American Express 'Docu-ad' Highlights Struggles of the Unbanked

New York Times
Wednesday, June 11, 2014

"Spent: Looking for Change," a new documentary released online by American Express, is a Frontline-style exposé of the high costs of living outside the traditional financial system. The documentary makes its case by following four families who are unbanked or under-banked and must use alternatives like payday lenders, pawn shops and car title lenders. American Express hopes the documentary will initiate a coalition for solving the problems of people forced to use nontraditional financial services. The documentary is also part of American Express's recent push toward providing financial services to the unbanked, which has included the release of their low-cost Bluebird prepaid card.