News

Wells Fargo to advertise at ATMs

February 26, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO -- Wells Fargo plans to take advantage of a captive audience by launching animated advertisements on the screens of some of its ATMs. Ads also will appear on the backs of receipts.

Online book and music seller Amazon.com will be the first advertiser on more than 340 Wells Fargo ATMs in several California counties.
San Francisco-based Wells Fargo will gradually roll out the ad-ready ATMs, called the Media Express ATM Network, into other areas of the country. AT&T, among other businesses, will begin advertising later this spring.

"As far as we know, we're the first bank in the country to offer an integrated and targeted marketing concept to outside businesses through the ATM," said Barry McCarthy, vice president of Express Banking at Wells Fargo.

Ads will appear on the "Welcome," "Transaction Processing" and "Thank You" screens during a transactions. Ads and special offers will be pre-printed on the back of receipts.

For example, Amazon.com is using the receipt to offer customers who enroll for Wells Fargo Online Banking a $10 discount off any Amazon.com purchase. Later this spring, AT&T will use receipts to offer discounted Internet access.

Because the technology enables faster transaction service to customers, the advertisements do not lengthen the transaction time, Wells Fargo said.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Lisa Rossi said that in testing, consumers seemed to like the idea. "We found that they didn't have problems with the advertising. They liked the entertainment at the ATM."

Rossi would not say how much Wells Fargo would charge for the ads, nor how much revenue the company expected to generate from the program. Wells Fargo also said it would donate screen space to community organizations in markets where the ATMs are located.