SmartyPig®

Today we announced our partnership with Australia New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) to provide innovative social savings to Gen Y Australian banking customers with http://www.smartypig.com.au. A-U, as we call it, will launch first of November. We could not be more excited!

Here's why: Australians are among fastest in the world to adopt new technology, and ANZ is THE bank when it comes to pushing the financial services envelope with tech upgrades. First to mobile and now first to the social side of saving - and they are seemingly poised to keep pushing to reach out to the next generation of banking customers... cool, hip savers like you. ANZ also has 6 million customers, close to AUD$400 billion in assets and is exposing SmartyPig to the largest emerging markets in the world.

That means we're working tirelessly to grow... and grow fast.

The partnership is only our first international expansion of SmartyPig, and ANZ is the perfect partner to prove the model overseas because ANZ has a clear strategy to reach a very important, very socially plugged-in demographic. And as you sit here reading this, we are planning our next move.

See, we know we can't save the world, but we know we can help the world save. It's a message that resonated from coast to coast inside of three months of our public launch and is now without borders. Why? Because people know they need to rethink how they approach their finances, no matter where they are from. This "foreign" mind-set is attracting their banks, which are, in turn, contacting us. It's flattering that it's catching on so rapidly, but it truly is little more than common sense: save up before you buy something.

People don't typically read press releases, but here's what ANZ Chief Executive Officer, Australia, Brian Hartzer, said on ours, "We know that young people have unique needs when it comes to their finances. They look for simple, efficient and secure ways to manage their money and are more likely to bank online, as they are very comfortable with the technology. We're particularly excited about launching SmartyPig in Australia, as it's a forward-thinking savings product that appeals to the tech-savvy and time-poor consumer. Partnering with companies like SmartyPig who can innovate and get to market rapidly helps us extend our point of difference."

Mr. Hartzer's claim of SmartyPig being "forward thinking," we think, hits the nail on the head. In this economy - in this global economy - you can't look back. You have to move forward, aim high, get out from under, examine things differently. See, it's all about setting goals. Goals are optimistic. Working together and sharing an experience makes it more meaningful. We at SmartyPig are ecstatic that people are taking notice, but to be honest, it is you all that are doing the real work.

Thanks for letting us be a part of it. And please help spread the word about Simple, Smart, Saving.