Victoria Advocate | By Allison Miles

It isn't every day a guy enters a restaurant for lunch and leaves with the promise of a $30,000 salary, laptop, camcorder and more.

But that's how it happened for Josh Garrett.

On Monday, TDECU surprised the 21-year-old Victorian at Uncle Mutt's Bar-B-Q Co. with news he'd won the company's Young & Free Texas spokesperson search.

"It feels pretty good," Garrett said as he stood among friends and family who gathered for the surprise. "I'm really excited."

As spokesman, Garrett will travel, post blogs and video blogs and educate young adults about the benefits of joining credit unions. He also will help TDECU determine how to reach out to young Texans.

The deal includes swag such as use of a Toyota Prius and gas allowance, an Apple MacBook notebook computer with Internet, Canon digital camcorder and an Apple iPhone with a paid contract, according to a TDECU news release.

The Victoria College student entered the contest via a video blog and updated with new blogs daily. His fate was left to the online community, as voters decided among the contest's top three candidates.

Garrett will continue with school and plans to move on to the University of Houston-Victoria, where he will study communications.

His parents, Terry Garrett and Ophelia Calderone, both said they're proud of their son, who they described as a hard worker with a sense of humor. They learned of the win a week ago and it was difficult to keep it under wraps, Calderone admitted. Especially on Wednesday, Garrett's birthday.

Mom and Dad might not have blabbed, but Garrett still grew suspicious when his brother told him he wanted to visit Victoria.

"That's never happened before," he said. "I kind of suspected something was going on."

Garrett might be gearing up to start his new position, but he isn't without guidance. DeAndre Upshaw, the organization's 2009 spokesman, offered a bit of advice.

"Be yourself," he said, adding there are people involved in the program in South Carolina, Alberta and other areas, and each person has a unique personality. "Do what you feel is right."

+ Original article

Victoria Advocate

The message is posted on billboards, flyers and Web sites throughout Texas and, in early November, it caught Josh Garrett's eye: "Would you, could you take my job?"

And he decided he was up to the challenge.

Garrett, 20, is among six people vying to be spokesman for TDECU's Young & Free Texas organization, which promotes credit union use among young adults. He's the only Crossroads resident up for the spot.

The full-time, year-long position pays a $30,000 salary, according to TDECU's Web site. The spokesman will attend and speak at events throughout the year, post daily blog entries and weekly video blogs and is expected to become a member of TDECU, the site said.

The Victoria College student first learned of the job through an advertisement but didn't plan to apply. A while later, though, he decided to give it a go and submitted a video application.

"I was the first applicant," he said, adding that, by the original cut-off date, only one other person had applied. "They extended the deadline by almost a month, though, so now there are six of us."

It isn't TDECU that will determine whether Garrett gets the job, however. It's a voting process, which means he's at the mercy of the online community.

Garrett was born in Texas - it's a toss-up between Killeen, Fort Hood and Fort Worth, he isn't sure which - and lived in Germany until age 4.

His family then moved to Victoria, where he graduated Memorial High School in 2007. He has a brother and a sister.

Garrett has been involved in theater and film production for several years, which gave him the background he needed to put together his video application, he said.

Those who want to know more can go online.

"If people go and check out the video, they'll see for themselves," he said.

Voting opens Friday and lasts through Dec. 14, Garrett said.

For more information on the program or to view contestants' profiles and cast a vote, visit www.youngfreetexas.com.

+ Original article

Business Wire

Think you have what it takes to inspire young people? Then TDECU wants to hear from you. The search is currently underway to find the next Young & Free Texas spokesperson to serve as the voice of the 25 and under crowd, and represent the voice of the Y Generation on the interactive Young & Free Texas Web site.
Entries for this dream job will be accepted online through November 16, 2009 at www.youngfreetexas.com, with the top three finalists going on to battle for online votes during a public voting period. The winner will be decided by the public and will be announced around December 15, 2009.

As TDECU’s Young & Free spokesperson, the winner will report from special events, and keep young Texans in the know on the free and cool happenings in their area.

