Danish payment management company Pensio is undertaking a major relaunch and rebranding exercise and highlighting the evolution with a move to new offices in Copenhagen. Founded in 2008, the company has seen continuous growth with its breakthrough payment solutions. The new name of AltaPay is to underline the company’s new global ambitions.
First Data signed agreements designating SapientNitro its new agency of record. To handle corporate identity and through-the-line advertising for Atlanta-based First Data, including creative, media, and strategy, as part of this new relationship, SapientNitro has been working to develop and relaunch its corporate brand identity. This includes its “Beyond the Transaction” tagline and “Beyond” symbol: a strategic platform from which differentiating, iconic, globally relevant, and flexible creative executions could be derived. Based on the “Beyond” platform, SapientNitro will be rolling out new campaigns for First Data.
American Express and Take Part have relaunched their “Members Project”
online initiative, providing those with a passion for philanthropy and
interest in giving back an opportunity to take small steps to make a big
difference. In conjunction with Participant Media, encouraging citizen
engagement and social action, “Members Project” encourages everyone to
get involved. Whether it’s volunteering for a local organization, making
a donation or voting for a charity to receive additional funding from
American Express, Members Project will provide the tools and resources
to support the diverse causes people care about most and help empower
everyone to be successful at making a difference.
TakePart.com/MembersProject, allows people to explore today’s issues and
decide for themselves where and how they’d like to take action. AmEx
Cardmembers have the option to choose from over a million charities and
show their support by making a donation. Members Project makes it easy
for people to search for a cause to help and provides the option to make
a one-time donation using an American Express Card, donate Membership
Rewards points, or set up recurring donations to spread giving
throughout the year.
Online payment provider NETELLER has changed its name to NEOVIA Financial. Earlier this year, the Group revitalized both its NETELLER consumer and NETBANX business brands, and has recently announced the relaunch of its
Net+ card brand. The name change is expected to provide a broader
umbrella for future growth, as well as enhancing the Group’s credibility
with both merchant and end user customers, partners and regulators. It
also positions the Group well for further progress in its financial
services strategy. The name, meaning “New Way”, supports the
Group’s strategic vision of providing differentiated, bold and exciting
online payment solutions that target merchants and their “online
generation” customers.The Board therefore believes that it is appropriate to change the Company’s name from NETELLER Plc to NEOVIA Financial Plc.
Canadian Tire Corporation has released its second quarter earnings for a
5.9% increase in gross operating revenue with an adjusted net earnings
of $94.7 million, a 13.8% drop since the year ago period. The
organization’s financial services total managed portfolio of loans
receivable grew 6.0% since the same period last year thanks to a 5.6%
increase in the credit card portfolio amounting to a gross operating
revenue of $201.5 million for an increase 4.8%. Pre-tax earnings were
$39.9 million, adjusted pre-tax earnings were up 10.8% and 2.6 million
cards were issued with Mastercard “PayPass” functionality, which are
expected to generate an increase in sales of 2.0%.
HSBC bank and Royal Brunei Airlines have announced a relaunch of the
partnership between the two organizations. Initially signed in 2004, the
recent agreements between HSBC and Royal Brunei Airlines’ frequent flyer
program, “Royal Skies,” are designed to ensure continuation of expanding
membership to include the clientele of the bank while adding value to
cardholders of both organizations. In doing so, HSBC credit cardholders
can redeem their credit card points for Royal Skies air miles at a rate
of 1 “Royal Skies mile” for every 2 credit card points accumulated,
which can then be used to acquire free flights and flight upgrades on
Royal Brunei Airlines.
YeePay has partnered with EachNet to relaunch its consumer-to-consumer
marketplace, for which YeePay will be the sole payment and identity
verification provider. EachNet is a collaboration between eBay and TOM
Online to provide consumers with an escrow service, called “An Fu Tong”,
that integrates with YeePay to hold payments. This integration allows
purchases and money transfers to be made with bank cards over a secure
network, after user identification. YeePay is an e-payment service provider
of e-payment solutions and financial services. The site has been awarded
“Best Payment Platform” by the China eCommerce Association and one
of the “China Internet 100 Companies/Top 50 Innovators” by the China
Internet Society.
Issuers of VISA and MasterCard now have the choice of a using a single
platform to simplify card issuance and management processes following
VISA’s certification of “MULTOS” for its chip applications.
Slovenia’s Banka Koper has become the first VISA issuer to deploy “VISA
Smart Credit and Debit” on a “MULTOS” multi-application platform.
“MULTOS” consortium members including Keycorp, Thales eSecurity and
StepNexus, assisted the bank with the deployment. Banka Koper is now
rolling out its VISA chip card program, deploying multi-application
“MULTOS” cards which support both “VSDC” and the “VISA Dynamic Passcode
Authentication” application to support remote cardholder authentication.
Banka Koper’s “VISA Electron Prepaid” card now also contains the Bank’s
own PKI application. Banka Koper has been operating for 50 years and is
the owner of the country’s first and biggest domestic payment card
system, known as Activa, for which seven other Slovenian banks now hold
sub-licenses. It is also the holder of a full license for card-related
products within the MasterCard and VISA systems.
CyberSource announced the relaunch of the “BidPay” auction payment service. Acquired by CyberSource in March 2006, BidPay had over 4 million registered users prior to ceasing operations in December. CyberSource says it returns with a number of competitive innovations including seller protection and the ability for sellers to accept payments from buyers around the world. Subject to certain conditions, “BidPay” sellers receive charge-back protection for “BidPay” approved payments received from BidPay buyers. Seller protection means sellers receive payment for their auctions without the need for special bonding, insurance, escrow, or risk of subsequent charge-backs.
Diversinet, a provider of mobile-enabled personal
authentication and security solutions, announced its fiscal 2005
results. Its reported 2005 revenue of $1.1 million compared to revenue of $2.6 million, for 2004. The Company reported
a net loss of $7.1 million for 2005, compared to a net loss of $7.5 million for 2004. During the fourth quarter, the Company recorded revenues of $159,000 compared to $419,000 for the same period in the prior year. In January 2005 Diversinet re-launched its corporate strategy and began to focus on the evolving protection, trust and provisioning needs of mobile users. These financial results reflect this shift in focus and the time required to build up the distribution channel and corresponding customer base. Recently, the Company announced a licensing, development and support agreement with RSA Security Inc. that will result in minimum revenues of $2.2 million to
Diversinet over three years.
American Express and Hilton have beefed up their co-branded “Platinum” credit card. Under the revised program, cardholders can upgrade to “Gold VIP HHonors” status for spending $20,000 or more on the card in a calendar year. Also, five “Hilton HHonors” bonus points will be awarded for every eligible dollar charged to the card for purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores that are not departments of superstores or warehouse clubs, the United States Postal Service and for wireless phone bill payments. Additionally, 500 “Hilton HHonors” bonus points will now be awarded for each qualifying stay at a participating Hilton Family hotel when the stay is booked online at any Hilton Family hotel website and paid for with the card. AmEx launched the “Hilton HHonors Platinum Credit Card” in October 2000. During 1995, Hilton and AmEx teamed up to offer the first Hilton “Optima” credit card. (CF Library 9/13/95; 10/24/00)