From September 15–17, credit union marketers gathered at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa for MAC Conference 2026. Surrounded by the beautiful Arizona desert, the event brought together familiar faces, new connections, and plenty of fresh ideas.
Our team enjoyed meeting credit union marketing professionals and hearing firsthand what teams across the industry are working on. Some of our favorite moments happened beyond the sessions. At one activity, attendees split into teams to build bicycles for foster children in Arizona. Each team assembled two bikes and wrote personal letters to go with them. It was a lot of fun, and a good reminder of what a group can accomplish when everyone pitches in. Later, the kickoff party at Mummy Mountain gave us another chance to connect.
While AI, automation, and emerging technologies were important topics throughout the event, one message stayed with us: building strong relationships requires more than knowing who someone is today. It means continuing to listen, learn, and adapt as their needs evolve.
Here are a few of the ideas and conversations we're bringing home from Scottsdale.
1. Getting to know members is never finished
One of the most thought-provoking sessions was Brent Dixon's Becoming More Human in an Automated World, and one idea in particular resonated with us: getting to know someone isn't a task you complete. It's an ongoing process.
During his session, Brent emphasized the importance of being reachable, letting people's responses shape what happens next, and making something together.
We kept coming back to what this means for personalization. It's not just about delivering a relevant message based on what an institution already knows about a member. It's also about creating opportunities to listen and letting what members share guide the conversation.
A member who has already opened an account shouldn't continue receiving reminders to open it. Someone who expresses interest in a financial goal may benefit from different communications as their needs evolve.
Automation can help here when it's designed around member actions and engagement. Instead of treating each campaign as a one-off, credit unions can use that information to adjust their communications over time. But building meaningful relationships still requires listening to members and being willing to adapt based on what they share.
2. Better member experiences start inside the organization
Sarita Maybin's Communicating for Success: Working Together for Better Results focused on how the way we communicate influences our ability to work effectively with others.
Through practical examples and her Top 10 Positive Communication Phrases, Sarita explored how listening, understanding different perspectives, and choosing our words thoughtfully can help build trust and improve collaboration.
Anyone who has launched a credit union campaign knows why this matters. Getting one out the door usually means coordinating across marketing, compliance, IT, member services, and more, and each team brings its own priorities to the table.
When those teams communicate clearly and understand one another's perspectives, they're better positioned to coordinate their work and create consistent experiences for the members they serve.
The bike-building activity offered a simple example of what people can accomplish when they work together toward a shared goal.
3. AI is changing how members find credit unions
The panel Competing in the AI Era: How Credit Unions Get Found, Chosen, and Trusted explored how AI is reshaping credit union marketing, from search visibility to new opportunities and risks for financial institutions.
A key part of the discussion centered on Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As consumers increasingly turn to AI-powered tools for answers, credit unions need to think beyond traditional search rankings and consider how their information appears in AI-generated responses.
The panel highlighted the importance of creating relevant, trustworthy content that reflects the communities credit unions serve. It also raised an important question: how can credit unions measure the effectiveness of their AEO efforts?
Beyond search visibility, the panel also covered AI-driven hyper-personalization and segmentation, as well as compliance risks and the possibility of inaccurate AI-generated responses.
Our takeaway: AI creates new opportunities for credit unions, while making accuracy and member trust even more essential.
4. Celebrating the people behind the work
The MAC Awards Gala brought the community together to celebrate the creativity, dedication, and accomplishments of credit union marketing teams across the country.
Congratulations to all the 2026 MAC Award winners and finalists!
The conversation continues
From personalization and collaboration to AI, MAC 2026 gave us new ways to think about how credit unions build relationships with their members. One idea stood out: getting to know members is never finished. Technology can help credit unions keep listening and respond as members' needs change. That's the kind of work that drives us at Prisma Campaigns every day.
Thank you to the MAC team for bringing this community together, and to everyone who stopped by our booth and shared what your team is working on.
Let's keep the conversation going.
If you're exploring how to make better use of your member data, personalize communications, or connect your marketing channels, we'd love to hear from you.
Image credit: Prisma Campaigns' Team.