iVillage and PASS From American Express(SM) Partner to Launch The Talk to Mobilize Moms to Talk to Teens about Money

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- iVillage, the essential digital brand for women and PASS from American Express, a prepaid reloadable card parents give to teens and young adults, today announced the launch of The Talk, an innovative, multi-platform program designed to help moms connect with their teens and young adults about financial responsibility.

Hosted on iVillage, The Talk aims to spark conversation between moms and teens about managing money while delivering the tools, resources, and support they need.

To encourage parents to have 'the talk,' this multi-faceted program will feature a variety of content and interactive elements including custom editorial and video, social media outreach, and integrated promotion on NBC.com.

Among moms, the Internet is a top source for information about managing money and being financially responsible according to a study by iVillage.(1)  The study revealed that:

• More than half of U.S. moms (61%) are primarily responsible for managing their household's finances.
• 41% of U.S. moms said they wish they were more informed about managing money/being financially responsible, so they can pass that knowledge on to their kids.
• More than one-third (37%) of online U.S. moms said they want more access to online articles and discussion forums with trusted financial experts.
• Nearly one-third (29%) of online U.S. moms said they would go online to talk with other moms for advice and information on how to talk about money with their kids. Online moms are also likely to share information with their social networks (51%).
• 30% of U.S. online moms would go to an online source (e.g. blogs financial websites and forums) for information about managing money/being financially responsible – ranked only behind a family member (52%) and financial professional/financial advisor (37%).  

"Thousands of conversations on iVillage's message boards confirm that finance is a pervasive theme in women's lives. Women admit that having this talk can be just as difficult as family conversations around peer pressure, dating or substance abuse," said Jodi Kahn EVP of iVillage. "We are excited to launch The Talk in partnership with PASS from American Express to create an online experience where women can connect, share, and learn about ways to communicate with their teens on this very important subject."

"We are delighted to partner with iVillage, home to over 30 million women and moms," said Alpesh Chokshi, President of American Express' Global Prepaid Business. "Parents of PASS Cardmembers told us they are committed to teaching their teens lessons of financial responsibility. We believe that The Talk provides moms with another resource to help facilitate the important conversation around money while also providing teens and young adults with a safer path toward financial independence."

Elements of The Talk include:

• Video Series: The Talk will feature video vignettes, as well as a series created by parenting and financial experts, to encourage parents to have the talk with their teens. Launching on iVillage, the videos will be promoted on Facebook, Twitter and other partner sites.
• PSA:  Later this fall, CNBC's Maria Bartiromo will be featured in an online public service announcement from NBCU's Emmy Award-winning campaign, "The More You Know," on the topic of discussing finances with teens.
• Social Media Engagement: Starting later this month, parents can go to Facebook.com/iVillage for more information on The Talk and can exchange tips and advice with other parents and financial experts. Parents who have had 'the talk' with their teen can download The Talk badge to their personal Facebook page. iVillage will make a donation to Junior Achievement after a key number of badges have been shared.
• Co-Promotion on NBC.com: Starting later this month, parents will have access to The Talk on the webpage for the popular NBC series Parenthood on NBC.com.  Parents who are fans of the series can experience unique content around money management and parenting, including an interactive game tied to the protagonist Braverman siblings.  
• Tips, Articles and Content: At The Talk homepage, moms can access The Talk Tips, parent testimonials and The Talk message board moderated by financial and parenting experts. The page will also link to an array of articles, features and content throughout iVillage designed to help moms teach their kids about financial responsibility.
• Events: Later this fall, The Talk will feature events around financial responsibility and the money talk.

For more information on The Talk, visit www.ivillage.com/thetalk.

About PASS from American Express

PASS is a prepaid reloadable card parents give to teens and young adults. The Card is a smart, safe alternative to cash, debit and credit for parents to give a prepaid solution to teens. There is no risk of PASS Card overdraft fees, impacting the Cardmember's credit and if lost or stolen, the funds can be replaced. Online management tools provide parents with transparency and control into how the Card is being used. Parents, teens and young adults can manage the account online, view real-time transaction history and set up alerts to receive balance and transaction information. Parents can also schedule reloading of funds automatically. Cardmembers are eligible for valuable protections and benefits including Purchase Protection, Roadside Assistance, and budgeting tips and tools.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, twitter.com/americanexpress and youtube.com/americanexpress.

About iVillage

iVillage is the largest content-driven community for women online reaching 30 + million unique visitors per month (comScore July 2010). With over four million plus conversations annually and thousands of specific brands talked about weekly, iVillage is at the center of her digital routine. Everyday women come to iVillage to connect, share advice, find life tools and engage in conversations that matter most to them in areas of Pregnancy & Parenting, Health, Food, Entertainment and Beauty & Style. Additional businesses and brand extensions within iVillage include iVillage UK, NBC Digital Health Network, Astrology.com and GardenWeb. iVillage Inc., is based in New York City, and is part of the NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks Group. Join iVillage's Facebook group at www.facebook.com/ivillage and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ivillage.

(1) Study Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of iVillage from August 25-31, 2010 among 1,053 parents (677 moms) of children age 17 years or younger. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

SOURCE iVillage