MasterCard International will be promoting its payment cards through a deal with Web loyalty marketer MyPoints.com, the companies announced Tuesday.
According to terms of the three-year agreement, MasterCard will be branded as the preferred payment provider in MyPoints’ shopping area, with users receiving MyPoints currency — redeemable for merchandise and services — in return for purchases.
In addition, MasterCard becomes a MyPoints.com client, enabling it to market to the program’s more than 15 million members via a loyalty program, in which members receive MyPoints currency when they opt-in to marketing messages and accept card offers.
“Utilizing the MyPoints member base, we will be able to expand our MasterCard Exclusives Online program by marketing to millions of incentive-driven consumers,” said MasterCard chief marketing officer Nicholas Utton.
Spokespeople from both companies declined to give specific financial details of the agreement, except to say that it is valued “in the millions.”
The alliance follows MyPoints.com’s July introduction of MyPoints’ NextCard MasterCard credit card, and contributes to the revenue the loyalty site derives from each new MasterCard member it enrolls.
“By aligning MasterCard, one of the world’s most recognizable brands, with the Internet’s most popular rewards program, we are providing consumers who enroll in MyPoints with a membership experience that is truly universal in scope,” said MyPoints.com chairman and chief executive officer Steve Markowitz.
“The MasterCard program will significantly augment the generous online point-earning opportunities our members already enjoy through our Web site and via targeted e-mail,” Markowitz said.
The deal continues a string of deals pairing established offline brands with online loyalty points companies.
Earlier this year, Catalina Marketing announced deals with MyPoints as well as competitors FreeRide.com, Gold Points.com and CyberGold, which MyPoints acquired last month.
