Redirecting Pocket Money

ING Direct, Washington, D.C. used a new strategy for getting people interested in putting their money into savings accounts: it gave city commuters four and a half hours of free subway and bus rides in hopes that the money saved would be used to open new accounts with the bank.

All 84 Metrorail line turnstiles and Metrobus fare boxes took no money from commuters on December 16 from 5 to 9:30 a.m.

Copyright © 2005 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 15, No. 7, 7/05