DeVito/Verdi Handed Gold At 2015 Midas Awards For Commercial Targeting "Heartless" Banks

NEW YORK, Dec. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Borrowing a song sung by the Tin Man has led to gold for the New York advertising agency DeVito/Verdi, as it was awarded the top prize in the banking category, a Gold Midas award for its "Heart" commercial on behalf of the Long Island-based credit union NEFCU.

The Midas Awards, which honors excellence in financial advertising and marketing on a global scale, announced its 2015 winners this week. DeVito/Verdi's "Heart" commercial for NEFCU was the top pick in the "Banking: Traditional" category.

The playful commercial uses the "If I only had a heart" song from The Wizard of Oz to poke fun at the heartless nature of big banks and its bankers. The satirical spot follows bankers at work, blithely ignoring customers while focusing on ever-increasing profits. 

The commercial is the latest in a continuing campaign to differentiate the local credit union from its bloated banking brethren. "Heart" and other spots for NEFCU carry the theme "Better banking because we're not a bank."

The Midas Awards panel of judges includes client and agency leaders from the creative and marketing disciplines, as well as internationally recognized experts in financial policy and communications. These judges offer their perspectives not only on how well a message is delivered, but how it is received. Gold and Silver Midas ingots are presented to the highest-scoring entries.

About the Midas Awards
Founded in 2001, the Midas Awards® is the only competition to recognize excellence in financial advertising and marketing on a global scale, honoring the World's Best Financial Advertising in banking, brokerage, insurance, mutual funds, credit cards, real estate, accounting, and consulting. The competition invites entries in four specific categories: Products & Services, Craft, Use of Medium, and Use of Discipline.

About NEFCU
NEFCU is one of Long Island's leading not-for-profit full-service financial institutions that proudly offers its affordable banking services to all Long Islanders. With more than $2.3 billion in assets and over 160,000 members, NEFCU is headquartered in Westbury, NY and has branches and a shared branch network throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. To join NEFCU, eligible members must live, work, worship, attend school, or regularly conduct business in Nassau and/or Suffolk Counties (excluding the townships of East Hampton, Southampton and Shelter Island). Existing NEFCU members may also sponsor immediate family members or household members.

About DeVito/Verdi
DeVito/Verdi, a privately held company, has been recognized as one of the most exceptional creative agencies in the industry.  It has been voted "Best Agency" six times by the advertising industry group, the AAAA, and has created some of the most memorable ad campaigns of the past 20 years.  Its lengthy list of industry awards includes the top prizes at the Clios, Radio Mercury, Cannes, Andy, Addy and One Show award ceremonies.  The agency has had a rich history of success with radio advertising, including its campaign for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, one of the most acclaimed radio campaigns in history.  The agency has also worked for the radio industry to create a number of campaigns designed to bolster the image and offerings of the medium to consumers.

DeVito/Verdi strives for excellence and maintains a unique level of prestige within the advertising industry, as evidenced by its work for such clients as Kohl's, The National Association of Broadcasters, 7-Eleven, New York Institute of Technology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Sony, Canon, Duane Reade Drug Stores, BMW, Esquire Magazine, Men's Wearhouse, TimeOut Magazine, Grey Goose Vodka, U. of Chicago Medical Center, eCampus, Reebok, Legal Sea Foods, Office Depot, Appleton Rums, Pepsi/SOBE, Fallon Community Health Plan, Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Empire Kosher Chicken, Acura, CarMax, Sports Authority, Campaign for Freedom Post 9/11, Pro-Choice Education Project, Hillary Clinton for Senate, and others.  For more information on DeVito/Verdi, visit www.devitoverdi.com.

SOURCE DeVito/Verdi

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