Airmiles has teamed up with Lloyds TSB to launch a loyalty card. The
link-up comes after Airmiles was ditched by its incumbent partner,
NatWest, last May.
The new Duo Card Account, which is being phased in from June 1, will aim
to offer customers double the current airmile “earn-rate”.
With the Duo Card Account, customers will be able to increase their
earn-rate to up to one airmile for every GBP10 spent compared with for
every GBP20. The “two-in-one” account will offer one rate, one statement
and one PIN number. Customers will also be able to choose from two
different Duo credit cards – American Express (AmEx) and Mastercard.
The marketing campaign to support the launch will include TV, radio and
press, although no details for the marketing spend are available.
Airmiles’ annual spend on marketing last year was GBP 10m.
Director of marketing and insight Sarah Wood confirms that Lloyds TSB
will also be supporting the promotional drive with a considerable
budget. She says: “The deal will match two brands and we will be working
in other ways to gain customers in the coming months.” She adds that
Airmiles and NatWest came to a mutual decision to part ways. NatWest had
been the loyalty scheme’s partners since the initiative’s launch in 1988.
Airmiles also plans to contact all NatWest airmiles customers with
details of the new offer via direct marketing over the next week.
Marketing agency Partners Andrews Aldridge and the Airmiles in-house
40-member advertising team will plan and execute the campaign.
