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 Credit Cards

American Express offers card members deals on Seamless

December 08, 2011

American Express has partnered with Seamless, an e-commerce provider for restaurants, to offer discounts to members of American Express' Blue Savings Program, both companies said Dec. 8.
 

Discover to sponsor holiday-themed Zynga game

December 01, 2011

Discover Financial Services will sponsor a holiday-themed expansion of social gaming company Zynga's "FarmVille" game. The sponsorship, which enables consumers to earn gifts by completing virtual challenges, will go live to the public on Dec. 5.
 

Game mechanics can cull interchange fees, SCVNGR head says at DMA 2011

October 05, 2011

Gamification, the use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences, can affect the end of interchange fees levied on merchants by credit and debit card companies, Seth Priebatsch, chief ninja (actual title) of mobile app company SCVNGR, told attendees at Geekend, a technology-focused event that was part of the Direct Marketing Association 2011 Conference & Exhibition in Boston.
 

Barclaycard US launches loyalty shopping program

August 16, 2011

Barclaycard US, the payments business of financial services company Barclays, has launched a shopping platform for more than 1,000 co-branded card programs. The platform will enable cardholders to automatically earn discounts, rewards, miles and cash back for on- and offline purchases with participating retailers.
 

Mobile carriers, card companies could be double-trouble for ad networks

July 18, 2011

If I'm a Visa executive, I'm looking at the mobile carriers as though they're my university-mandated college roommate who's not really my style but brought the min-fridge: "Hey, buddy, I'll grab the beer."
 

June credit spending increases 8.8%: report

July 12, 2011

The amount of money spent at US merchant locations increased by 8.8% in June, compared with the prior year, according to First Data Corp.'s SpendTrend analysis for the month. The report measured credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks spending.
 

Data mining helps UN credit union sell global credit cards

Mercedes Cardona June 01, 2011

The United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU), a nonprofit financial institution serving more than 90,000 United Nations agency staffers, retirees and their families, wanted to launch a Visa "smart card" aimed at individuals who travel frequently overseas.
 

MasterCard campaign highlights World Elite benefits

May 16, 2011

MasterCard Worldwide launched an integrated marketing campaign May 16 to promote new features of its World Elite card. The direct mail, email and print effort highlights new Elite benefits, such as a global concierge service, price assure for travelers and exclusive golf packages. The financial services company worked with McCann-Erickson on the initiative's print elements and R/GA on the campaign's online elements and microsite.
 

Visa to launch a 'digital wallet' this fall

May 12, 2011

Visa said it will launch an electronic payments platform this fall designed to simplify and secure online, mobile and social networking transactions. The product will also allow consumers to shop across channels without abandoning an electronic shopping cart.
 

Retail's mobile tipping point rests on payments

Nikolas Badminton, director of digital strategy, Tribal DDB April 18, 2011

The next big change providing utility in mobile devices will be the adoption of the "mobile wallet" technology and solutions.
 

Data theft threatens those who underestimate risk

February 09, 2011

The results of the Small Merchant Data Security Survey, sponsored by First Data and the National Retail Federation, might leave consumers feeling a bit naked in the wind.
 

Mailed credit card offers triple in volume from last year: Mintel

December 21, 2010

US consumers received approximately 1.2 billion direct mail offers for new credit cards in the third quarter of 2010, a sharp increase from the 391 million received in Q3 2009, according to data from Mintel Comperemedia. The top senders of credit card mail are Chase, Citi, American Express and Discover, according to Mintel.
 

Bank Freedom targets union members in direct campaign

Jacqueline Renfrow September 27, 2010

Bank Freedom, a subsidiary of Prepaid Card Holdings Inc., is conducting a direct marketing campaign for a co-branded, prepaid debit card for the 1 million-plus members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union.
 

Canadian credit card acquisition direct mail drops 57% in 2009

April 01, 2010

Canadian credit card acquisition direct mail volumes dropped 57% last year, totaling just more than 150 million pieces. In 2008, the category saw an all time high of nearly 350 million pieces, according to statistics released April 1 by Mintel Corporation.
 

Macy's Inc. to co-brand credit cards with American Express

March 31, 2010

Macy's Inc., owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, has partnered with American Express to create co-branded credit cards, which will be issued by Citi in the second half of this year. The partnership was announced March 31.
 

Credit card direct mail up in Q4 2009: Mintel

January 28, 2010

Credit card-related direct mail volume jumped during last year's fourth quarter. It was the first increase in three years, although the total amount of credit card mail pieces pales in comparison to pre-recession amounts, according to research from Mintel Corporation released January 28.
 

Carnival names Borden VP, customer marketing

December 08, 2009

Rob Borden joined Carnival Cruise Lines as VP of customer marketing on December 7. He is overseeing the company's direct and e-mail marketing efforts, including its loyalty programs and co-branded credit card. Those efforts are designed to grow ticket and onboard revenues across all distribution channels, according to a statement from Carnival.
 

AmEx debuts consulting and analytics arm for business customers

November 19, 2009

American Express has launched an analytics and consulting organization, called American Express Business Insights, to help its business customers develop better-informed strategies. The new unit, announced November 19, will study the aggregate trend analysis and spending patterns of approximately 90 million cards across 127 markets to provide business planning and marketing expertise.
 

Cabela's partners with Cenex for co-branded card, loyalty program

October 21, 2009

Outdoor products multichannel retailer Cabela's has partnered with CHS, an energy, grains and food company, to launch a credit card and loyalty program for CHS' Cenex brand, a wholesaler and retailer of refined fuels. This is the first card Cabela's credit card division, World's Foremost Bank, has created with another retailer. The companies announced the partnership on October 20.
 

Hello, old friend

October 20, 2009

Like most Americans, there has been something missing from my mailbox for months now - countless credit card solicitations.
 

Alliance partners with Pacific Dental for credit card program

September 30, 2009

Alliance Data Systems, a provider of loyalty and credit card services, has signed a multiyear agreement with Pacific Dental Services (PDS). As part of the deal, Alliance will supply PDS with patient financing and marketing services through a private-label credit card program for dental procedures.
 

Alliance Data acquires Charming Shoppes private label credit cards

August 13, 2009

Multichannel apparel merchant Charming Shoppes Inc. has agreed to sell its private label credit card receivables to Alliance Data Systems Corp. At the same time, the companies have entered into a 10-year agreement for Alliance Data to assume operation of the private label credit card receivables program. Charming Shoppes said it expects gross proceeds from the deal will be approximately $140 million, of which Charming Shoppes will use approximately $30 million to fund the termination of contractual obligations related to the transaction. Charming Shoppes expects the deal to close before the end of the year.