Digital marketing initiative to launch in January 2019  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        

CONTACT: Lauren Williams – CUNA Communications; (202) 626-7642; lwilliams@cuna.coop     

Boston, MA (June 29, 2018) – The Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the national trade organization advocating on behalf of America's 110 million credit union members, today announced during the America's Credit Union Conference (ACUC) that it will launch the consumer components of a modern, research-driven national credit union awareness program, “Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union (TM),” in January 2019. The program is part of a $100 million marketing initiative funded over three years, led by credit unions and initiated and funded by the trade group.   

“The future of our movement depends on more Americans than ever opening their eyes to everything a credit union offers them,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. “By leveraging modern digital media tools to reach the right consumers at the right time, we’ll create a fresh image for credit unions and challenge their assumptions about who we are and what we do. When they open their eyes to a credit union, they’ll be pleased by what they see.” 

America’s credit unions, leagues, and business partners, with support from CUNA, are supporting a funding goal of $100 million to sustain the effort through 2021. Credit unions will receive an operating plan with further details this summer.     

“Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union” is an industry-wide initiative to increase consumer consideration of the industry. Based on data-driven research conducted by CUNA, the engaging creative campaign will position credit unions as America's preferred financial services provider.  

CUNA invested over $2 million to fund the initiative to date. Guided by the Creating Awareness Advisory Group comprised of credit union executives the initiative is designed to combat two primary myths consumers believe: they can’t join a credit union and they can’t access their money. Now credit unions across the country are joining together to tell a new, compelling story to disrupt the financial services industry and retain relevancy in the future.   

“This national program is designed by credit unions for credit unions,” said Teresa Freeborn chair of the Creating Awareness Advisory Group and president/CEO of Xceed Financial Credit Union. “It is critical that we embrace this long-term initiative that will dispel the myths associated with credit unions and establish the credit union category clearly in the consideration set for consumers. It’s time.”  

To learn more about the “Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union” initiative go to awareness.creditunion (password: openyoureyes). 

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About CUNA        

Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America’s credit unions, which are owned by 110 million consumer members. CUNA, along with its network of affiliated state credit union leagues, delivers unwavering advocacy, continuous professional growth and operational confidence to protect the best interests of all credit unions. For more information about CUNA, visit cuna.org.