In addition, the winning spokesperson will receive:

• Use of a Toyota® Prius with a gas allowance for one year
• An Apple® MacBook® notebook computer with a paid Internet contract
• A Canon® digital camcorder
• An Apple® iPhone® with a paid contract
• And, a competitive annual salary!

To spread the word on its search, TDECU is taking to the streets. Catch up with TDECU at the following events, win great prizes and meet the 2009 Spokesperson DeAndre' Upshaw.

October 16
Victoria Mall, Center Court
7800 N. Navarro, Victoria, TX
5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

October 28
University of Houston, Student Center Satellite
210 University Center, Houston
10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

October 30
Victoria Mall, Center Court
7800 N. Navarro, Victoria, TX
5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

October 31
Haunted Zoo in Victoria
110 Memorial Dr., Victoria, TX
6:00 p.m.

+ Original post on Business Wire
+ Pick up on TMC.net
+ Pick up on Earth Times
+ Pick up on Sys Con Media

Credit Union Times | By Myriam DiGiovanni

The Young & Free world just got a little more connected with the launch of the Living Young & Free Show.

Currency Marketing Program Manager and Living Young & Free Community Manager Cheryl Weins will host a bimonthly coordinated show. Each episode will feature three, two-minute educational segments from Y&F spokespeople Myles Peterman (Alberta), Josh Sutherland (South Carolina) and DeAndre Upshaw (Texas). New episodes will be produced every two weeks and will be posted on each of the Young & Free sites as well as the Living Young & Free central site (livingyoungandfree.com).

According to Currency Marketing President/Creative Director Tim McAlpine, the move to grow a loyal audience through syndicated shows rather than posting random videos hoping for a viral sensation makes sense considering 24 hours of new video is posted on YouTube every 60 seconds.

McAlpine said the Living Young & Free Show will also be distributed on Blip.tv, iTunes as a video podcast, the Y&F YouTube channels, Y&F Facebook fan pages and “anywhere else we can post it. The more places we can get it seen the better.”

The Young & Free program is a financial management package designed to engage 19- to 25-year-olds toward effectively managing their money through nontraditional mediums, such as a microsite, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.

» Original article

Filene Research Institute

Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU) is the first American credit union to launch a follow-up to the popular Young & Free Alberta campaign. The Young & Free campaign (www.youngfreetexas.com) entails an online video competition for the most dynamic spokesperson, who is then hired for a year, given cameras, a computer, and a TDECU car to spread the news about everything free in Texas—including the credit union’s GO2 account.

Once hired, the spokesperson will represent TDECU at events that attract young adults in the credit union’s market. Traveling and meeting people will provide fodder for the Young & Free Texas Blog, Twitter updates, photos, and videos. As the credit union builds a community around the spokesperson’s work, the GO2 account, which offers free checking and access to 32,000 COOP ATMs, will always be in the background. TDECU plans to add student loans and low-rate credit cards to the mix soon.

Focusing attention on something besides the credit union was essential, says Trey Reeme, who leads the Young & Free initiative at TDECU. “Especially in a turbulent economy, people are looking for ways to not spend as much,” he says. The credit union will keep its products available, but the focus will be on deals, saving, and what thrift looks like today.

TDECU will measure success by how many new accounts are opened by 18–25-yearolds and by increases in the credit union’s wallet share among the group, says CEO Ed Speed.

“Credit unions have a tough time accepting the notion of segmentation, that different people need to be spoken to in different ways, whether that’s middle-class women, youth, or Latinos. Different people want to be talked to in different ways,” Speed says.

The Young & Free program was developed by Currency Marketing, of Chilliwack, British Columbia.

» Original source

Power Points | By Anthony

How do you know if you should 'do' social media?

Had the opportunity to meet and chat with Trey Reeme at SWOMFest. He works for a credit union and a recent post of his succinctly answered the question:

"If you’re not first doing something compelling in the real world, don’t bother getting into social media."

TDECU's "Young & Free Texas" project is a prime example of doing something both useful and compelling. And guess what, it's not about a product or even a brand - its about supporting an audience at its core, emotional level.

