Ohio CUs Promote Financial Literacy on all Fronts

MIAMI VALLEY and SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Credit Union Chapters here are making sure teens up their financial IQ. Credit unions from the Miami Valley and Springfield, Ohio have pooled financial resources and talent to help educate area teens about the basics of personal finance. This year Miami Valley and Springfield credit unions will invest some $24,000 of a cooperative budget in television and radio advertising with Dayton’s WB television station and Clear Channel Radio. The 30-second television and radio ads feature local high school students from Miamisburg High School singing a fun recreation of the old “Camp Town Ladies” song. Each ad highlights a different personal finance tip designed to promote the theme of “Financial Success in You.” There will be nine total ads in the campaign covering topics including: Pay Yourself First; Credit is a Privilege That is Earned; A Credit Card May Not be Worth the Free T-shirt; and Do Your Homework When You Buy a Car. “Dayton’s WB was a logical choice for us to reach teens,” said Eric Gagliano, vice president of marketing/River Valley CU and Miami Valley and Springfield CU Chapters advertising committee chair. “With shows like The Daily Buzz, One Tree Hill, and Malcolm in the Middle, they offered the most effective way to reach teens and were the best spent of our cooperative dollars. We will also use WXEG (103.9) and WDKF (94.5) during the summer months because of their dominance with this age group.” Area credit unions are also working with the National Endowment for Financial Education to provide free personal finance materials to local high schools.