The Playmakers developed a public relations campaign called "Maryland on the Money" to educate young adults ages 18-28 on financial literacy for Ally Financial, which included hosting life-sized board game events on campus providing financial advice in a fun way, creating social media presences, and publishing articles to reach over 450 people and help them better manage their money.

1. The Playmakers present
A public relations campaign for Ally Financial
The University of Maryland 2011 Bateman Competition

2. Table of Contents
1. Object of the Game
2. About the Board
3. Game Players
4. Game Preparation
5. How to Play
6. Game Play: Part I
7. Game Play: Part II
8. Game Play: Part III
9. Game Play: Part IV
10. Winning

3. Object of the Game
theme, our culminating event was a life-sized
With the economic downturn expected to linger version of The Game of Life on our college campus.
Executive Summary
for several years, young adults should be eager This campaign illustrated our strategy to show We are The Playmakers, a group of select Public
Meet Our Team
to take care of their finances. However, The young adults that learning to manage their money Relations students at the University of Maryland.
Playmakers found that many young adults, can be engaging -- even fun!
ages 18 to 28, are not. According to a 2008 Pew Meghan Burris
The Playmakers:
Research Center study, Americans save less than On the University of Maryland campus and at Chelsea Clark
1 percent of their incomes, and the savings rate several other local venues, we mixed fun games, Amanda Field
has been in an almost continuous decline for more prizes, and Ally’s credit and budgeting training Devon Rosenberry
than two decades.1 When Ally Financial proposed modules to teach our contestants alluring lessons Grace Wahlbrink
a challenge to develop a public relations program about managing their finances. Because our
to educate their publics about personal finances, events were successful, free, and convenient, the Susan Simon, Professional Advisor
our team was more than ready to play the game. campaign we created, Maryland on the Money,
Special Thanks to:
Richard Toth, Faculty Advisor
served as a great pilot that can be implemented at Dr. Leah Waks, Director of Undergraduate Studies,
We wanted to develop an approach that was other schools and businesses around the country. Department of Communication
fun and creative, an idea that would actually Ioana Cionea, Graduate Advisor for Research
stimulate and motivate our publics to take action. Through Maryland on the Money, we were able to
Our research indicated that young people, ages exceed our goals:
18 to 28, needed our help the most and would • We reached 452 contestants at our events.
respond best to information presented in quick, • We made 11,900 impressions through our
entertaining, and memorable ways. online resources.
• Approximately 92 percent of post-test
Our campaign, Maryland on the Money, showed survey respondents reported that they
young people that finances are not something to learned helpful information and will think
fear. Instead, they can be approached more like more critically about their finances.
a game -- the game of life! Our target publics are
just beginning the game of life, and we wanted to As a team, we are proud of the success we
give them the tools they will need to come out on accomplished through the Maryland on the Money
top. We accomplished our goals by hosting eight campaign. We believe that we made a difference
interactive training sessions based on popular in the attitudes and behaviors of young people in
The Playmakers (from left) Chelsea Clark, Meghan
board games and TV shows. In keeping with the our community regarding financial responsibility.
Burris, Grace Wahlbrink, Amanda Field, and
Devon Rosenberry.
1