As the economy shifts from consumption-centric to something else (and I'm not sure what yet), the focus of marketing should be on understanding what the long term benefit of the relationship is. For some products, e.g. cars, electronic retailers, etc. - the answer might just well be that there isn't a real reason. Companies that can't answer 'what benefit do we deliver and what are we known for' are likely to be roadside litter.

» Original post

Baylor University The Lariat Online | By Arielle Cayia, Reporter

A Baylor student has beat out twelve other competitors to become the new face of a statewide campaign.

Conroe senior DeAndre' Upshaw won the competition to become the first spokesperson for Young & Free Texas.

Young & Free Texas is a platform that was designed to help define freedom for Texas youth and provides the resources that challenge young people to move toward that freedom, according to their Web site, www.youngfreetexas.com.

As brand ambassador and the voice of Young & Free Texas, Upshaw will be trying to connect with the 18 to 25-year-old demographic to gain an understanding of what that age group expects from banking institutions, Upshaw said.

"I want to send a message of well-being and empower people," he said.

Upshaw's mission is to connect with young people on what they want to know about how a credit union works, how to save and plan for the future and how to make sure they are fiscally safe in an economic crisis.

"Young & Free Texas is about helping young adults make better financial decisions," said Trey Reeme, director of channel integration at TDECU Credit Union. "It's about finding free things to do in Texas, and it's about a credit union having a conversation with the under-25 crowd to accomplish that."

TDECU Credit Union is the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast, according to its Web site, www.tdecu.org.

"The competition's goal was to hire a young adult to tell our company where we can get better, and DeAndre' is that voice," Reeme said. "We're thrilled that he's on our team."

Planning to pursue a career in the public relations field, Upshaw said he thought this job would give him a lot of the tools he would need for the workplace in the future.

As part of his job, he will be blogging every day and video blogging once a week as well as traveling to different areas of Texas in order to promote the mission of Young and Free Texas, Upshaw said. He will be running a Web site and producing all of its content.

"I think that part of the reason I won is due to my strong writing background," Upshaw said. "You need to be able to write and put together film, and I think my major and minor gave me an extra edge."

Of the 12 contestants who applied, three were chosen as finalists and Upshaw was chosen as the winner based on an online voting poll.

"When we chose (Upshaw) as one of the three Young & Free Texas finalists, we loved his creativity and style," Reeme said. "He was the first applicant in the competition and he set the bar incredibly high with his video application and first blog post."

The public voted for Upshaw to get the job, and of the thousands of votes Young & Free Texas received, Upshaw got nearly 50 percent of the votes, Reeme said.

"He's got a great attitude and is good at speaking and relating to other people," Waxahachie junior Shaun Patterson said. "He is the best representation of the 25-and-under crowd for Young & Free Texas."

Patterson is a friend of Upshaw, and they also are in the Guerilla Comedy Troupe together.

As winner of the Young & Free Texas competition, Upshaw received a new Toyota Prius with free gas for a year, an Apple MacBook with a paid Internet contract and an Apple iPhone with a paid contract along with several other prizes to aid him as spokesperson. Also, he received a salaried position with TDECU Credit Union.

"The Toyota Prius has been a great blessing," Upshaw said.

His former car broke down within a day of receiving the Prius, he said.

Upshaw is a Community Leader at the Arbors Community and will be graduating in May. As spokesperson, he plans on doing more traveling around Texas after graduation.

"He's just fantastic and is a great representation of Baylor," Patterson said.

For more information about the Young & Free Texas initiative, visit www.youngfreetexas.com.

Founded in 1955, it is a non-profit financial cooperative that aims to offer a selection of products and services: savings, checking, certificates of deposit, and IRAs to name a few.

Upshaw saw an advertisement for the Young & Free Texas Spokesperson Competition on Facebook and after doing some research, decided to apply.

He put a lot of effort into winning the competition by creating a Facebook group and asking friends to vote for him in order to further his campaign.

