CUNA's 'Open Your Eyes' campaign expands to Carolinas

Credit unions in North Carolina and South Carolina this week launched the digital aspects of the “Open Your Eyes to a Credit Union” awareness campaign.

The initiative is the brainchild of the Credit Union National Association. It launched in Minnesota in late January and will continue to roll out in more states during 2019.

The Carolinas Credit Union League on Tuesday said 26 credit unions in the two states have committed a total of $6.83 million to the awareness initiative over the next three years.

“The enthusiastic commitment and early financial support of the initiative is a reflection of the strong credit union leaders we have in the Carolinas,” Dan Schline, president and CEO of the Carolinas CU League, said in a statement. “We have a great story to tell as credit unions and are excited to see how Open Your Eyes helps us do just that.”

In early January, CUNA revealed the fundraising campaign behind “Open Your Eyes” hit a significant milestone, with $25 million in commitments received – one-quarter of the way to the $100 million goal over three years. On Tuesday, CUNA said the amount raised has reached $28 million.

CUNA describes “Open Your Eyes” as a digital-first effort to raise consumer awareness of credit unions overall. It will attempt to dispel myths some consumers have about CUs, especially relating to their ability to join a credit union and how easy it is for members to access their accounts. The campaign will use integrated media, content and data analytics.

The national trade association has created an informational website, yourmoneyfurther.com, which is designed to offer more details about CUs, including their propensity for offering better interest rates on both loans and savings. The site also offers consumers the ability to find a nearby credit union and or a credit union ATM or shared branch.