4. About the Board
Ally Financial, originally known as GMAC, was Ally also faces possible trust issues with its publics would benefit the most from our educational
Organization Background
General Motor’s auto-financing arm, which because of the recent mortgage foreclosure crisis campaign. We chose the following definition
launched in 1919 as a service for car buyers. and the lack of trust in the financial industry. If to establish a clear understanding of what our
Today, Ally is a bank holding company that has Ally invests in a campaign to promote its financial audience needs to know:
expanded its range of financial products. Ally literacy leadership and teaches its customers
Financial still encompasses GMAC and currently how to better manage their finances, we think the
serves more than 15 million customers and auto public trust in the Ally brand would increase.
Financial literacy is the ability to understand
dealers.2 In 2010, Money Magazine named Ally
money and how to manage it, so that you can make
Financial “Best Savings Account” and Change Another major threat to Ally Financial’s
financial decisions that will benefit you now and
Sciences Group named Ally “Top Financial SmartEdge program is the number of competing
in the future. A financially literate person has the
Services Website.” Ally Financial is also dedicated programs from other large, well-known financial
ability to:
to informing and educating its stakeholders on institutions and banks. These other financial
• Save money for short- and long-term goals
financial responsibily through its SmartEdge literacy programs often focus their efforts on high • Manage financial risks3
• Use credit responsibly
financial literacy program. school students and low-income individuals.
Based on our secondary research, we found that
With the recent economic downturn and the rise young adults, ages 18 to 28, lack sufficient financial
One of Ally’s many strengths is the multitude in unemployment, we found that young adults education and the fundamentals of successful
Ally’s Strengths and Challenges
of financial tools readily available online. Ally are searching for ways to increase their financial saving and budgeting. These trends, unchanged,
provides live chat features and online modules to understanding. Therefore, because of the need will affect them negatively through increased
help teach financial literacy. Although Ally owns and demand among target publics, we believe debt, high interest rates or even bankruptcy.
and distributes these modules freely, they are Ally has the opportunity to create a successful Maryland on the Money followed the Community
located on the GMAC website. financial literacy campaign geared toward young Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements and
This creates confusion among adults, ages 18 to 28, who may reached our low- to moderate-income young
our publics because the modules not be a target of many other adults, who have the greatest need for financial
are not branded as Ally products. financial literacy programs. education.
Ally has not yet established a
clear brand identity and mission, Because of a decline in traditional media, we
which we think could improve its Our first step was to define believed a grassroots campaign was more likely to
Our Campaign Plan
company culture and guide goals financial literacy and to change the attitudes and behaviors of our target
for the financial literacy program. determine which audience publics.
2

5. Game Players
financial health as “a little flabby” and 27 percent
We researched other financial literacy programs describe their financial health as “seriously out
Publics
before determining which publics Ally and of shape.”5 To differentiate Ally’s program, we
Maryland on the Money should target. decided to target college students and young
adults, ages 18 to 28, entering the workforce.
One of the largest non-profit financial literacy These individuals need financial resources the
programs is Jump$tart, an organization that most because they are moving toward financial
focuses on children in grades K through 12. Ally is independence.
just one of more than a hundred national partners
working with the Jump$tart program. Jump$tart,
along with a majority of other financial literacy
programs, targets low-income individuals,
The Playmakers found that the Millennial
Target Public Breakdown
including high school students and their parents.4
Berwyn Heights Volunteer Firefighters pose with
Generation lacks knowledge about its personal
the Maryland on the Money pledge banner and The
According to a study conducted by Charles finances, but sees value in becoming financially
Playmakers at Finances in a Minute: Young Adult
Schwab, 55 percent of young adults describe their literate. We chose to divide our target publics into
Edition.
the following segments:
Primary Public: Low- to moderate-income
young adults in the Maryland and Greater
Washington, D.C., area, ages 18 to 28
• Young adults within the workforce
• College juniors and seniors
• Part-time students who work
• Other students (underclassmen)
Secondary Publics:
• Recent UMD alumni Recent UMD graduates play Maryland Millionaires:
Contestants reviewing the GMAC Workbooks dur- Alumni Edition to compete for raffle prizes and
ing Finances in a Minute: Student Edition. learn about credit and budgeting.
3