» Original article

Market Watch

Baylor University Student Announced as the New Face of the Y Generation as Winner of the TDECU Young & Free Texas Spokesperson Search

TDECU is thrilled to announce that DeAndre' Upshaw has been declared the winner of its first Young & Free Texas spokesperson search. Before a gathering of 40 of his friends, the 21-year-old Baylor University student was surprised on campus with the announcement by TDECU Director of Channel Integration Trey Reeme, who informed Upshaw of his winning status.
When asked by Reeme if he would officially accept the role as the 2009 Young & Free Texas Spokesperson, Upshaw responded with an enthusiastic "Sure will" as the room exploded with applause. Upshaw was then showered with a bevy of prizes that included a Toyota Prius with free gas for a year, an Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract and an Apple iPhone with a paid contract, and more importantly, a salaried position with TDECU.

"DeAndre' is dynamic, likeable and comfortable with the use of social media to connect to others. It's no surprise that he captured the attention of the 25 and under crowd," said Edward Speed, TDECU President and CEO. "By working with DeAndre', we will be able to fine-tune the value, services and benefits we offer to our Young & Free Texas members as their financial institution and deliver on their expectations."

TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast, is presenting Young & Free Texas and its corresponding online initiative, found at www.youngfreetexas.com, as a means of empowering young people, ages 19 to 25, and help them gain a grasp on their financial future and goals. This outreach finds TDECU paving the way in talking to young adults as other financial institutions decrease their efforts because of the current economic landscape.

In the race to become the official spokesperson, Upshaw faced fierce competition from two other finalists, 19-year-old Amy Acreman and 22-year-old Jason Smith, both of Houston. All three mounted incredible campaigns to garner the public votes needed to win. In the final tally of votes, Upshaw secured 47 percent of the thousands of votes received.
As the winner, Upshaw now becomes the official voice of the Y Generation and joins TDECU as a salaried employee. In this role, he will have a direct say on how TDECU can reach out to its young members with products and services that appeal to them. He will share this knowledge and other exciting happenings through frequent blog and video posts on the Young & Free Texas web site (www.youngfreetexas.com) and serve as a conduit for input from his peers.

In addition to the prizes received at the surprise announcement, Upshaw will use his other winnings which include a new Canon digital camcorder and camera and a Flip digital video camera to dive immediately into his new job responsibilities.

During his time with TDECU, Upshaw will continue to pursue his studies at Baylor where he is working towards a degree in Journalism/Public Relations with a minor in Film and Digital Media. A senior, he is set to graduate in May 2009. His interests, which he shares at www.youngfreetexas.com is singing, music and improv comedy. He also shares his outlook of what it means to be Young & Free.

"I see Young & Free as a frame of mind. It's all about having a fresh perspective on life and connecting with things that are important to us," said Upshaw. "Together at the Young & Free site, we'll learn things, connect with one another and explore every new possibility!"

» Original article

Central Vally Times

Baylor University Student Announced as the New Face of the Y Generation as Winner of the TDECU Young & Free Texas Spokesperson Search

TDECU is thrilled to announce that DeAndre' Upshaw has been declared the winner of its first Young & Free Texas spokesperson search. Before a gathering of 40 of his friends, the 21-year-old Baylor University student was surprised on campus with the announcement by TDECU Director of Channel Integration Trey Reeme, who informed Upshaw of his winning status.

When asked by Reeme if he would officially accept the role as the 2009 Young & Free Texas Spokesperson, Upshaw responded with an enthusiastic "Sure will" as the room exploded with applause. Upshaw was then showered with a bevy of prizes that included a Toyota Prius with free gas for a year, an Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract and an Apple iPhone with a paid contract, and more importantly, a salaried position with TDECU.

"DeAndre' is dynamic, likeable and comfortable with the use of social media to connect to others. It's no surprise that he captured the attention of the 25 and under crowd," said Edward Speed, TDECU President and CEO. "By working with DeAndre', we will be able to fine-tune the value, services and benefits we offer to our Young & Free Texas members as their financial institution and deliver on their expectations."

TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast, is presenting Young & Free Texas and its corresponding online initiative, found at www.youngfreetexas.com, as a means of empowering young people, ages 19 to 25, and help them gain a grasp on their financial future and goals. This outreach finds TDECU paving the way in talking to young adults as other financial institutions decrease their efforts because of the current economic landscape.

