Western Union extends its WU Wish Programme to Kuwait

Kuwait, 16 June, 2015: The Western Union Company has launched a global programme to mark the unveiling of their re-branded marketing platform, ‘This is WU’.  The new programme ‘WU Wish’ encourages people to describe their hopes and aspirations for a family member or family situation and the WU Wish programme will make the selected wishes come true.   

The company says its new branding platform focusses on creating connections, and WU Wish is an apt start to several other programmes that are slated to further enhance customer involvement, interaction and impact. The first phase of WU Wish will kick-off during the holy month of Ramadan.

“We conducted comprehensive market research - both qualitative and quantitative - across all our major markets, and we are now harnessing the results to refresh our brand communication and engagement with our customers,” explains Marc Aubry, Vice President Marketing of MEA, APAC, EE and CIS regions.

“WU Wish is a uniquely designed programme that mirrors why people remit money to friends, family and loved ones. There is always a reason, and a story. Most people who send money home typically do it for someone else’s welfare and well-being, or to ensure that someone else’s aspirations are being met. These remittances are often accompanied by great personal sacrifice, and thereby, realising a dream for another person has a much higher value than just the price tag associated with it.”

“At Western Union, we believe that these inspirational stories need to be heard, shared - and rewarded,” says Aubry.

During Ramadan, Western Union will take its WU Wish platform further by awarding its customers and giving them a chance to fulfil a wish for themselves or for someone else.  Consumers transacting via Western Union automatically get qualified to enter  into a raffle draw wherein they will have a chance to win a Grand Prize of 3,000 Kuwaiti Dinar, two cash prizes worth 1,500 Kuwaiti Dinar each and ten Consolation Prizes worth 300 Kuwaiti Dinar each.

Aubry said the programme was wide open to public participation, with every resident of Kuwait getting a chance to make a wish by transacting via Western Union.

A promotional video for the programme is currently featured on Facebook and Youtube, with a link leading into the dedicated website. WU Wish is also being promoted across various social platforms under the hashtag #WUwish, and through other below the line and online activities. 

The programme will officially close on 18 July in Kuwait, and the winners will be announced in the first week of August.  However, the WU Wish platform will continue to remain an integral part of the company’s social engagement initiatives.

WU Wish will also be launched in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and thereafter in India and Bangladesh, before it is rolled out in other global markets.