U.S. Bank Gives Away $250,000 in ''Free Samples''

    Business Editors/City Desks

    CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2005--U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB)

    Everyone is familiar with free samples of products in grocery stores to get customers to try something new. U.S. Bank is taking it one step further and will be giving away "free samples" of cold hard cash in Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco.
    This is a unique way for U.S. Bank to remind homeowners that there is a better way to get money from their house than in the crevices of their couch. To illustrate the point, U.S. Bank will be giving away a quarter of a million $1 coins in Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco to promote special rates on its home equity loans and lines of credit.
    Street teams will hand out free samples of Sacagawea and Susan B. Anthony coins in locations where home owners shop as well as at home and garden shows. U.S. Bank expects to distribute more than 10,000 coins or samples each day Feb. 24-27 and March 3-6.
    "Home values continue to increase giving families more flexibility when they need cash for a major purchase or renovation," said Trent Spurgeon, vice president of consumer products at U.S. Bank. "The goal with this promotion is to draw attention to our low rate home equity loans and lines of credit as an alternative that can also be a real benefit at tax time."
    The eye-catching promotion will also be available through U.S. Bank branches, where consumers can learn more about the low rate home equity products.

    U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), with assets of $195 billion, is the 6th largest financial services holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,370 banking offices and 4,620 ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee which assures customers of certain key banking benefits and services or customers will be paid for their inconvenience. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

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CONTACT: U.S. Bank Steve Dale, (612) 303-0784 Teri Charest, (612) 303-0732

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA ILLINOIS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD RETAIL SOURCE: U.S. Bank

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