MoneyGram Promotes the Magic of Sending Money During the Holidays with $5.5 Million Integrated Global Marketing Campaign

As consumers race to finish their shopping this holiday season, MoneyGram is reminding them it’s quick and easy to send gifts of money to friends and family worldwide with a new $5.5 million integrated global marketing campaign.

The "Spreading Holiday Magic” campaign, which runs through the holiday season, encourages consumers in more than 20 countries around the globe to "enjoy the magic of the holidays, send money around the world, and watch the happiness grow.” Campaign elements include television, radio, out-of-home (OOH), online, print, direct mail, as well as a public relations program and consumer promotions.

"Our customers around the world use MoneyGram throughout the year to send money to family and friends back home,” said Juan Agualimpia, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of MoneyGram. "While this is a valuable, practical way for them to support their families day in and day out, during the holidays our service takes on new meaning. It’s really a way for our customers to connect and send gifts to their loved ones when they can’t be there in person.”

To highlight the magic of being able to send a monetary gift to someone who is on the other side of the world – often in as little as 10 minutes – and to make it relevant to MoneyGram’s diverse customer base that spans six continents – Scott Larson, director of creative services for MoneyGram’s Americas region, developed a creative, global campaign that is represented visually as a quick-paced, animated pop-up book. The commercials show people in colorful holiday scenes springing from one page to another, spreading joy as they send money and watching as friends and family happily receive the money miles away.

The speed in which MoneyGram is able to transfer funds from one person to another around the globe is depicted in the advertising with flowing red arrows, which also are part of MoneyGram’s logo. "The immediacy of the money transfer is part of the magic that we help facilitate,” said Larson. "You literally could be on a cell phone with your mom who is several time zones away, transfer money to her, and still be on the phone as she picks it up. It’s a great way to be a part of their happiness at a time when you can’t be with your loved ones in person.”

The ads, which have been translated into seven languages, include a series of 15- and 30-second TV spots, a 30-second online spot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_0HuEwCpk), and 30-second radio spots that promote special offers available through various MoneyGram agents in different regions of the world. The campaign is running in the United States, Canada, and Australia, as well as in several countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.

The campaign and media buy were coordinated in-house. The Dallas office of Radium/ReelFX created the animation used in the television spots globally.

Additional components of MoneyGram’s integrated marketing campaign include:

• Spreading Holiday Magic Round-the-World Relay. MoneyGram’s "Spreading Holiday Magic” public relations program is a relay-style event in which the company will visit and distribute more than $50,000 in much-needed money, school supplies and learning tools to 11 schools in eight countries. As part of the program, MoneyGram launched the blog – www.moneygram.com/holidaymagic – to give the children at the schools – and globally – the forum to share holiday greetings and words of encouragement to children at the next school in the global relay.
• Holiday Consumer Promotions. Consumers in the United States who send money online at MoneyGram.com between now and Jan. 6, 2012, will automatically be entered into a weekly drawing for a $500 prepaid gift card. MoneyGram is also running a promotion in Spain in which the company will give away a car and motor scooter. Promotional giveaways in the United Kingdom and Germany include smartphones and televisions.

Those interested in learning more about MoneyGram services and locations and its Global Giving program can visit www.moneygram.com. In addition, consumers interested in learning more about safe, efficient money transfers this holiday season, including ways to prevent fraud, can access MoneyGram’s Money Transfer Fraud Education Center at www.moneygram-preventfraud.com.

About MoneyGram International

MoneyGram International, a leading money transfer company, enables consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions to meet their financial needs. MoneyGram offers bill payment services in the United States and money transfer services worldwide through a global network of more than 256,000 agent locations -- including retailers, international post offices and financial institutions -- in 192 countries and territories. To learn more about money transfer or bill payment at an agent location or online, please visit http://www.moneygram.com or connect with us on Facebook.