Mindful of last year's positive feedback from Bank Transfer Day,North and South Dakota credit unions are cranking up a two-stateawareness campaign this month.

The year-long campaign – “We've Been Waiting for You” – willinclude television, radio and online ads plus a grassroots tour tohalf a dozen cities this spring to meet with reporters and editorsto remind them of credit unions' economic role.

“People are sick and tired of being treated badly by big banksand tired of big bank fees” and yet, said Robbie Thompson,president/CEO of the Credit Union Association of the Dakotas, “toomany people simply don't know about the credit union alternative,and so we intend to change that.”

The campaign kicked off last week with North Dakota pressconferences in Bismarck and Fargo and resumes April 17 in a “CU onthe Road” tour complete with vehiclewraps.

The CUAD schedule calls for another visit in Fargo, followed upApril 18 in Grand Forks, N.D., May 8 in Devils Lake, N.D., and May20 in Jamestown, N.D. The “We've Been Waiting For You” TV spotsrely ontestimonials from credit union members in the states that areincorporated into the commercials.

The commercials were produced by the H2M agency of Fargo andfollow focus groups conducted last year by an agency division,Member Tree Consultants, Thompson said.

He said the commercials show that consumers who were informedabout credit unions were likely to join one. Throughthis campaign, the CUAD said it will convey a message that credit unions offersimilar services to banks, but with better service, and stressconsumer eligibility.

In addition the ads will hit on credit union lending capacityand convenience in line with the national push on member businesslending.

“Credit unions have been in the Dakotas for more than 100 years,but unfortunately we are the best kept secret,” said Thompson.

Karen Andersen, president/CEO of the $16 million Postal FamilyCU of Fargo, said she hopes the “We've Been waiting for You”campaign will clear up misconceptions have that Dakotans are unableto belong a credit union unless they work for a specificemployer.

Though TV cameras turned out for the Bismarck visit, the Fargoevent had a problem, said Andersen. There were no reportersin Fargo, just staff and CEOs since the press got called away atthe last minute to cover a police chase of a man carrying a rifledown a busy street.