6. Game Preparation
paycheck, according to a 2008 study by the
Before conducting primary research, The National Association of Retail Collection
Secondary Research
Playmakers conducted more secondary research Attorneys.7
to better understand how young adults think • Young adults, ages 20 to 24, are the fastest-
about their personal finances. growing segment for bankruptcy filings,
followed by adults, ages 25 to 34, according
According to a Charles Schwab study, young to the Youth Leadership Training Academy.8
adults, ages 23 to 28, represent those who recently
entered the workforce.5 After selecting our target publics, we conducted
research to determine the most effective ways
• 52 percent said they considered making to reach them. According to a 2010 Pew Study,
better choices about managing money 90 percent of Millennials, ages 18 to 29, use the
“the single most important issue facing Internet, and 75 percent use social networking
Americans today.” sites. Additionally, one third have played a game, concluded the following:
• 45 percent said they wished they knew watched a video online, or posted a message to an • Nearly 8 in 10 young adults manage their
more about living within a budget before online profile in the last 24 hours.9 When planning own money. However, most of them were
they entered the workforce. our strategies and tactics, we used these statistics only moderately confident about how to
• 42 percent said they wished they knew to determine young adults’ information seeking handle their finances.
more about the importance of saving before and entertainment habits. • Nearly 70 percent reported that they never
they entered the workforce. made a monthly budget.
• 27.5 percent said they sometimes made a
Other research shows that even younger adults, The Playmakers conducted an online survey to monthly budget.
Primary Research
ages 18 to 24, face similar financial uncertainties. determine the specific needs and concerns of our • 89 percent reported that there were benefits
publics. We sent the survey via e-mail to local to creating a monthly budget.
• Many of the 11.5 million college students are universities, colleges and alumni groups in the
still making financial decisions that affect area, and asked them to share the link to our survey The Playmakers decided to teach the budgeting
their lives once they leave the classroom, with their listservs. We also created an event on and credit learning modules at our financial
according to a Pew study in 2008.6 Facebook for the survey and invited young adults literacy training sessions after our survey
• Thirty-one percent of the students said they who fit our demographics to participate. Based respondents showed the most interest in learning
do not worry about debt because they can on our survey of 238 respondents from the about them.
pay it off once they have a job and a regular Maryland and Greater Washington, D.C., area, we
4

7. How to Play
Strategy: Present the information in fun, fast, and effort to promote positive credit and budgeting
interactive ways that are easy to understand. habits.
Game Plan
Tactic: Adapt popular board games and game Strategy: Match Ally’s materials with our learning
Goal #1: To increase the number shows to entice people to learn. sessions in a natural manner.
of financially literate young adults in the
Maryland and Greater Washington, D.C., area. Objective C: Host at least five financial • Use Ally’s SmartEdge workbooks for
Tactics:
literacy training sessions between Feb. 1 and information and to help teach the material.
March 7, 2011. • Post Ally’s SmartEdge financial planning
Objective A: Increase awareness of the importance modules on the Maryland on the Money
of financial literacy among at least 300 people • Partner with local organizations on- and off- website, along with direct links to Ally.
Strategies:
using online resources between Feb. 1 and campus to reach a varied audience, within • Explain to participants, whenever necessary,
March 7, 2011. our target publics. about Ally Financial and its efforts to teach
Strategy: Use new media to create two-way • Use current networking relationships, such people how to manage their personal
communication with our target publics. as connections with recent UMD graduates. finances.
Considering our target publics, and game-themed
• Spark conversations with the public via • Hold financial literacy training sessions at events, we used messages and slogans that
Tactics: Tactics:
Twitter updates. organization meetings with more than 50 promote the fun and interactive side of financial
• Use a Facebook page to track fans, invite target members. literacy.
people to events, and allow an open forum • Host a fun, interactive financial literacy
for communication. training session at a high-traffic area on
• Create a blog to report on credit and campus.
• Knowing how to manage your finances is
Key Messages
budgeting news.
essential to winning the game of life.
• Use the blog to establish discussions with
• Prepare for the future: start budgeting
the public.
now.
• Create a website featuring the SmartEdge Goal #2: To ensure that Ally Financial is
• Good credit equals a good life.
financial literacy training modules, photos, considered a bank concerned with improving
and links to the other social media sites. financial literacy.
Share the Wealth
Slogans
Objective B: Educate at least 150 young adults at Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget
•
live events between Feb. 1 and March 7, 2011, on Objective D: To inform at least 150 people Maryland Millionaires
•
the merits of understanding credit and budgeting. between Feb. 1 and March 7, 2011, about Ally’s Finances in a Minute
•
•
5

