With so many people out and about enjoying the summer weather,it may seem counterintuitive to launch a credit union marketingcampaign.

But the Maine Credit Union League sees the summer months as a perfectopportunity to market the credit union convenience over the radiowaves.

People cooking up barbecue on the grill, boating on the lake,tanning on the beach or hanging out on the deck or pool enjoylistening to the radio.

According to the Maine league, research shows that radiolistening in the Pine Tree state increases during the summer. Inaddition, the state has a higher average of radio listeners percapita than a number of other states because of Maine's ruralpopulation.

As a result, the Maine league said it recently launched a multi-week radio buythat highlights the SurF Network with more than 230 surcharge-freeATMs, the largest network in the state.

Throughout the month of July, about 2,000 paid and no-charge60-second commercials are airing throughout the state. The campaignalso includes numerous billboards, taglines and other mentions thatwere negotiated as part of the buy adding up to nearly $85,000 invalue-added exposure of Maine's credit unions.

Some of the value added components of the campaign include newsand weather sponsorships, prominent website placement, social mediamessaging, and live and recorded mentions associated with popularcontests and promotions.

Debra Trautman, the league's vice president of corporatemarketing, said the radio campaign promoting the SurF Network willalso target people on the go who are probably looking for a nearbyATM.

“Spots airing as part of the campaign not only tout thesurcharge-free ATMs and their locations throughout Maine but alsopromote shared branching and mobile as a value of using a creditunion,” Trautman said. “The messages strongly reinforce theconvenience of credit unions.”

She also said that since the radio ads began airing earlier thismonth, the league has seen an increase in visits to itsconsumer-focused website, maincredunions.org, a positive sign thatconsumers are listening while enjoying the summer sun.