Turning Complex Information into Clear Messaging
Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation (CUDGC)
The Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation (CUDGC) is the deposit guarantor for Saskatchewan credit unions and the primary regulator for Provincially Regulated Financial Institutions (PRFIs). As the first deposit guarantor in Canada, CUDGC has a long history of protecting deposits and effectively regulating credit unions.
The Challenge
Let’s start with the obvious: as a regulator and deposit guarantor, CUDGC is surrounded by intricate language. Legalese is a necessity.
CUDGC’s website and brochure were packed with a lot of important, useful information, but it was written at a postgraduate reading level. It was difficult to fully grasp. Audiences were struggling to understand what CUDGC does and who they are.
Tasked with updating their messaging, we had to include everything that needed to be said but deliver it in a way that didn’t confuse audiences. The legal and regulatory information couldn’t disappear; it just had to be provided in a way that was clear, human, and easy to understand.
The Thinking
Before putting pen to paper, we took CUDGC’s current key messages and conducted qualitative interviews with credit union staff across the province. Whenever possible, we like to do research first. We wanted to see how well people understood CUDGC and where confusion existed.
We heard a clear pattern. CUDGC and the guarantee were difficult to explain, and depositors found the website intimidating. The intricate language itself was brought up as a major barrier.
Using these insights, we developed a tighter Key Message Matrix focusing on the most important messages CUDGC needed to communicate. Rather than coming right out with the ‘How’, we wanted to ensure people understood the ‘What’.
With an approved Key Message Matrix, we rewrote every page of CUDGC’s website. The homepage was short and sweet, ensuring visitors immediately understood what CUDGC does. Throughout the site, we softened the legalese, shortened sentences, and replaced passive phrasing with active, conversational language. And we moved a lot of the intricate details to the FAQs page, where they could be easily found for those wanting a deeper look at CUDGC without intimidating those just looking for basic information.
The Result
We brought CUDGC’s copy down from a postgraduate level to a ninth-grade reading level. The homepage in particular went from a post-secondary reading level to just a third-grade level, providing visitors a gentler, more approachable introduction to CUDGC.
The new website and brochure:
- Clearly explain CUDGC’s role and the full deposit guarantee
- Outline what is and isn’t covered in digestible sections; and
- Uses friendlier language to show how human and approachable CUDGC is
The improved language is now being rolled out across all of CUDGC’s marketing and training materials, setting a new standard for clear, accessible communication throughout the credit union system.
