CIT Launches New Global Brand Campaign Highlighting Its Competitive Advantages for the Middle Market

NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CIT Group Inc. , a leading global provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, today launched a new global brand campaign that articulates the Company's value proposition. (http://www.cit.com/) The new campaign highlights CIT's unique go-to-market strategy which goes beyond traditional financial analysis and places value on a customer's potential, ideas and its people. The brand campaign was created by and launched through kirshenbaum bond + partners.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070227/NYTU074 )

The cornerstone of the new brand positioning is the Company's capital redefined equation where Relationship Capital + Intellectual Capital + Financial Capital = Capital Redefined. CIT's approach to redefining capital was affirmed by results of a recent CIT survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R) with American business leaders. The survey revealed that executives were eight times more likely to say that attributes like "strong customer relationships" and "having employees who deeply understand their business/industry" are more important to a company's success than a strong balance sheet.

"Capital Redefined is based on what we do best -- deliver relationship capital, intellectual capital, and financial capital to our customers," said Jeffrey M. Peek, CIT Chairman and CEO. "We know the middle market and understand that our customers expect more than just 'traditional financing.' This campaign highlights our unique go-to-market strategy and reflects our rich heritage and strong competitive position in the middle market."

Campaign Elements

CIT's brand campaign will roll out throughout 2007 in three waves which include newspaper, magazine, radio, web, networking events and out-of-home.

* The campaign, which launches this week with a three-page print insert (http://www.cit.com/) in The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, CFO and Fortune, introduces CIT's concept of "Capital Redefined." The advertisements underscore CIT's unique value proposition of creating personalized relationships and customized financing solutions across more than 30 diverse industries. * This will be followed by additional print and interactive advertisements that further establish CIT's unique point of view. These ads will feature bold statements such as, "It's Time Potential Became a Line on a Balance Sheet" printed across a P&L form and "If All Your Bank Gives You Is Money, Give It Back." This creative breaks the traditional boundaries of financial services advertising and will appear in a variety of financial publications as well as lifestyle publications that reach the c-suite audience. * The third wave will include ads that offer proof-of-concept highlighting CIT's unique approach of bringing value to its customers that incorporates customer case studies and real-life examples of "Capital Redefined."

The new brand campaign also adds relationship-building elements designed to reach CIT's client base and foster stronger relationships. This will include networking events, webinars, and in-depth research analysis that highlights the key business issues facing middle market executives today. To further the brand message, a new corporate website (http://www.cit.com/) was developed and recently launched by leading interactive agency, Agency.com.

Jon Bond, co-chairman, kirshenbaum bond + partners, said, "CIT's new brand campaign, which knocks down the walls of traditional financial services advertising, captures their point of difference in a largely undifferentiated industry."

CIT also announced that it will partner with Conde Nast Media Group, to produce Behind the Business; a multi-layered communications program providing incomparable access to today's business leaders in such fields as technology, fashion, sports, entertainment, energy and healthcare, by exploring the critical decisions and business insights that led to the creation of some of the world's most dynamic companies. The program will deliver an insightful profile of each luminary in-book, plus a one-on-one interview event series with live audience participation, packaged into a richly produced webcast. Hosted by notable business consultant and journalist Andrew Shapiro, the first executive profiled in this series will be fashion mogul and CIT client Marc Ecko, Chairman and CEO of Marc Ecko Enterprises, and available on CIT's website, http://behindthebusiness.cit.com/, April 9, 2007. Participating Conde Nast titles include: Wired, Conde Nast Portfolio, Golf Digest and The New Yorker.

Research Results

The CIT study revealed that executives from billion Dollar companies believe strong customer relationships and having employees who deeply understand their business/industry have more influence over success than a strong balance sheet. The study was conducted February 8 - 13, 2007 among more than 200 leading executives (Chairmen/CEOs, EVPs/VPs and Directors) of firms earning more than $1 billion annually.

Kelley Gipson, CIT Executive Vice President Brand Marketing and Communications, said, "These survey results further reinforce the direction of CIT's integrated marketing campaign which highlights the value we bring to customers including our focus on looking beyond the numbers to see the full potential of middle market companies."

Other key findings: * 73% of respondents disagreed that you can tell the complete story about a company by just looking at its balance sheet * 75% of respondents believe networking with customers/ prospects is more effective than traditional marketing (ads, brochures, direct mail, etc.) * 89% of respondents believe a colleague or peer recommendation is important when considering a new business relationship NOTE TO EDITORS

More information on CIT's new brand campaign and survey results are available at http://www.cit.com/.

About CIT

CIT Group Inc. , a leading global commercial and consumer finance company, provides clients with financing and leasing products and advisory services. Founded in 1908, CIT has more than $74 billion in managed assets and possesses the financial resources, industry expertise and product knowledge to serve the needs of clients across approximately 30 industries worldwide. CIT, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 Index, holds leading positions in vendor financing, factoring, equipment and transportation financing, Small Business Administration loans, and asset-based lending. With its global headquarters in New York City, CIT has more than 7,300 employees in locations throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. http://www.cit.com/

About kirshenbaum bond + partners

kirshenbaum bond + partners is a network of marketing communications specialty companies founded by Richard Kirshenbaum and Jon Bond, including kirshenbaum bond, Dotglu, LIME public relations + promotion, The Media Kitchen, and WhiteSpace. Founded in 1987, Kirshenbaum bond + partners has since grown to include over 250 employees and combined billings of nearly $575 million. Clients include Panasonic, BMW, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, KAO Brands (Jergens, Biore, Ban, John Frieda, Curel), Limited Brands, iVillage.com, Diageo, Delta, CIT, Edward Jones, Mohegan Sun, Wyndam Hotels & Resorts, Carrabba's, and CIBAVision. http://www.kb.com/

About Harris Interactive(R) Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CIT Group Inc. between February 8 and 13, 2007 among 218 U.S. senior business executives (CEOs, Chairmen/EVPs, and VPs/Directors of firms $1B + in annual revenue) from leading companies. Data were not weighted.

With a pure probability sample of 218, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/-8 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on sub-samples would be higher and would vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Harris Interactive(R) is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive(R) is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive(R) serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive(R) may be obtained at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/

CIT Media Relations C. Curtis Ritter Director of External Communications & Media Relations 212.461.7711 Curt.Ritter@CIT.com Mary Flynn Director of Media Relations 212.461.7860 Mary.Flynn@CIT.com CIT Investor Relations Stephen Klimas Vice President 973.535.3769 Steve.Klimas@CIT.com kirshenbaum bond + partners Media Relations Jennifer Landers 212.337.4738 jlanders@kb.com