial institutions are competing on personalized service and emotional connection, not just rates and products.

What happened: - Meriwest Credit Union won a 2026 MarCom Gold Award for “Meriwest Magic,” its holiday commercial series. - The campaign was conceived, created and produced entirely in-house. - The recognition came from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, which runs the annual MarCom Awards. - The competition drew more than 6,000 entries from the United States, Canada and 40 other countries. - Meriwest was recognized in the Video/Film: Marketing category.

The details: - “Meriwest Magic” highlights people, relationships and community through stories tied to the member experience. - The campaign’s message centers on the idea that banking starts with understanding what matters to members and helping turn goals into possibilities. - Chad Maze, Meriwest Credit Union executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the campaign was led creatively by Vice President of Marketing and Communications Meilee Epler. - Maze also said Brooks Bogle made his directorial debut on the project and that multimedia producer “Cinema” Stephen Nguyen helped bring the campaign to life. - The production used Meriwest associates, branches, employee homes, vehicles and member businesses. - The result was described as a homegrown Meriwest production. - Meriwest invited viewers to watch the full “Meriwest Magic” holiday commercial series on its YouTube channel.

Between the lines: - The award is also a validation of Meriwest’s decision to keep creative work close to the brand and its employees. - By spotlighting real people and familiar settings, the campaign appears designed to make the credit union feel more local and more personal than a standard financial ad.

What's next: - Meriwest is likely to keep using the award as proof point in future marketing and member outreach. - The company also continues to promote its broader brand presence across social platforms and its website. - Meriwest Credit Union says it serves more than 80,000 members and businesses across the San Francisco Bay Area and Pima County, Arizona. - The credit union says it provides personal banking, business banking and wealth advisory services.

The bottom line: - Meriwest’s Gold Award signals that an internally produced campaign can compete nationally when it’s rooted in a clear brand story and executed with professional polish.