It's Plush Pony season, everyone! (CR)
GBH is thrilled to present Barbara Yager, who is introducing this year's Plush Pony. Barbara works for Wells Fargo Enterprise Marketing in Charlotte North Carolina, and manages the Plush Pony program. There is no one better for this project than Barbara, because she is a passionate lover of horses. She has been riding since she was a little girl and to this day still owns 3 horses and rides 4-5 times a weeek in her dressage arena.
If you have recently gone into your local Wells Fargo store, you may have noticed all the snowflakes.
No, not the "Let it snow!" kind—I'm referring to the white plush ponies named Snowflake, displayed all over the store.
Each year, during the holiday season, Wells Fargo gives away thousands of plush ponies to new checking customers who open a new checking package, or to customers who refer a friend to open one. It is a great holiday gift, and has become a collectable item. Wells Fargo currently has 12 plush ponies that have been developed over the years, and each pony is modeled after a real horse in Wells Fargo's history.
Stores also have large plush ponies that are used as displays throughout the campaign and later donated to local charities.
This year's pony, Snowflake, is modeled after a Wells Fargo express wagon horse from the 1880s. The historical Snowflake led a team of horses that helped deliver money, merchandise, important papers, and packages from Jersey City across the Hudson River into Manhattan. Edward Hopper's
illustration for the March 1917 cover of the Wells Fargo Messenger magazine depicted a team in harness just like Snowflake.
Activity books featuring Snowflake and her journey are available in English, Chinese, and Spanish at select Wells Fargo stores and online. Stop by your local Wells Fargo and meet our newest edition to the Wells Fargo plush pony collection ... Snowflake!
Do you already have a plush pony from the Wells Fargo history? If so, which one (or ones) do you have?
To qualify for the plush pony, a new Wells Fargo consumer or business checking customer must open and fund a new eligible Wells Fargo Checking Package checking account or Wells Fargo Business Services® Package checking account. New Wells Fargo Checking Package checking accounts and new Wells Fargo Business Services Package checking accounts each require a $100 minimum opening deposit. Eligible Wells Fargo Checking Packages are PMA® Package, Complete Advantage® Package, Premium Membership® Package, Custom Management®Package, Way2Save®Package, Preferred Package, Wells Fargo At WorkSM Package, College Combo®or Opportunity PackageSM. Eligible Wells Fargo Business Services Packages are Wells Fargo Advantage® Business Services Package, Expanded Business Services® Package, Analyzed Business Services® Package, Wells Fargo Gold® Business Services Package and Platinum Business Services Package. See banker for Checking Package or Business Services Package details. Offer valid from 11/14/2011 through 12/31/2011 in all participating regions except LA Metro/Orange County and Arizona, where the offer expires 1/14/2012, or while supplies last, and cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit one plush pony per customer. Customer will receive the plush pony at the time of opening and funding the new Wells Fargo Checking Package checking account or Wells Fargo Business Services Package checking account. Offer is only available at participating Wells Fargo banking locations. Wells Fargo team members are not eligible for this offer.
To qualify for the plush pony, a new Wells Fargo consumer checking customer must present a referral card (photocopies cannot be accepted) and open a new eligible Wells Fargo Checking Package checking account with a $100 minimum opening deposit. Eligible Wells Fargo Checking Packages are PMA® Package, Complete Advantage® Package, Premium Membership® Package, Custom Management® Package, Way2Save® Package, Preferred Package, Wells Fargo At WorkSM Package, College Combo® or Opportunity PackageSM. See banker for Checking Package details. Offer valid from 11/14/2011 through 12/31/2011 in all participating regions except LA Metro/Orange County and Arizona, where the offer expires 1/14/2012, or while supplies last, and cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit one plush pony per customer. Referring customer must be an existing Wells Fargo consumer checking customer. If all eligibility requirements are met, new customer will receive a plush pony at the time of opening and funding a new Wells Fargo Checking Package checking account, and the referring customer will be contacted within 30 days to make arrangements to receive a plush pony. All accounts must be funded during promotional period. Wells Fargo team members are not eligible for this offer.
© 2011 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Materials expire on 1/14/2012.
November 22, 2011 8:13 AM | Reply
Plush Pony Season is one of my favorite times of the year! I have a few of the WF plush ponies ... Billy, Lightning, Al, Molly, Prince, Trixie and now Snowflake.
