ING DIRECT launches national celebrity charity challenge for THRiVE Chequing(TM) campaign rollout
Four THRiVEtastic celebrities in four Canadian cities race to spend $7,000 in seven hours to win $15,000 each for their local charities and show the convenience of ING DIRECT’s THRiVE Chequing Account; a new no-fee daily chequing account that actually pays interest.
March 08, 2011 @ 06:00AM
TORONTO—March 8, 2011—ING DIRECT launches tomorrow a “THRiVEtastic” campaign with a national integrated advertising rollout and $100,000 celebrity charity challenge to demonstrate the features of the THRiVE Chequing Account, its new, innovative online, no-fee daily chequing account that pays interest.
The “THRiVEtastic Four”—Calgary Stampeder Henry Burris (@HenryBurris), former Vancouver Canuck Trevor Linden (@trevor_linden), Toronto web expert and TV host Amber MacArthur (@ambermac) and Montreal actress Tammy Verge—will hit the streets in their respective cities to compete for a $15,000 prize for their charity of choice.
The challenge: armed with an ING DIRECT client card, an ING DIRECT branded Toyota Scion™ and an iPad™, each celebrity must spend their $7,000 over seven hours demonstrating “random acts of kindness” in the community—everything from buying lunch for everyone in a restaurant to purchasing tickets for those in the lineup outside a movie theatre. During the race, the celebrities will highlight the many ways a no-fee daily THRiVE Chequing Account can be used, including randomly paying for others’ items at point of sale, making email money transfers, paying someone’s bills, withdrawing cash from an ABM, and writing a cheque—all without fees.
“With the THRiVE Chequing Account, we’ve revolutionized how Canadians do their daily banking,” says Brenda Rideout, Chief Marketing Officer at ING DIRECT. “We’ve created a product that fits into their everyday lives, and we wanted an equally innovative campaign to highlight its convenience and no-fee features.”
Earlier this week, THRiVE Chequing won a consumers choice award as Product of the Year in the Financial Services category based on innovation.
The charity challenge is supported by a national advertising campaign. Media buys include national online advertising, GO Transit station domination at stops in Oakville, Finch, Clarkson and Yorkdale, transit bus wraps and digital platform wide screens in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. Print advertising will run in Metro newspapers, Maclean’s and L'actualité. Digital-engagement agency Dashboard was behind the campaign’s creative. Media buying was handled by Initiative Media and PR by MAVERICK Public Relations.
Canadians can follow the THRiVEtastic Four on Twitter™ #THRiVEtastic and suggest various locations for them to visit. ING DIRECT is donating $15,000 to each celebrity’s charity for their efforts. The person to finish the task the fastest receives an additional $15,000 for their charity.
THRiVE Chequing offers many no-cost features such as free ABM access through the THE EXCHANGE® Network's 2,400 machines, free email alerts and monthly online account statements as well as the ability to write, deposit and view cheques online for no extra charge. THRiVE Chequing also offers Whoops! ™ Protection that covers clients up to $250 when they are a little short on funds for future dated transactions with no fee or interest, provided funds are paid back within 30 days.
As part of the campaign, Canadians who open a new THRiVE Chequing Account and switch their payroll before May 4, 2011 will have the chance to win $25,000. Visit ingdirect.ca for details.
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About Product of the Year
Product of the Year is the only distinction award for consumer products that rewards innovation, is voted on by consumers, and has global recognition. Established in France over 23 years ago, this consumer-driven award is presented annually in over 25 countries, including the U.K., Brazil, Italy, the U.S., and now in Canada as well. Product of the Year Canada invites a representative panel of over 12,000 consumers across the country to vote on products that demonstrate innovation in design, function or packaging, via an online survey conducted by independent research company TNS. productoftheyear.ca
About ING DIRECT
ING DIRECT is Canada's leading DIRECT bank with over 1.7 million Clients and more than $37.6 billion in total assets. ING DIRECT gives the power of saving to all Canadians by offering high-value, simple products such as high interest savings accounts with no fees or service charges, and low rates on mortgages. Low cost, balanced, index-based mutual funds are sold through ING DIRECT Funds Limited. ING DIRECT has been operating in Canada since 1997, and paid more than $4.5 billion in interest to Clients. ING DIRECT is open for banking 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at ingdirect.ca, on mobile devices at m.ingdirect.ca or by calling 1-800 ING DIRECT (1-800-464-3473).
Follow Peter Aceto on Twitter at: Twitter.com/CEO_INGDIRECT
And find ING DIRECT at: Facebook.com/SuperStarSaver; Twitter.com/SuperStarSaver; YouTube.com/SuperStarSaver
™ THRiVE Chequing is a trademark of ING Bank of Canada.
™ Whoops! Protection is a trademark of ING Bank of Canada.
®THE EXCHANGE and ®THE EXCHANGE & Design are registered trademarks owned by Fiserv Inc. licensed for use in Canada by FICANEX Services Limited Partnership.
Scion, iPad and Twitter are trademarks of their respective trademark holders.
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