BANKRATES FIRST EVER ORIGINAL YOUTUBE SERIES $$$$ THEY DIDNT TEACH YOU LOOKS TO SPEAK TO MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z AUTHENTICALLY WHILE DIMINISHING THE STIGMA OF DEBT

NEW YORK – (April 13, 2022) – Bankrate, a consumer finance platform, is launching their first-ever original YouTube series called ‘$$$$ They Didn’t Teach You’ on Wednesday, April 13 on Bankrate’s YouTube page. The series, completed in partnership with Team Whistle’s “MAGNET” AGENCY, will have six total episodes, each featuring a well-known influencer as they share their own personal stories of reaching financial literacy after falling victim to common financial traps like overwhelming credit card debt, high-cost student loans, poor budgeting, and more. The goal is to engage, educate and provide a Gen Z and Millennial audience with helpful financial tools through a relatable format that reduces the stigma around talking about finances by allowing their admired entertainers to be vulnerable and open about their experiences.

“You wouldn’t know this from my Instagram, but I found out I maxed out my first credit card when it got declined buying ice cream on a date in college,” said Matt James, Former Bachelor. “I was so focused on trying to keep up with my peers that I wasn’t even thinking about paying back the debt I was accumulating until it caught up to me. I was excited to be a part of this campaign to share my story, help others realize how common debt is, and relieve some of the shame associated with it.”

“We decided to make our first major investment in original content using some of the most impactful names across personal finance, home renovation, lifestyle, travel and entertainment to speak to Millennial and Gen Z audiences in an approachable and authentic way,” said Kyle J. Britt, Director of Brand and Marketing at Bankrate. “We understand that many Millennials and Gen Zers weren’t given the foundational financial education they need to have the healthy relationship with money they deserve. We believe financial confidence should be accessible to everyone.”

“Team Whistle’s “MAGNET” exists to help brands create original content native to social platforms that authentically speaks to a Gen Z audience, making us a great partner for Bankrate, “ said Jordan Rue, Senior Director of Content at Team Whistle. “We know who and what resonates with them as genuine, and so we were able to help Bankrate determine the right strategy and approach.”

According to a national study recently commissioned by Bankrate, 92% of GenZ and 79% of Millennial respondents self rated as Beginner or Intermediate when asked how they feel about managing their finances*. In the first episode, we hear from The Bachelor’s Matt James, as he takes us through the evolution of how he fell victim to debt in college and got back on solid financial footing. In the season finale, we will meet Tan France who discovered too late that he had taken out an unmanageable loan for one of his early business ventures. The series also relies on animation from innovative visual storytellers Igor + Valentine to bring the influencers' financial stories to life. To further commit to providing meaningful financial education for viewers, Bankrate has created nine new free virtual master classes at Bankrate.com as a resource to do a deeper educational dive into the topics addressed by talent in the series.

*Study conducted by Material, to 3000 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over, with a margin of error of +/- 1.8 percent.

About Bankrate:

Bankrate has guided savers and spenders through the next steps of their financial journeys since 1976. Whether it's rates or information on mortgages, investing, credit cards, personal loans, insurance, taxes or retirement, the company offers various free resources to help consumers reach their goals. From product comparison tools to award-winning editorial content, Bankrate provides objective information and actionable next steps. Bankrate also aggregates rate information from over 4,800 institutions on more than 300 financial products, with coverage in more than 600 local markets. It’s why over 100 million people put their trust in Bankrate every year.

About Team Whistle:

Team Whistle is an Eleven Group sports and entertainment media company built to engage and activate today’s generation, wherever they consume content globally. As a pioneer in data-driven content creation and distribution, Whistle has a positive and relatable original content slate of 50+ shows and a creator network that generates over four billion views per month across social platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Team Whistle owns Whistle TV, its free ad-supported digital network available on The Roku Channel and other OTT platforms including: Samsung TV Plus, Vizio, TCL, Plex, DistroTV, STIRR, and LocalNow, which currently reaches over 70M US households. With these deep ties to social and streaming platforms, “MAGNET” Agency, Team Whistle’s internal agency provides social first content strategies to brands, leagues and platforms to reach untapped audiences and create revenue opportunities.

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Contact:

Stacey Richman

srichman@teamwhistle.com

973-219-5872