SAN JOSE, Calif. — To drive more interest to its company and services, Alliance Credit Union recently ran a special marketing campaign that offered $5,000 to the winner of an Ugly Car Contest.

The winner, Jean-Pierre Saintard, of Leland, N.C., was able to take this cash and put it toward the purchase of a new vehicle. His vandalized 1998 Saturn S-Series coup took first place.

The contest itself spanned two months and was the first time the nonprofit credit union has tried such a gimmick to attract attention.

Basically, the financial institution used a Fan Page on Facebook, which enabled its members to share pictures of their vehicles and enter the contest. Both members and non-members were permitted to vote.

Saintard grabbed the award with 336 votes for his car, beating out the runner-up by only 42 votes.

"It was a great injustice to have our car vandalized, but at least there is a positive ending to an otherwise negative situation," Saintard noted. "We are so excited to be the winners of Alliance's Ugly Car Contest, the timing couldn't have been more perfect."

So what led to the inspiration behind the campaign? According to Emily Condon, senior vice president of marketing and retail delivery, "With the success of the government's Cash for Clunkers program, Alliance realized how many people need help getting a new car. The Ugly Car Contest is our small way of helping a member while keeping the spirit of the clunkers program alive."