Innovative "Capture The Tag" Promotion Returns for a Second Run

TUMWATER, WA--(Marketwire - May 18, 2012) - Last year, a highly successful treasure hunt contest called "Capture The Tag" engaged a wide range of Generation X and tech users to round up Microsoft Tag and video-based clues in pursuit of $15,000 in prize money plus iPads. The tags were evenly distributed throughout Olympia in 20 area retail businesses and other high traffic locations. Capture The Tag is back for an encore, with the promotion running 12:00 pm noon Pacific Daylight time May 4th, 2012 until June 22th, 2012 at 1:00 pm Pacific Daylight. Also, this year tags will be posted online for some locations in addition to the business locations. This will allow those tags to be captured from the computer monitor or tablet screen using your phone.

Conceived by O Bee Credit Union, the contest is co-sponsored this year by O Bee, 94.5 ROXY, The Olympian, America's Credit Union, The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, Showcase (The Magazine for Artful Living), Helix Group, Mobility Media Design, plus seven of the 28 local participating businesses: Shipwreck Beads, Selden's Furniture, Olympia Farmers Market, OLT VCB, Hartley Jewelers, Thurston Talk, and Vern Funk Insurance.

"First and foremost, Capture The Tag is great fun for the community," notes Lee Wojnar, Vice President of Marketing for O Bee Credit Union. "But last year, it also served a fantastic secondary purpose -- providing a novel business boost to the local retail economy. We expect even bigger results this year based on the buzz we created in 2011."

This digital age contest is very loosely based on the popular summer camp game "Capture The Flag." However, in this version, "Capture The Tag" participants armed with their smartphones scan and collect 30 Microsoft Tags, 2D barcodes that connect real world objects to information and interactive experiences when scanned via the Tag Reader app. The Tags (for 28 different participating businesses and some of these including consumer financial education tags) play videos on participants' smart phones giving them clues to the location of the next Tag, along with personal finance tips and advice, until they find or visit at least 20 participating businesses, either in the community or at online sites. Participating businesses can offer their own discounts and incentives as part of "Capture The Tag," but no purchase is required to participate. Clues and contest information will also be featured on the sites of all the co-sponsors, as well as "Capture The Tag" Facebook and Twitter pages.

Everyone who collects all 20 tags is invited to an end-of-contest Tag Party, held at Huntamer Park, 618 Woodland Square Loop Southeast, Lacey, Washington, on Saturday June 23, 2012 1:00 pm (PDT). The drawing will be at 2:00 pm (PDT) and the winners will be notified on June 23, 2012 @ 2:30 pm (PDT). First prize is $10,000.00. Second prize is $3,000.00. Third prize is $2,000.00. In addition, five other entrants will win an Apple iPad.

Entrants have to be 18 years of age or older, but can sign up at CaptureTheTag.org, where they will find video instructions and contest rules. The site also provides a link to download scanning software to read the Microsoft Tags used in the game.

About O Bee Credit Union
O Bee Credit Union (The Olympia Brewing Co. Employees and Families Credit Union) was started February 15, 1955 by Ted McGill, who worked in the bottle house of the brewery. This full service non-profit credit union, owned by its members, has four branches located in Lacey, Tumwater, Tenino, and West Olympia. Membership is open to all Washington residents. Visit www.obee.com for more information about O Bee Credit Union.