WINSTON- SALEM, N.C. – Members Credit Union has taken its latest promotion right to the 50-yard line. Starting September 1 credit union members can choose their winning National Football League teams online during the Members CU Football Pick'em 2004 campaign. "There are a lot of football fans here and we really wanted something that was fun and anyone can participate in," said MCU Director of Public Relations Carol Hilgenberg. "It is a great way to experience the credit union difference." With a push to drive both member and nonmembers to its Web site, the fall campaign featuring the $168 million credit union's e-statements was a case of perfect timing, says Hilgenberg. The campaign kicked off with distribution of fall NFL football schedules in the form of slideguides, which lists weekly NFL games, to MCU sponsor companies and branches throughout the state. The backs of each schedule featured the MCU Football Pick'em campaign details and the MCU Web site. Here is how it works. Open to anyone with access to the Internet, the Football Pick'em game allows players to choose winners from the weekly NFL games in advance. The "player" with the most correct winning choices at the end of each week will receive a promotional T-shirt. There are also prizes for players who accumulate the most wins each month, and to coincide with the Superbowl a final grand prize winner with the most correct picks overall can choose between a new 32″ television or an Authentic NFL Team Jersey. Each time someone logs onto the Web site, MCU will promote its eStatement product. In addition, weekly e-mail score updates will include e-Statement advertisements. Posters have also been distributed to sponsor companies and in-branch message boards and sign-up events promote the game. "Our home banking program is one of our best services and it's completely free so we don't feel too guilty about promoting the eStatements," said Hilgenberg. "The eStatements not only round out the program but with identity theft on the rise it is also a great security measure. Members don't have to worry about someone stealing their statements and personal information from their mailboxes." Hilgenberg says so far 100 people have signed up for the game and some 1,000 have signed up for eStatements. "We're lucky to have Matt Davis here who not only came up with the football idea but worked on developing the software to not only make it easy to pick teams and sign up for eStatements but also track players as members or nonmembers," said Hilgenberg. The online game runs from September through to the SuperBowl in February.