• by Aaron Baar , February 4, 2009

In a time of Internet banking, mobile banking and remote banking ideas that haven't yet been invented, there are still people who use wire-transfer services to get money to loved ones far away.

"Our core consumers are the 200 million international immigrants--people who were not living in the countries where they were born," Gail Galuppo, chief marketing officer of Western Union, tells Marketing Daily. According to Western Union, those 200 million people who live outside their country of origin sent nearly $400 billion to their loved ones last year alone.

To that end, Western Union has launched a global marketing campaign that centers on the word "yes!" The campaign, which includes print, broadcast, online, point-of-sale and out-of-home elements, takes its inspiration from the optimism and hope inherent in the word. A television commercial depicts yellow globules in the shape of the letters "Y," "e," "s" and "!" floating through the air to a bouncy soundtrack. As people interact with the globs, they split apart, come together and float through the air to eventually form the word "Yes!" in the middle of an urban downtown. "Every day, millions of people around the world are moving their lives forward, making things happen. Saying 'yes' to a brighter future," says a voiceover, before the spot ends with the company's logo and "yes!" tagline.

"We feel they're just amazing people. They often sacrifice to support their families," Galuppo says of the strategy. "We see a lot of inspiration with them; they're positive and optimistic."

The campaign, which will be translated into 40 languages, also includes a dedicated microsite, www.thepowerofyes.com, where consumers can share the power of their own optimism and success, Galuppo says. For every story shared, Western Union will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to one of three educational non-profits organizations: Academy for Educational Development, Mercy Corps or Room to Read.

"One of the top reasons consumers are sending money is for school fees," Galuppo says. "We really wanted to focus on that."