November 23, 2011 11:03 AM | Reply
I would love to get a Giant Snowflake Plush Horse....is there anyway we can buy the horses and have the money go to the charities?
December 5, 2011 2:39 PM | Reply
Wells Fargo is offering Snowflake to new customers. But long term faithful existing customers get no such luck. My small business deposits 6 figures through Wells annually and has for many years. My daughter asks me every time we go through the drive through if we can get one. The answer is no, it is not for people like loyal customers. Thanks!
December 5, 2011 5:47 PM | Reply
Where can I purchase Snowflake? Can I purchase through one of the museums?
December 6, 2011 9:10 AM | Reply
@Shannon - Thanks for your comment! Many people share your interest in the giant ponies! Unfortunately, we only produce large ones for our stores to use as a display during the promotional period. The good news is that each store selects a local charity to be the recipient of the large pony. As a result, we have been able to donate thousands of large ponies to worthy causes each year and make a difference in the local communities that we serve.
December 7, 2011 3:22 PM | Reply
can i prcahse one now that i dnot have like billy
December 8, 2011 9:10 PM | Reply
I don't understand why Wells Fargo gives ponies to people who don't want them (a Web search shows many for sale) but won't let existing customers have them even if we're willing to pay for them. It makes me feel like Wells Fargo doesn't want me as a customer. Except for this, I'm happy with Wells Fargo, but now I'm thinking I may need to find a new bank.
December 9, 2011 7:14 AM | Reply
I LOVE MY PONY, SNOWFLAKE
December 12, 2011 7:28 PM | Reply
Is there a way to get them if you are a customer? Couldn't wells fargo sell them and put the proceeds to charity? I heard fifth third bank has some cool stuff going on. I heard they pay for your atm transactions with with other banks. If wells fargo doesn't like existing customers maybe looking around is what two do.
December 14, 2011 11:37 AM | Reply
I would like to have a plush pony and I've been a costumer for years. I think they should be for the loyal costumers as well as new ones.
December 17, 2011 3:33 AM | Reply
Hi
I have a Wells fargo horse named Molly and I need the bandana for her. Does anyone know how to get one?
thanks
December 17, 2011 8:37 PM | Reply
i only have one horse snow flake i love her so much i can't even put her down and i take her everywhere
December 20, 2011 12:30 PM | Reply
Hi Deidra, I don't have a scarf but I do have a small saddle pad I could send you. Please private message me at barbara.yager@wellsfargo.com to send me your address. Thanks for being a fan of the historical ponies.
December 22, 2011 3:25 PM | Reply
Hi Ann and the two Anonymouses: We are very happy that you are happy with Snowflake. That's one lovable Plush Pony!
December 22, 2011 3:28 PM | Reply
Hello Mr. Paulson, Nancy, Crimson, David, and Jolene: Thank you all for commenting. Qualification for the ponies is in all that fine print at the end of the post. But Historical ponies are available in one of three ways:
1) open a new consumer or business account (see the fine print above)
2) refer a friend who opens a qualifying account and receive a pony for you and your friend
3) visit a Wells Fargo museum to purchase your own Snowflake.
January 25, 2012 11:08 AM | Reply
Hello, I opened account and received your newest pony, my daughter just loves, however, she is heart broken because we lost it as she takes it every where, is there another way I can get another pony for her?
Thank you
Tonia
February 1, 2012 9:07 AM | Reply
I recently got a Snowflake for my cousin and she loves it. Looking at the Wells Fargo plush pony history page, I see that photos and comments are only available through plush pony releases through 2007. Can the more recent ones be added to that page?
February 5, 2012 11:14 PM | Reply
I think Snowflake is an awesome idea! Who wouldn't want a pony? I have to admit, the giant Snowflake Pony was the reason I signed up with wells fargo and now I am the lucky owner of the same HUGE Snowflake Pony!! I recently won my pony at a fund-raising event in a silent auction!! Willing to pay just about any price, I was top bidder! I am so excited! I have to say that my local Wells Fargo bank ROCKS!!!! The people who work there are Soooo wonderful! I'm not a huge bank client, so I choose my bank based on convenience, location, and customer service. I'm so pleased with my Wells Fargo! And my GIANT Pony! Thanks Wells for generosly donating to so many causes!