BB&T unveils newest educational audiotape for Hispanics

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In an effort to reach the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, BB&T today released the ninth installment in an ongoing series of Spanish-language educational audiotapes.

Tape No. 9 offers advice on legal services in America. It is sponsored by BB&T, the North Carolina Office of Hispanic/Latino Affairs and the North Carolina Bar Association. The 60-minute "BiBi" (pronounced Bee-Bee) tapes - named for its main character - are available throughout BB&T's 1,400-branch network across 11 states and Washington, D.C.

BB&T is the first and only bank known to provide free informational tapes designed to assist new Hispanic immigrants understand the nuances of living in the United States.

"This latest installment focuses on issues identified as the most important by the new immigrant population and the North Carolina Bar Association," said Axel Lluch, director of Hispanic and Latino Affairs for the N.C. governor's office. "We are pleased that the BiBi series is keeping pace with situations that are critically important to our Spanish-speaking residents as they embrace American culture," he said.

The BiBi tapes are designed to bridge the learning gap many Hispanics say exists when it comes to life and how to live it in America. The ninth tape offers an overview of the U.S. legal system and explores topics such as when to consult an attorney and worker's compensation laws.

"The North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) is delighted to be a partner in BB&T's ongoing education of this state's growing Hispanic population," said Meredith Nicholson, who chairs the NCBA's Hispanic/Latino Lawyers Committee. "Our committee feels strongly that education is the key to integrating North Carolina's immigrant community."

BiBi Tape No. 9 also discusses the Legal Aid Services agency, predatory lending warnings, credit records, court proceedings and the importance of financial planning.

Unlike traditional American educational audiotapes, where narrators generally offer information in a tutorial teacher-to-student style, the BiBi tapes follow the "TV Novelas style" storytelling approach popular on Spanish television.

The tapes trace the experiences of Juan and Maria Perez, fictional immigrants who have recently come to the United States. One of the people they meet is a Mexican woman named Beatriz Bienvenido Torres, or "BiBi," as she likes to be called. BiBi, portrayed as a respected member of the Hispanic community and longtime U.S. resident, is also a BB&T "employee" on the tape.

The previous eight tapes - all available through any BB&T branch - covered emergency preparedness; home and auto safety tips; renting and buying a home; health care; education; insurance; working in the United States; tips on finding a job and starting a small business; and basic banking information.

BB&T's educational tapes are one part of its ongoing Multicultural Marketing aimed at the 4.7 million Hispanics in its footprint.

The multi-faceted Hispanic Initiative integrates comprehensive financial products and services through BB&T's network of Hispanic Banking Centers with Hispanic Targeted-Community Reinvestment Act programs, bilingual staff and free international money transfers.

More than half of all U.S. retail banking growth in financial services during the next two decades will come from America's expanding Hispanic population, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

U.S. Hispanic purchasing power has surged to nearly $700 billion and is projected to reach as much as $1 trillion by 2007, nearly three times the overall national rate over the past decade, according to HispanTelligence.

The North Carolina Bar Association, founded in 1899, is the state's largest association of legal professionals. Its Hispanic/Latino Lawyers Committee identifies and networks with Spanish-speaking attorneys throughout the state to better serve the particular needs of Hispanic/Latino clients.

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based BB&T Corporation and its subsidiaries offer full-service commercial and retail banking and additional financial services such as insurance, investments, retail brokerage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international banking, leasing and trust.

BB&T operates more than 1,400 financial centers in the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Washington, D.C. With $110 billion in assets, BB&T Corp. is the nation's ninth largest financial holding company. More information about BB&T Corp. is available at http://www.bb&t.com/.