Capitalizing still more on Bank Transfer Day, the Michigan Credit Union said Tuesday its newly launched “CULink/Own Your Money” awareness campaign represents its most ambitious co-op blitz in history with $1 million in donations so far.

The league began a rollout earlier this month of an extensive series of TV, radio and online ads promoting a new website pitching the idea that consumers can trust credit unions over other institutions.

The campaign is running in 16 Michigan markets.

The league said “an unprecedented 188 credit unions representing 61% of all Michigan credit unions have now donated” to the $1 million total.  

Additional funds are being matched by MCUL's processing subsidiary, CUCorp, with more financial assistance authorized by MCUL for a $2.5 million spending total.  An additional $400,000 in cash incentives is being extended by the league to credit unions integrating local advertising into the campaign.

“As the Bank Transfer Day movement has shown, consumers want to own their money,” explained David Adams, league president/CEO. “The breadth and depth of this campaign will help both members and nonmembers take a fresh look at how credit unions are positioned to help consumers.”

The ads also direct consumers to a credit union locator with links to participating credit unions.  The ads compare loan rates at credit unions to those at banks and detail the credit union shared branching network.