Recent changes to the rewards card landscape in Canada have left consumers confused, and American Express Canada has launched a campaign in response to the turmoil.
The company’s vice-president of advertising and communications, David Barnes, told Marketing that the national campaign “represents probably the biggest investment in advertising and marketing for American Express in more than a decade.”
The multichannel campaign started last week and is a concerted effort to promote the value and quality of services offered by American Express’ travel rewards cards after Aimia split its Aeroplan loyalty reward program between CIBC and TD. TD will buy about half of CIBC’s Aeroplan portfolio in 2014 and CIBC will retain the remainder.
“There are a lot of people who have carried travel rewards cards for many years and maybe haven’t given them much thought who are now saying ‘What’s happening to my card?” said Barnes.
“This is very much a moment-in-time opportunity that we’re addressing,” said Barnes. American Express’ new campaign is a way of letting Canadians know there is another option available to them, he said.
While American Express is a partner with Aeroplan and has a number of Aeroplan co-brand products, it has products such as its proprietary Gold Rewards Card. That card is the focus of a TV commercial that promotes the value of the card, which gives cardholders the option to transfer points to Aeroplan, as well as the option to use points to pay for travel and other rewards.
American Express’ global “Realize the Potential” campaign in 2010 focused on the company’s various card member services, and the new campaign builds on that, said Barnes. “It’s in the same style creatively as the ‘Realize the Potential’ branding; now we’re… putting forward a specific product and the value of that product.”
Barnes said the Gold Rewards Card TV spot will likely run through 2014. “Between now and the end of the year when the change will take effect in the card market, that’s where we think this is the sweet spot in terms of getting our message across and attracting customers over to the American Express brand,” he said.
Beyond the TV spots (there is also a 15-second version), the Gold Rewards Card campaign also includes out-of-home at Toronto Pearson International Airport as well as digital and social media elements. The latter takes the form of both advertising and also engagement through American Express’ own social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. “We’re going to use [them] as a direct communication vehicle to talk to people about specifically the value of the products and the construct of the products,” said Barnes. “We’ll also be putting some promotional activities into those channels that will probably come into market in October.”
The campaign also includes American Express Canada’s AeroplanPlus suite of co-branded cards.
OgilvyOne Worldwide developed the creative. Mindshare handled the media planning and High Road Communications managed PR and social media.
