Marketing Dollars Drive Bank Performance, New Research Confirms

New research from Capital Performance Group and The Financial Brand confirms banks spending more on marketing experience faster growth in loans, revenue, and deposits. Despite this evidence, banks continue to cut marketing budgets in 2024, while fintech competitors who heavily invest in marketing are outperforming traditional institutions.

• Marketing is incorrectly viewed as an optional expense rather than a growth engine
• Banks across two asset tiers ($1B-$10B and $10B-$100B) were analyzed in the research
• Fintech bank holding companies investing heavily in marketing show superior performance
• Marketing directly drives revenue through deposit promotions and customer acquisition
• Successful banks in 2025 will spend smarter with clear ROI targets
• Proper benchmarking against competitors is essential for strategic marketing
• Cardinal Capital helps banks retain and acquire customers through capital strategies

Want to talk through how to turn your marketing dollars into loan growth, or need help finding the right borrower at the right margin? You know where to find us. Subscribe, share with fellow bankers and remember, when it comes to growth, the budget you protect might just be the one that builds your future.

For more commercial capital information, contact us at info@cardinalcap.net

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Transcript

Welcome to Capital Talk

Speaker 1 0:01

Hi everyone , welcome to Capital Talk , where commercial lending meets real-world growth . I'm Rob Powell , a partner at Cardinal Capital , where we help banks and businesses win smarter

Marketing Budgets Under Threat

Speaker 1 0:12

. Now let's talk about the budget line item that gets cut . The minute times get tough and that's marketing . In fact , I'll bet you , at your last budget meeting , someone said do we really need to spend this much on marketing

Research Proves Marketing Drives Growth

Speaker 1 0:27

? Well , according to new research from Capital Performance Group and the financial brand , the answer is a resounding yes . They analyzed FDIC insured banks across two asset tiers $1 billion to $10 billion and $10 billion to $100 billion . Guess what they found ? You guessed it Banks that spend more on marketing saw faster growth in loans , revenue and deposits . That's right . More marketing equals more business . Who knew Even better ? Fintech bank holding companies , who absolutely pour money into marketing , are seeing superior performance across the board . Why ? Because they treat marketing like a growth engine , not a cost

Three Keys to Marketing Success

Speaker 1 1:10

center . But here's the kicker Despite that success , marketing budgets across the industry still shrank in 2024 . It's like trying to drive cross-country and deciding halfway through Oklahoma

Cardinal Capital's Value Proposition

Speaker 1 1:23

that gas is too expensive .

Speaker 1 1:26

Here's what I want you to take away from this . Marketing is not fluff , it is not optional and it is not just about brand awareness anymore . It's about driving real , measurable revenue , whether it's deposit promos , new customer acquisition or digital lending campaigns . Banks that succeed in 2025 and beyond will do three things . They'll spend smarter

Episode Wrap and Call to Action

Speaker 1 1:52

, with clear ROI targets . They will benchmark better .

Speaker 1 1:56

If you don't know what your peers are doing , you're flying blind . Stop cutting the engine when you need acceleration . And if you're listening as a commercial banker , here's where Cardinal Capital comes in . We help banks retain and acquire customers by offering the kind of capital strategies and creative deal structures that keep you competitive and relevant in a world where fintechs are eating your lunch . Want to talk through how to turn your marketing dollars into loan growth , or need help finding the right borrower at the right margin ? You know where to find us . That's it for this episode of Capital Talk . Subscribe , share with fellow bankers and remember , when it comes to growth , the budget you protect might just be the one that builds your future . See you next time . Capital Talk is a production of Cardinal Capital . For more , visit cardinalcapnet or visit us on LinkedIn at Cardinal Capital .