8. Game Play: Part I
bought Starbucks coffee costs $7.99, which means posts featured advice from professionals, videos
a home-brewed Starbucks coffee costs only $0.90! about budgeting and credit, and links to other
Media Outreach and Promotional Materials
This feature helped focus users’ spending and financial sites.
savings habits.
Campus Newspaper Opinion-Editorial: The
Facebook: Our Maryland on the Money Facebook Playmakers promoted The Game of Life through
page attracted fans and encouraged two-way a guest-column written by Playmaker Grace
communication and feedback from our campaign Wahlbrink, and published it in the independently
participants. The Playmakers promoted the owned and operated campus newspaper. The
Budget Bus Stop Challenge and The Game of Life to opinion piece included information on the status
Interactive Website: Our team designed and
Facebook fans. We also used Facebook to suggest of financial literacy for young adults, Ally’s
used an interactive website to house and present
helpful tips and redirect fans to our blog. dedication to teaching about credit and budgeting,
all of the information and channels associated
and The Game of Life event.
with our financial literacy campaign. This online
element appealed to our publics and advanced
Twitter: Our Maryland on the Money Pledge Banner: Our pledge banner asked young
financial literacy by offering several different
Twitter account, @MDontheMoney, sparked adults to promise to be more financially conscious
tools based on the SmartEdge materials. We
conversations with young adults through as they moved toward the future. We took the
directed event participants to the website for
hashtags and retweets. We used Twitter to banner to most of the training sessions and had
more information about financial literacy and
publish a finance-related Tip of the Day for 216 signatures. This banner served as a physical
resources Ally Financial provides, to prepare
our followers and to post links to other blogs demonstration of the change in attitude toward
them for their future. The website included links
and websites relating to personal finances. financial literacy.
to Ally’s website, its financial literacy training
modules, and our social media sites. Our unique hashtag, #MDMoney, tracked
conversations about our campaign and hashtags
One of the most popular features, unique to our like #finances or #credit connected followers to
Events
website, was the Champagne Tastes on a Beer conversations already happening online.
Let the Games Begin!
Budget tab. This financial tool calculated different
Date: Feb. 2
savings in a practical way, relevant to our public’s The Playmakers kicked off the campaign during
lifestyle. An example from the tab: A basic Venti Blog: Our blog targeted young adults’ concerns the biggest sporting event of the semester! For the
about personal finances and provided helpful
coffee from Starbucks is $2.07. If you bought UMD vs. Duke Men’s Basketball Game, students
resources. Each Playmaker alternated writing a
one of these five times a week, it would cost you total of two or three blog posts per week. These lined up on the Maryland campus 12 hours before
$538.20 per year! However, one bag of store- the evening game. We used this opportunity at
6

9. Game Play: Part II
the biggest rivalry of the year to distribute fliers spread the word about the Maryland on the Money
branded with Ally’s logo, promoting our financial campaign by handing out Ally-branded fact sheets,
literacy campaign and social media resources to workbooks and social media resources. We also
students. As an added bonus, Internships.com enticed young professionals with an opportunity
donated coupons that could be redeemed if UMD to win a Starbucks gift card by playing a quick
beat Duke. guessing game about the standing of our country’s
present economy.
Young Alumni Financial Planning Workshop
Date: Feb. 8 Budget Bus Stop Challenge
Contestants Reached: 40 young adults Dates: Feb. 9, 16 and 23
To reach young professionals, The Playmakers
Contestants Reached: 120 students and young adults
teamed up with the UMD Alumni Association on The Playmakers partnered with the University of
Grace Wahlbrink quizzes a contestant at Budget
campus to establish a presence at a Young Alumni Maryland Department of Transportation Services
Bus Stop Challenge!
Financial Planning Workshop. All 40 attendees to reach busy, on-the-go target publics during
had graduated within the past six years, making their commutes to and from campus. We stationed
Finances in a Minute
them perfect candidates for our campaign. We ourselves at four bus stops that have stops both
Dates: Feb. 16 and 20
on- and off-campus.
Contestants Reached: 58 students and 17 young
firefighters and emergency personnel
While at the bus stops, we passed out The popular TV Show Minute to Win it was the
questionnaires to test participant’s financial perfect way to show college students and young
knowledge, as a spin-off of the popular TV show adults how to monitor their finances. The student
Cash Cab. The University marketing department edition of Finances in a Minute event was held
donated T-shirts as prizes for the top five most on the University of Maryland campus at the
financially literate contestants each week. This beginning of the National Society of Collegiate
event also served as an opportunity to hand Scholars’ regular meeting on Feb. 16. The young
out materials that would lead contestants to adult edition was held later that week at Berwyn
our website and social media sites, as well as to Heights Volunteer Fire Department on Feb. 20.
distribute questionnaire pencils imprinted with
the name of our campaign and Ally Financial, plus At both events, The Playmakers stressed the
Chelsea Clark distributes fliers and coupons to
the URL of our website. importance of financial literacy, especially
Maryland fans waiting for the UMD vs. Duke Men’s
Basketball Game.
7

