A by-product of bank stress tests: Stressful PR?

Observation:   A story from today’s New York Times explains how banks fared during the most recent round of Federal Reserve stress tests.  This systemic scrutiny was created after the banking collapse of the Great Recession, as a way to determine whether major banks were solid enough to survive another dramatic economic downturn or other difficult events.  According to the NY Times article, 15 of 19 major banks are in strong condition.  Click here to see the story.

Implications:   Think about this.  When you see a headline that indicates, “15 of 19 banks are solid,” I can’t be the only person who’s first thought is:  Who flunked?  Who’s in trouble?  Who are the four kids that had to stay after school?! 

Stories like this remind us that, just a few years ago, we were hearing many institutions described as, “too big to fail.”  And it might represent an opportunity for smaller, more local/regional institutions to present a more human side to the financial industry.

Mike Anderson, for the Elm Street Economics consumer trends blog. A service of The Center for Sales Strategy, Inc.