In the race to become the official spokesperson, Upshaw faced fierce competition from two other finalists, 19-year-old Amy Acreman and 22-year-old Jason Smith, both of Houston. All three mounted incredible campaigns to garner the public votes needed to win. In the final tally of votes, Upshaw secured 47 percent of the thousands of votes received.
As the winner, Upshaw now becomes the official voice of the Y Generation and joins TDECU as a salaried employee. In this role, he will have a direct say on how TDECU can reach out to its young members with products and services that appeal to them. He will share this knowledge and other exciting happenings through frequent blog and video posts on the Young & Free Texas web site (www.youngfreetexas.com) and serve as a conduit for input from his peers.

In addition to the prizes received at the surprise announcement, Upshaw will use his other winnings which include a new Canon digital camcorder and camera and a Flip digital video camera to dive immediately into his new job responsibilities.

During his time with TDECU, Upshaw will continue to pursue his studies at Baylor where he is working towards a degree in Journalism/Public Relations with a minor in Film and Digital Media. A senior, he is set to graduate in May 2009. His interests, which he shares at www.youngfreetexas.com is singing, music and improv comedy. He also shares his outlook of what it means to be Young & Free.

"I see Young & Free as a frame of mind. It's all about having a fresh perspective on life and connecting with things that are important to us," said Upshaw. "Together at the Young & Free site, we'll learn things, connect with one another and explore every new possibility!"

» Original article

The Boardcast Blog

Through the Boardcast I have become a fan of many credit unions throughout the US and Canada. Online contacts with Trey Reeme and Tim McAlpine have called my attention to a new program being initiated by Texas Dow Employees Credit Union.

Young & Free Texas was launched earlier this month and is in the process of recruiting a spokesperson who will be able to spread the credit union message to those who are under 25. The competition has resulted in three finalists who are in the running for this position. I've enjoyed viewing the videos produced by the candidates as they ask for votes. This weekend Young and Free finalist DeAndre' Upshaw from Waco, Texas posted a video challenge entry entitled "Credit Unions Are For Old People". DeAndré interviewed 4 young adults, some students at Baylor University, and asked them what they want from a financial institution. He also quizzed them on their knowledge of credit unions. Their responses are an eye-opener for all credit union fans. These young adults make it clear that credit unions have done an abysmal job in offering young people a credible choice in their search for a financial institution that meets their needs.

One of the interviewees, Kevin Satterfield, said that he associated credit unions with his parents. He said that credit unions are for "older people" not for him and his friends or other young people. The impressions these young people have make it clear to me that credit unions are going to need to work harder to change their image. It is vital that we become more inclusive in our message so that credit unions become a credible choice for young people. Since most community credit unions have a local flavor and focus, each credit union will have to discover how to retool their message to attract the youth in their particular area. I also believe that Kevin's comments point to another reality that credit unions need to acknowledge. Everyone who values their membership in UFirst should be an ambassador for credit unions. Young people are often influenced by their parents in their selection of financial institutions. This influence can open up the credit union choice for the next generation of members.

The young people DeAndré spoke with also described what they value in a financial institution. This included transparency, accountability, security and open communication. These are all values that credit unions say are priorities in their service to members. Credit Unions bear the responsibility to get this message out to all potential members including young people so that they will have the choice of turning to credit unions for their financial needs. Tomorrow's post will feature a description of how UFirst is working in cooperation with area schools to give young people the knowledge and options they need to meet the fiscal challenges of the future. In the meantime, here is DeAndré's interview in full:

 
» View original post

Market Watch

Texans Urged to Vote for their Favorite Finalist through October 24

In a battle that is reaching epic proportions, three finalists in the search for the first Young & Free Texas Spokesperson are taking their fight into the world of social media. The finalists are using this arena to lobby for the public votes they need to win the coolest contest in the state and land a paying job.

The three finalists are 21-year-old DeAndre Upshaw of Waco and 19-year-old Amy Acreman and 22-year-old Jason Smith, both of Houston. Each is vying for the opportunity to be named the first official Young & Free Texas spokesperson.