10. Game Play: Part III
in today’s economy. We divided contestants The Playmakers kicked off the event with a
into groups and gave them time to review the PowerPoint presentation that focused on how
SmartEdge workbooks. Then, we handed out a full to use credit and budget responsibly. After the
page of questions and gave the groups one minute presentation, we divided the contestants into
to answer as many questions as possible, just as teams of two, to compete for a chance to win one
in the TV show. The team that answered the most of our prizes ranging from T-shirts to a FlipCam.
questions correctly won and received a donated We asked the teams nine questions that moved
gift card to Starbucks. We took this opportunity them closer to becoming Maryland Millionaires.
to demonstrate which areas people need the most At each “safe zone,” located after every third
help and encouraged them to come to The Game question, we entered teams into raffles. The
of Life event. winning team was entered into all raffles and took
home Maryland T-shirts. Maryland Millionaires
was a fun, interactive way to think about finances.
It also served as a successful training session on
Maryland Millionaires
financial literacy.
Dates: Feb. 21 and 24 Meghan Burris trains contestants on credit respon-
sibility at Maryland Millionaires: Student Edition.
Contestants Reached: 14 students and 9 young alumni
The Playmakers planned two financial literacy
events modeled after the classic game show Who
Money Smart Terps
Wants to be a Millionaire. First, we reached out to
Dates: Feb. 21 and 28
a local college campus, The Universities at Shady
Contestants Reached: 84 sorority members
Grove, which attracts commuter students with To gain the support of the Greek Community on
full- or part-time jobs. Many of these students campus, our team went to four sororities’ chapter
are financially independent, but still need meetings to promote our culminating event and
financial education. We held the second Maryland give them a chance to roll the dice. At the meetings,
Millionaires event at Environics Communications we gave a short presentation on Maryland on the
in Washington, D.C., for a group of recent University Money, credit and budgeting tips, and information
of Maryland alumni. This event doubled as a about The Game of Life event. In addition, we
networking opportunity where participants sent our information out to about 3,500 students
could reconnect with one another and build their via the sororities’ and fraternities’ listservs to
Univeristy of Maryland Communication Alumni
financial knowledge. promote the campaign and events.
make use of their GMAC Workbooks during Mary-
land Millionaires: Alumni Edition!
8

11. Game Play: Part IV
education or go straight to the workforce. Each
participant received a different job title and salary
based on his or her assigned education level.
They had to use their assigned salary to create
a monthly budget and pay their bills, as in the
classic board game. Throughout the game, we
gave contestants options and they had to choose
whether to make financially sound decisions or
chance it all. The winners, students who ended
the month debt-free, were eligible for an exclusive,
second FlipCam raffle.
Another activity at the event was a Spin to Win
game. Our team created a giant spinner and
asked contestants a financial question from the
SmartEdge workbooks. If contestants answered
One contestant rolls the dice to determine her fate Contestants enter their names into various raffles
in The Game of Life.
correctly, we gave them the chance to spin the wheel to enter different raffles for our donated
after playing our Spin to Win game.
prizes. The number the wheel landed on
The Game of Life
determined the number of tickets each contestant
Date: March 2
would receive for the raffles.
Contestants Reached: 113 students
We held our culminating event on the University of
Maryland campus, employing a hand-crafted, life- With this event alone, we reached 113 students,
sized board game to test contestants’ budgeting more than 75 percent of our total target for the
skills and financial knowledge. Our version of The month-long campaign.
Game of Life simulated living on a budget for one
month. We mapped out a giant board game in
the center of campus, where contestants moved
across the board and encountered different real-
Part of our life-size The Game of Life board!
life scenarios young adults might face after they
enter the workforce. Contestants rolled the
dice to determine if they would receive a college
The Playmakers at The Game of Life, with our Spin
to Win game!
9

