HOUSTON (May 20, 2024) – Smart Financial Credit Union, for the first time, brought home three American Marketing Association (AMA) Crystal Awards at a ceremony held Thursday, May 16th at 713 Music Hall in Houston, Texas. Smart Financial was a finalist in five categories and ultimately won three awards during the ceremony. The AMA Houston Crystal Awards recognize Houston’s best and brightest marketers, including professionals within marketing, communications, advertising, design and public relations. The awards are judged purely on results and are led by a panel of judges including marketing thought leaders and educators, CMOs, business owners, and authors from around the United States, with none located in Houston to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Smart Financial received three prestigious Crystal Awards for:

Marketing Campaign, Non-Profit: which included all creative elements and results of the 'Smart Financial Squad' campaign which ran over the summer of 2023. The artwork depicting the vintage comic book theme was hand drawn by Smart Financial’s Visual Designer, Dave Cebrero, and concepted by Vice President of Marketing, Andrew Huang.

Print Collateral, Direct Marketing: a direct mail piece in the form of a comic book was mailed to a targeted audience.

Branding, Illustration: artwork created for the Smart Squad campaign hand drawn by Smart Financial’s Visual Designer Dave Cebrero.

“Working alongside such a talented group of marketing professionals is truly an honor. This recognition from the American Marketing Association’s prestigious Crystal Awards is just one example of the outstanding work and creativity I see daily with our group. As a small marketing team, it’s even more of an honor to be recognized by national marketing experts and against the top-notch competition of Houston’s best marketers and agencies,” said Smart Financial CMO Corbin Wilson.

ABOUT SMART FINANCIAL

Smart Financial Credit Union has been dedicated to providing superior financial services since 1934, making it one of the oldest and well-established credit unions in the Houston Metro area. With 13 locations in Greater Houston, Smart Financial is a state-chartered credit union that is owned and operated by its members. Smart Financial provides a full range of financial services to more than 63,000 members. In 2016, Smart Financial became the naming rights sponsor of Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Texas which has become one of the top mid-sized concert venues in the world. For more information, visit www.smartcu.org or engage with Smart Financial Credit Union on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

ABOUT AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION HOUSTON

AMA Houston is the leading educational information, career-building, and networking resource for Houston’s marketing professionals and has been serving marketing professionals for more than 60 years. AMA Houston is one of the nation’s largest chapters and a repeat Chapter Excellence Award winner including a Bronze winner in 2019. To learn more about the AMA or to join Houston’s largest marketing professional organization, visit amahouston.org.

Media Contacts:

Andrew Huang
Smart Financial Credit Union
o: 713.407.1833 | ahuang@smartcu.org

Corbin Wilson
Smart Financial Credit Union
o: 713.407.1913 | corbinw@smartcu.org