ControlYourCredit.gov: An Innovative Take on Learning About Credit

The US Treasury Department along with the Ad Council recently launched a new credit education website, located at ControlYourCredit.gov, with the goal of helping young adults learn how to make good financial decisions and use credit responsibly.

The website invites visitors to “solve the great mysteries of credit” by checking them into room 250 of the dark and foreboding Bad Credit Hotel that conjures up images of a ’40s film noir mystery movie. In the process of making phone calls on a classic rotary phone, investigating a transforming Rorschach painting, and using clues found on scraps of paper to unlock a hidden safe, visitors find an interactive tool for calculating the cost of interest, information about their credit history, tips for dealing with debt collectors, and more.

While there is nothing revolutionary about the information contained within the ControlYourCredit.gov site, and the absence of any mention of credit reporting errors is unfortunate, the production value alone is worth a visit and only time will tell if this tactic will be effective in helping educate new credit users.

Provided below are two PSA’s created by the Ad Council to promote the ControlYourCredit.gov website.

“Capiche TV Spot”

“Metal Con TV Spot”