12. Winning
Objective B: Exceeded! The Maryland on positive credit and budgeting habits. We informed
Maryland on the Money was a winning campaign. the Money campaign tripled this objective by at least 452 young adults about Ally’s role in
Evaluation
The Playmakers engaged the target publics and educating 452 young adults. the campaign. Information from the SmartEdge
provided essential tools for them to play in the workbooks played an integral part in each training
financial game of life. We surpassed our campaign Our post-test survey results from the Maryland on session. We featured the Ally logo on the pledge
objectives by increasing financial awareness and the Money is as follows: banner and campaign fliers. Pages that featured
education of hundreds of young adults in the • 100 percent of contestants from the information from Ally’s financial literacy modules
Maryland and Greater Washington, D.C., area. Maryland Millionaires events revealed that ranked sixth most popular of all 120 pages on the
they would think more critically about their Maryland on the Money website.
Objective A: Exceeded! The Playmakers reached financial decisions in the future.
out to far more than 300 young adults through a • 84 percent of contestants in The Game of
combination of engaging and online resources. Life said they learned helpful information. Maryland on the Money served as a successful
Conclusion
• 76.5 percent said they are interested in pilot campaign to promote Ally’s financial literacy
• In total, our Maryland on the Money social learning more about managing their own materials to young adults. The training sessions
media sites received at least 11,900 finances. we developed during our public relations program
impressions. demonstrated the importance of financial
• The Facebook page alone reached more Objective C: Exceeded! The Playmakers responsibility to young adults while also drawing
than half of our target with 185 fans and coordinated eight financial literacy training on the entertainment value of popular games.
more than 3,000 post views. sessions for our target publics and various other
• Our Twitter, @MDontheMoney, had 51 promotional events both online and off. We made Based on the attractiveness of our games and the
followers by the end of the implementation financial education convenient by meeting young positive feedback from contestants, we believe
phase and at least 10 unique mentions. adults where they already were -- in the business that the training sessions and interactive games
• Our website receieved 1,225 unique visits district of Washington, D.C., at university bus stops, during the Maryland on the Money campaign can
and 5,145 page hits during February. and at workshops and meetings. By partnering easily be adapted for other locations nationwide.
• The Wordpress blog receieved 546 all-time with other organizations, The Playmakers were
views and 23 original comments. able to extend the number and reach of financial Feedback and results from Maryland on the Money
literacy events far beyond the original resources show The Playmakers were very successful with
In addition to the statistics above, the Bateman of our team. the campaign. We enjoyed working with the Ally
opinion piece published in the campus newspaper brand and hope that Maryland on the Money is
The Diamondback, was also featured online and Objective D: Exceeded! The Maryland on the able to grow and thrive as part of the overall Ally
reached a potential readership of 14,000 students, Money campaign tripled the objective to inform financial literacy program.
faculty and administrators. target publics about Ally’s effort to promote
10

13. Appendix
SWOT Analysis.....................................................................1 Website Screenshots.....................................................22
Executive Summary Implementation
Facebook Screenshots..................................................26
Twitter Screenshots......................................................31
IRB Application....................................................................2 Blog Screenshots............................................................34
Research
Recruitment Email.............................................................8 Diamondback Opinion-Editorial..............................41
Questionnaire......................................................................9 Pledge Banner..................................................................42
Short Answer Questions...............................................12 Internships.com Coupon.............................................43
Secondary Research References...............................17 Fast Fact Tip Sheet (Full)............................................44
Fast Fact Tip Sheet (Quarter)....................................45
Budget Bus Stop Challenge Flyer..............................46
Solicitation Letter............................................................18 Budget Bus Stop Challenge Questions...................47
Planning The Playmakers pass out fliers at the Duke game.
Budget..................................................................................19 Budget Bus Stop Challenge Cards............................48 Testimonials................................................................100
Timeline..............................................................................20 Finances in a Minute Questionnaire.......................49 Website Statistics......................................................101
Event Details.....................................................................21 Panhellenic Association Email.................................50 Facebook Statistics...................................................103
Maryland Millionaire: Student Edition Flyer.......51 Blog Statistics.............................................................111
Maryland on the Money Presentation...................52
Maryland Millionaires Presentation......................56
The Game of Life Flyer..................................................60
Interfraternity Council Email...................................61
The Game of Life Posters.............................................62
The Game of Life Volunteer Directions.................64
The Game of Life Volunteer Charts.........................66
Maryland on the Money Event Sign In...................74
Post-Test Survey............................................................97
Students at The Game of LIFE sign our pledge ban- Evaluation
Post-Test Survey Analysis.........................................98
ner, answer financial questions and enter to win
raffle prizes. “Hey, Recession. Fear the Turtle” on a campus bus.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10