Willamette Valley Bank Tells Customer Stories

Twenty‑five years in business is a milestone for any organization. It’s the kind of achievement frequently marked with banners, speeches and a well-deserved victory lap. But when Willamette Valley Bank marked its 25th anniversary in October 2025, the $458 million-asset community bank in Salem, Oregon, skipped the solo victory lap. Instead, it spotlighted customers in a professionally crafted video, letting them tell the bank’s story in their own words.

Featuring homeowners, small business owners and longtime clients describing how Willamette Valley Bank helped them put down roots and grow, the three‑minute digital tribute has quickly become one of the bank’s most versatile marketing tools.

“We wanted to be able to share our appreciation with those who have helped us get this far,” says CEO Ryan Dempster. “The video lets us express that gratitude in a polished, impactful way. It’s a small gesture, but it allows us to use our talents and treasure to give back to this community.”

How customer stories build trust in community banking

With their sights set on celebrating people rather than on performance metrics, Dempster and his team saw customer testimonials as a compelling way to highlight the role that strong hometown banking relationships play in a community’s ability to thrive.

“Our goal was to tell a story that showed how much it matters when customers choose to bank locally,” Dempster says. “The deposits our customers make are lent right back out here in the Willamette Valley. Not every bank doing business in Salem can say that.”

By weaving in customer stories with real‑life branch interactions, the video demonstrates the team’s belief in the power of local banking while using the bank’s success and longevity as an example of what can happen when a community reinvests in itself.

“We’re as much a small business as we are a bank,” says Dempster. “Like any small business, we depend on our customers. The message of the video is both ‘we’re proud to have reached 25 years’ and ‘let’s keep moving forward as a small‑business community and celebrate our successes together.’”

How Willamette Valley bank built a community story

From the outset, the Willamette Valley Bank team wanted the anniversary project to reflect the full breadth of the bank’s footprint, not just that of its Salem headquarters. Community engagement officer Daylee Howard worked to ensure customers in different markets could see their experiences, environments and neighbors reflected on screen.

“We asked each branch manager to request testimonials from clients they have the strongest relationships with and who would feel comfortable sharing their stories,” says Howard. 

The response was immediate and enthusiastic. “I don’t think anyone turned us down; everyone was happy to help us tell this story,” she says.

To support the interview process, Howard shared a list of sample questions with a few customers in advance so they could reflect on what they wanted to say. Once the camera started rolling, most people needed only one take. “It was clear how strong the relationships between customers and our employees really are,” she says.

True to the theme of shared success, the video captures the distinct character of each branch, featuring employees, shareholders and longtime customers throughout. 

“Any one of those interviews would have been powerful on its own,” Dempster says. “Our videographer pulled highlights from each testimonial in a way that helps audiences understand who we are and what we’re all about.”

Community bank marketing lessons from customer storytelling

Reflecting on the process of bringing customer experiences to life on screen, Dempster praises the decision to seek input and support from an outside creative partner, Sean Batterberry with Red Letter Days. 

“We could have done everything ourselves, but it would have been really clunky [and not as polished],” he says. “Having someone experienced who understands who we are and what we’re trying to communicate was key and absolutely worth the investment.”

Howard agrees, emphasizing the trust that comes from long‑term collaboration. “We’ve worked with this company for more than 10 years on different projects,” she says. “They know our staff and are skilled at asking the right questions of whoever is in front of the camera, so the message comes through clearly.”

An added benefit of the partnership was a robust library of existing footage. B‑roll from earlier projects made its way into the anniversary video, elevating the production quality while keeping costs in check.

How community banks can repurpose content for ongoing impact

Although conceived as a one‑time anniversary piece, the testimonial video soon became a flexible, multi-use marketing asset. “We’ve been able to get a lot of mileage out of these stories in different venues,” says Dempster.

Since premiering the video at the anniversary celebration in October, Willamette Valley Bank has repurposed the content for events and sponsorships, including a small‑business luncheon hosted by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and attended by 300 professionals. Social media has further extended the reach, as short clips from the video continue to perform well in the bank’s posts and draw positive feedback for the authenticity of the testimonials.

The experience has reinforced Dempster’s belief in the power of digital storytelling. “It’s easy to forget the enormous impact the internet and social media can have,” he says, noting the congratulatory messages the community bank has received from across the country. “We’ll definitely be looking for more ways to build on that momentum over the next 25 years.”

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