Union Bank Unveils Banking By DesignSM

Customized, “unbundled” checking account gives customers greater control over their day-to-day finances

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Union Bank, N.A., today unveiled Banking By Design^SM – an innovative new way of banking, which allows customers to design a checking account that fits their needs. Banking By Design “unbundles” the traditional checking account and offers a wide range of optional features, each with associated costs clearly visible and with many at no cost.

“Banking By Design was created in direct response to consumer research and demand for control and transparency in their banking, and its innovation builds on the idea that today’s consumer expects the ability to customize the products and services that are important to them”

New and existing Union Bank customers can design their own checking account by choosing only the services they want. The base cost of $3 per month can easily be waived if the customer makes one direct deposit of $250 or more each statement period. Consumers can design their account at bankingbydesign.com, and after customizing it, they can call or visit a Union Bank branch to open the account. Accounts can also be designed in a Union Bank branch with the support of a personal banker, and the ability for consumers to open their Banking By Design account online after customizing will go live in January 2013, giving them yet another convenient option.

“Banking By Design was created in direct response to consumer research and demand for control and transparency in their banking, and its innovation builds on the idea that today’s consumer expects the ability to customize the products and services that are important to them,” said Union Bank Senior Executive Vice President Pierre P. Habis, head of Community Banking. “Consumers made it clear that they want a fair value exchange – they only want to pay for what they need. Banking By Design delivers on that, and we know this will be a welcome shift for consumers when it comes to their banking relationship with Union Bank.”

“Many categories today require consumers to choose from bundles at a set cost, while other categories, such as the computer industry, have evolved to enable consumers to customize a product based on their needs. With Banking By Design, we are bringing this approach to banking,” explained Union Bank Senior Vice President Maha Madain, head of Consumer Deposits and chief designer of Banking By Design. “Banking By Design is the future of responsible, transparent and responsive banking.”

Banking By Design’s initial offering is only the beginning as additional feature enhancements are already planned for 2013. The Banking By Design Web site design team from Eleven Inc. includes Human Factors Engineer Michael Neuman, formerly with Apple®. In support of the launch, Union Bank is debuting a new advertising campaign, and will also be adding an interactive viral component that allows users to create a Banking By Design commercial with an opportunity for their commercial to air on television in 2013. To learn more about Union Bank’s Banking By Design or to design your own checking account, visit bankingbydesign.com.

About UnionBanCal Corporation & Union Bank, N.A.

Headquartered in San Francisco, UnionBanCal Corporation is a financial holding company with assets of $88.2 billion at September 30, 2012. Its primary subsidiary, Union Bank, N.A., is a full service commercial bank providing an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. The bank operated 402 branches in California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, and New York as well as two international offices, on September 30, 2012. UnionBanCal Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) (NYSE:MTU), one of the world’s largest financial organizations. Visit www.unionbank.com for more information.

See our All About Personal Accounts & Services Disclosure and Agreement, Personal Account Notice of Change in Account Terms and Fee Schedule (CA), and Fee Schedule for account details.

© 2012. Union Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Union Bank is a member of the FDIC.