September 2008
MasterCard Europe on September 26 named the winners of the 2008 European Co-Brand Awards. The award ceremony took place at MasterCard 's ninth annual Affinity & Co-branding Conference in Malta.
Close to 200 representatives of financial institutions and MasterCard merchant partners have gathered in Malta to share industry best practices and to discuss trends in the European co-branding arena. Among the topics of discussion is how to leverage advanced customer segmentation, optimised instant issuing guidelines and the latest contactless technology, such as MasterCard PayPass, to enhance cardholder loyalty and drive value for issuers and merchants.
Andrea Scerch, General Manager European Product and Retail Solutions, MasterCard Europe: “The discussion at our conference this year once again underlines how co-branding can create win-win-win partnerships for banks, retailers and cardholders. Our track record as a leader in this field is clearly demonstrating how co-branding can enhance the cardholder experience, while powering loyalty and profit for our partners across segments such as supermarkets, department stores, electronic and fashion retailers, airlines, hotels, petrol and communication providers.”
Frédéric Conrads, Head of Co-branding at MasterCard Europe, added: “MasterCard’s position at the heart of commerce enables us to understand the needs of financial institutions, merchants and consumers alike, and to forge partnerships that drive value for each of them. With our industry insights, our global reach and our powerful and recognized brand, we can develop and deliver customised value propositions that help our partners to become or remain leaders in their field.”
Commenting on this year’s European Co-Brand Awards, Conrads concluded: “MasterCard Europe acknowledges the high standards demonstrated by the contestants in the 2008 Co-Brand Awards and congratulates all of the entrants for their investment in innovation and cardholder centric solutions. Best practice co-branding such as the programmes showcased at this year’s conference clearly unlocks customer value both for banks and merchants”.
Now in its fifth year, the MasterCard European Co-Brand Awards honour co-branding programmes that drive value for all stakeholders in an innovative and sustainable way. The Co-Brand Award winners were selected by a panel of independent judges that included Bob Hand, Managing Director of Affinity Solutions Ltd, a specialist partnership marketing consultancy, and Alan Leach, Director and Co-Founder of Finaccord, a research based consultancy company focused on affinity and partnership in European financial services.
As one of the most successful frequent flyer programmes in the world, Lufthansa Miles & More is also the leading co-branding portfolio in Germany, with over 420,000 cards and more than five times the average spend per card. In 2008, Lufthansa and Deutsche Kreditbank AG/Bayern Card Services converted their premium co-branded product to MasterCard .
The new card offers Lufthansa customers enhanced benefits and services and innovative card technology, making their travel experience simpler and smoother. All cards are equipped with the MasterCard PayPass technology, making Lufthansa customers the first German cardholders with the capability to use contactless payments wherever they travel around the world. Moreover, Lufthansa Miles & More is leveraging MasterCard ’s concept of “priceless moments” to further boost its marketing activities.
Commenting on the success of the Miles & More co-branding programme, Carsten Schaeffer, Managing Director Miles & More International, said: “Co-branding perfectly combines the value of the Miles & More programme with the quality of our partners. It extends the Miles & More programme into the daily lives of our customers. From booking a flight, re-charging in a lounge, to “ensuring” peace of mind while travelling, the Miles & More credit card simplifies and enhances our cardholders’ lives.”
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