With this sole objective in mind, each is using sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to ask for votes. The public is invited to support them in their quest by logging onto the Young & Free Texas Web site at www.youngfreetexas.com and voting today. The finalists’ profiles and entries can be viewed on the site as well.

The winner of the spokesperson search will become the official voice of the Y Generation for Young & Free Texas, an exciting online initiative that will connect young adults with the fun and free happenings occurring in their area. The winner will also receive:

• A Toyota Prius with a gas allowance
• An Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract
• A Canon digital camcorder
• A Canon digital camera
• A Flip digital video camera
• An Apple iPhone with a paid contract
• And, a competitive annual salary!

The public voting period runs through October 24, 2008. The winner will be determined by the most votes and will be announced on October 31, 2008.

Young & Free Texas is being presented by TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast. The initiative was designed to resonate with 19 to 25 year-olds and help them plan their financial future.

» Original article

Business Wire

Texans Urged to Vote for their Favorite Finalist through October 24

In a battle that is reaching epic proportions, three finalists in the search for the first Young & Free Texas Spokesperson are taking their fight into the world of social media. The finalists are using this arena to lobby for the public votes they need to win the coolest contest in the state and land a paying job.

The three finalists are 21-year-old DeAndre Upshaw of Waco and 19-year-old Amy Acreman and 22-year-old Jason Smith, both of Houston. Each is vying for the opportunity to be named the first official Young & Free Texas spokesperson.

With this sole objective in mind, each is using sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to ask for votes. The public is invited to support them in their quest by logging onto the Young & Free Texas Web site at www.youngfreetexas.com and voting today. The finalists’ profiles and entries can be viewed on the site as well.

The winner of the spokesperson search will become the official voice of the Y Generation for Young & Free Texas, an exciting online initiative that will connect young adults with the fun and free happenings occurring in their area. The winner will also receive:

• A Toyota Prius with a gas allowance
• An Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract
• A Canon digital camcorder
• A Canon digital camera
• A Flip digital video camera
• An Apple iPhone with a paid contract
• And, a competitive annual salary!

The public voting period runs through October 24, 2008. The winner will be determined by the most votes and will be announced on October 31, 2008.

Young & Free Texas is being presented by TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast. The initiative was designed to resonate with 19 to 25 year-olds and help them plan their financial future.

» Original article

Access My Library

Texas Dow Employees CU rolled out a new package of financial management tools targeted at members between 19 and 25 years old, so-called Generation Y.

The $1.3-billion credit union is holding a contest to choose a spokesperson for the program, dubbed "Young & Free." Young...

» Read full article

Market Watch

Young Adults Urged to Get Online Now to Apply for the Coolest Job in Texas by October 3.

Young & Free Texas is on the search for a spokesperson. Due to Hurricane Ike, the online search has been extended to Friday, October 3, 2008 to give Texas young adults the chance to apply for what is sure to be the coolest job in the state at www.youngfreetexas.com.

With this deadline extension, there is still a chance for young Texans, between 19 and 25, to apply to be the first official spokesperson for Young & Free Texas, an exciting online initiative that will connect young adults with the fun and free happenings occurring in their area.

As the voice of the Y Generation on the Young & Free Texas Web site, the winning spokesperson will receive:

• A Toyota Prius with a gas allowance
• An Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract
• A Canon digital camcorder
• A Canon digital camera
• A Flip digital video camera
• An Apple iPhone with a paid contract
• And, a competitive annual salary!

Entries will be accepted online through October 3, 2008. All Texans between the ages of 19 and 25 are eligible to apply. From here, three finalists will be selected and their entries posted online for public voting: October 10 to 24, 2008. The public will decide the outcome and the winner will be announced on October 31, 2008.

Already two young Texans have thrown their hats into the ring to battle for public votes. They are 21-year-old DeAndre' Upshaw and 19-year-old Lauren Byers. And, Upshaw, a junior at Baylor University, is showing he's up for the challenge by turning his application entry into a month-long campaign on Facebook. Their video entries can be viewed at www.youngfreetexas.com.
Young & Free Texas is being presented by TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast. The initiative was designed to resonate with 19 to 25 year-olds and help them plan their financial future.

