WESTBROOK, Maine -- A newly-revamped TV ad campaign launched last month by the Maine Credit Union League now has new urgency for CU advocacy "considering the competition we're facing from Internet providers and outsiders like insurance firms," the head of the league's ad committee said Monday.

"We're very excited about our ads which seek to show the public that credit unions are a better option for financial services than ING or any of the others," explained Gail Richardson, chairman of the league's Statewide Advertising Committee and president/CEO of Midcoast Credit Union, Bath.

Richardson was referring to the growth of ING Direct, the online firm which provides an array of CD, savings and loan products.

Up to this year, co-op ads in Maine have been placed on a more limited, routine basis, but with new funding "we're able to get our service message out more frequently and more consistent" both this spring and again in the fall, said Richardson. The harder-edge branding becomes all the more important as Maine CUs cope with new competitors in the market like ING and a group of insurance outlets offering financial services, she said.