Payday Lenders Campaign

8/14/2019 Payday Lenders Campaign

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Megan Pearson

Comms 336

Individual in-class campaign

The Case of the Desperate Borrowers

Situation Analysis

Payday lenders in Utah are charging extremely high Annual Percentage Rates (APR) to

borrowers who are uneducated and have low incomes. The House Finance Committee is trying

to pass legislation that will set maximum lending limits for payday lenders. This committee is

having difficulty gaining enough voter support to convince Utah political decision-makers to

pass legislation that would set maximum lending limits for payday lenders.

One difficulty might be the opposition from banks, who do not want a ceiling limit on how much

they can charge to borrowers. Other opposition might come from payday lenders within Utah

who do not want their revenue decreased. Lastly, it could be difficult to gain enough media

exposure and public interest.

Core Problem

The majority of Utah citizenspositive support must increase, so political decision-makers will

support legislation to set maximum lending limits on payday lenders.

Goal and Objectives

Goal. The House Finance Committees goal is to gain support for limits on how much payday

lenders can charge borrowers.

Objectives.

1. To demonstrate by March first that the 80 percent of Utah citizens support setting limitson the amount payday lenders can charge

2. Increase alternative lending options within the state by 30 percent within six months.3. To demonstrate by April first that 65 percent of political decision-makers support the

legislation.


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Key Publics and Messages

Utah Voters. This public is indentified as helping with objectives one and two. Utah Voters are

between the ages of 21 and 80, most are middle-class, educated and religious. They areinterested in the economy, lending habits, education, charity and the well-being of their

community.

Message. As a Utah voter, your support for the legislation to put a maximum lending amount on

payday lenders will help to educate your neighbors, make them aware of lending traps and debt,

and increase your states economy.

Politicians. This public is indentified as helping with objective three. Local politicians are

interested in the financial well-being of their constituencies, the economy, voter support, re-election and increased involvement from the community.

Message. As an opinion leader, your support of the lending limits will promote economic

stability for the people in your community, increase citizen involvement and voter support, and

Utahseconomy will improve.

Media. This public is indentified as helping with objectives one and two. Local media are

interested in good stories, awareness, readers, money, news coverage and higher ratings. They

are also interested in the States economy and lending rates by banks and loan institutions.

Message. As an organization that reaches a large population of Utah residents, you will be able

to reach those unaware of how payday lenders operate, educate them on unsafe spending and

saving habits and increase viewers by supporting the legislation to put a cap on lending amounts.

Strategies and Tactics

Utah Voters. Through the use mass media and face-to-face communication, we will persuade

voters in Utah to support passing legislation that will put a maximum amount lenders can charge.

Tactics. We will air stories through the media about the effects these types of loans are having

on members of your community. We will conduct classes and seminars on smart financing. We

will also send letters to your neighborhood which will show you how payday lenders can

actually get people into debt.


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Politicians. Through the use of mass communication and face-to-face communication,

politicians will be motivated to support legislation on lending limits.

Tactics. Lobbying and rallying will bring cooperation and attention to the cause. The media will

run a series of stories on the effects of a high APR and how people become trapped in them,

which will raise your reputation because of your support.

Media. Through the use of face-to-face communication with editors and reporters, we will

persuade them to support the lending limit legislation.

Tactics. They will be asked to show VNRs on television. Also, they will be asked to pass along

news clips and stories in the newspaper, radio, internet and television of the adverse effects

payday lenders have on poor, uneducated borrowers with an emphasis on what politicians are

doing to change this.

Documents

Payday Lenders Campaign