» Original article

Centre Daily Times

Young Adults Urged to Get Online Now to Apply for the Coolest Job in Texas by October 3

Young & Free Texas is on the search for a spokesperson. Due to Hurricane Ike, the online search has been extended to Friday, October 3, 2008 to give Texas young adults the chance to apply for what is sure to be the coolest job in the state at www.youngfreetexas.com.

With this deadline extension, there is still a chance for young Texans, between 19 and 25, to apply to be the first official spokesperson for Young & Free Texas, an exciting online initiative that will connect young adults with the fun and free happenings occurring in their area.

As the voice of the Y Generation on the Young & Free Texas Web site, the winning spokesperson will receive:

• A Toyota Prius with a gas allowance
• An Apple MacBook notebook computer with a paid Internet contract
• A Canon digital camcorder
• A Canon digital camera
• A Flip digital video camera
• An Apple iPhone with a paid contract
• And, a competitive annual salary!

Entries will be accepted online through October 3, 2008. All Texans between the ages of 19 and 25 are eligible to apply. From here, three finalists will be selected and their entries posted online for public voting: October 10 to 24, 2008. The public will decide the outcome and the winner will be announced on October 31, 2008.

Already two young Texans have thrown their hats into the ring to battle for public votes. They are 21-year-old DeAndre' Upshaw and 19-year-old Lauren Byers. And, Upshaw, a junior at Baylor University, is showing he's up for the challenge by turning his application entry into a month-long campaign on Facebook. Their video entries can be viewed at www.youngfreetexas.com.
Young & Free Texas is being presented by TDECU, the largest locally-owned financial institution along the Texas Gulf Coast. The initiative was designed to resonate with 19 to 25 year-olds and help them plan their financial future.

» Original article

Channel 25 TV

Trey Reeme, TDECU Director of Channel Integration appeared on Victoria's Channel 25, the local ABC, NBC and FOX TV affiliate. He was on the NewsCenter Morning Show to promote the Young & Free Texas Spokesperson search.

» Visit website

The Financial Brand | By Jeffry Pilcher

When Currency Marketing started planning the rollout of TDECU’s Young & Free Texas campaign, the agency’s media team was looking for non-traditional options to reach the 19 to 25 crowd. That’s when they found GoMobile Advertising based in Kent Washington.

The two firms hatched the idea pitting Guitar Hero players against one another in a truck that’s one-part cage-fighting arena, one part human fishtank.

GoMobile, which owns the truck, needed only 10 days to build and wrap the truck with artwork once the concept was approved.

Currency’s Tim McAlpine says the Texas truck from GoMobile is an 8 week campaign. The deal includes production, media, parking licenses, gas and a “brand ambassador” who works events and drives the truck around.

The truck’s features include seven flat panel TVs, an eight speaker surround sound system which blasts a hip playlist, a Guitar Hero competition setup and wireless microphones. GoMobile calls it “a festival on wheels.”

When on the road, the truck is a mobile billboard.

Such coolness doesn’t come cheap. When asked what the GoMobile truck deal cost, Currency would only say it was “tens of thousands.”

Because GoMobile owns the truck, the license plate is from Washington — unfortunate for a Texas-themed campaign.

The truck will be hitting hot spots in Houston until voting for the spokesperson is over in mid October.

Key Question: How seriously do you take your event marketing?

Key Takeaways: You need to be making “marketing events” to maximize your event marketing opportunities. Free pens and water bottles don’t cut it. While you don’t need something as expensive as a custom truck, what you do need is an idea of a similar magnitude. “Cutting through the clutter” is just as tough in real life as it is in advertising.

» Original post

Go Mobile Advertising

HOUSTON - The Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU), a not-for-profit financial cooperative with over 125,000 members is kicking off the launch of a new advertising campaign dubbed “Young & Free” with a college campus tour to search for the program’s spokesperson.

Young & Free, a financial management package being offered to banks around the country, hopes to transform the credit union industry by engaging young people towards effectively managing their money. Texas youth aged 19-25 may audition for the “Young & Free Spokesperson” position at events where a mobile showroom truck courtesy of GoMobile Advertising will be touring.

