GTE Federal Credit Union is making it easy for young locals to better connect with its new U22 account.
While the official spokesman remains Major League Baseball Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, the credit union has tapped the talents of two young members to share their unique financial perspectives.
Representing both ends of the U22 age spectrum, which ranges from 12 to 22, are “Suite Caroline” Kudelko, a 12-year-old singer-songwriter and musician, and Alex Perez, an aspiring actor and self-described “broke” college student who won the U22 spokesperson open casting call.
The credit union launched its U22 program in April as a way to provide young consumers the tools they need to learn and practice good financial habits.
The U22 account features a debit card with reward points, free online account access and bill pay, mobile account access by cell phone, and one fee-free overdraft per month. In addition, it allows parents to add funds and monitor their children’s spending activity. Alerts can also be set for when balances become low, and parents can set daily spending limits. According to the credit union, a key element of the U22 program is to provide younger members with the information they can use in decision-making. Giving a voice to the daily struggles they face through spokespersons seemed a natural next step.
Kudelko opened her U22 account earlier this month at the credit union’s Seminole branch.
“This association will be fun and educational for me,” said Kudelko. “I’m always saving for something, like a new Martin guitar or Apple software to edit videos from my concerts. It will be awesome to watch my accounts on my iPhone and see the savings grow.”
Perez, who beat out 125 contestants, will be featured in upcoming GTE FCU television and radio ads and billboards promoting the U22 account. He will also document his progress toward his financial goals–one of which is a new car–via the U22 microsite (www.U224U.com) and social networking sites such as Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.
Kudelko will also document her financial goal progress via Twitter, her MySpace page, her Web site, www.suitecarolinemusic.com, and the U22 microsite. “Suite Caroline” has attracted the interest of several well-known recording artists and music industry executives in Nashville and Los Angeles. Her MySpace page (www.myspace.com/floridasuitecaroline) has over 650,000 visitors.
The U22 program will also be promoted via Tampa Rays radio broadcasts, ball park messaging, program ads and by GTE FCU employees at Tropicana Field during home games.
—mdigiovanni@cutimes.com