Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union has been a part of New England’s rich history for over a century. Chartered in 1912, it is America’s third oldest credit union. With that legacy comes challenges, especially with identity. Over time, Jeanne D’Arc had forgotten its heritage, and as a result, just assumed it wasn’t that important anyway. Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union became JDCU, causing a shift in both internal and public perception. The brand was completely anonymous, shuffled off to the sidelines by competing financial institutions. Raoust+Partners’ job was to retrace the roots of the credit union and salvage the bountiful history tucked away in the attic of the credit union’s brand.
Research indicated that for New Englanders, not only is history everywhere, it’s also an important part of their culture and identity. Lowell is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the U.S., with mills lining the Merrimack River. The city and surrounding region have always largely been blue collar, deeply devout and informed by the history of immigrants, mill workers and families gravitating around local churches and schools. In fact, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union itself was started in the basement of Ste Jean the Baptiste Church in Lowell. We took this to heart. Our first step was to bring JDCU back to its origins by reviving its real name: Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union.