GoMobile’s most intricate and thrilling campaign to-date was designed to engage the hard-to-reach 19-25 demographic by creating a “festival on wheels.” The display includes seven flat panel TVs, an eight speaker surround sound system which blasts a hip playlist, a Guitar Hero competition setup, wireless microphones and brand ambassadors. Participants are invited to compete in Guitar Hero and enter to win grand prizes including an XBOX 360. In addition, they learn about the benefits of managing their money at TDECU.

“This campaign has allowed us to really flex our muscle in terms of just how many captivating elements we can include in our mobile event vehicle. It’s all about prolonging the audience’s engagement with the brand, and with this vehicle, there are so many cool elements - nobody will want to leave!” said GoMobile Network President Mike Seifert.

GoMobile’s partnership with Young & Free will extend to Alberta, Canada in their next launch set for mid-September.

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CU Newswire | By Donna-Lane Nelson

Lake Jackson TX: The Common Wealth Young & Free program is going to Texas. The Texas Dow Employees CU (TDECU) with over 125,000 members, launched what they described as the much sought-after Young & Free program, a financial management package designed to engage 19 to 25-year-olds. Tim McAlpine of Currency Marketing, who worked with Common Wealth CEO Jeff Mulligan on the program, made this comment on the cross border transition. "From a Canadian credit union perspective, I think an interesting story is how we have formed a very unique and innovative partnership with our founding partner, Common Wealth Credit Union, to roll this out beyond their credit union. It takes a very progressive and cooperative organization to realize that something that they have been instrumental in creating and that has been so successful and won so many awards can have a life beyond their own organization. Most organizations are programmed to hold on to their innovations with an iron fist. In this case though, Jeff Mulligan and CWCU have demonstrated the true essence of cooperative movement." TDECU has an exclusive for the state of Texas.

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Vermont Credit Unions

This past January, a YouTube video entitled “The Difference Between Banks and Credit Unions” made its debut. It was a simple stick-figure animation that was created by a 19 year old Alberta resident named Larissa Walkiw and it spread like wildfire across the Internet, both in Canada and the U.S.  At the time, few people outside of Alberta who watched the video understood that it was the culmination of a daring new strategic plan, designed to attract members under 26 years of age, which had been employed by Common Wealth Credit Union (CWCU), a $1.6 billion institution with more than 52,000 members. If you haven’t seen the video, you’ll want to follow that link now.

The power behind the Young & Free Alberta campaign is Currency Marketing, a credit union-focused Canadian firm.  In June, President / Chief Strategist Tim McAlpine announced that the trademarked Young & Free campaign was available for franchising to individual credit unions and state leagues in the U.S. as well as Canada. On Monday the first U.S. program, named Young & Free Texas, was launched by Houston-based Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU). It will come as little surprise to those who attended our 2007 Annual Meeting that Trey Reeme, one of our featured speakers at The Equinox Resort, who began working at TDECU earlier this year, is the project manager behind Y&F Texas.

The Young & Free campaign appears to be neither simple nor inexpensive to implement. It requires a significant amount of resources dedicated to supporting and promoting the campaign to its target market, including a blog, Internet videos, personal appearances by the spokesperson, and much more.  At the program’s heart is the Young & Free Account that gives Gen Y members what they want ... a checking account that is free, easy to use, and flexible. The Y&F Alberta account offered by CWCU features:

• Withdrawals from CWCU or other credit union ATMs
• Transfers between accounts
• Point-of-sale transactions
• Global payment card transactions
• Checks
• Bill payments
• Internet banking and telephone services

Has this dramatic and bold strategy been successful for Common Wealth CU? According to the OpenSourceCU blog, by June (8 months into the program) they had opened more than 1,900 Young & Free Checking Accounts with an average account balance of $1,422 (in an account that pays no interest). Through the buzz generated by the spokesperson search (which Walkiw eventually won), they achieved a total in market public relations value of more than $200,000, which is calculated from print, online, radio, and television articles/segments, brand mentions, and impressions. Credit unions and state leagues will be watching very closely to see if Young & Free Texas can generate similar levels of success for TDECU.

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