HARRISBURG, Pa. -- All the talk lately about a national brand for credit unions should now focus on the Pennsylvania "iBelong" model, its state league backers claimed Wednesday pointing to newfound traction.

"We would simply love to see iBelong as the national brand because we think the timing couldn't be better and the message to consumers is very strong," explained Michael Wishnow, senior vice president of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association commenting on the licensing of a third league for the two-year-old awareness campaign.

In a press statement, the Mississippi Credit Union Association said it will start offering iBelong TV and radio commercials starting in January and finds the themes of "credit unions are for everyone," "better rates and fees" and "credit unions care" worthwhile in creating industry awareness.

The PCUA, which said Mississippi now follows Illinois as holding an "iBelong" license, should be gaining more state league participants in 2009 "with four or five" now showing keen interest.

In extolling its attributes, PCUA noted the Web site and ads are helpful in directing consumers to locate CU branches with the system linking to the California-based findacreditunion.com data base which on its own has been showing big usage increases. The burst in online activity, claims the California/Nevada Credit Union League is a fallout from the economic meltdown and a public yearning to flee banks because of safety worries.