Shops vie for BG, TSB 10m card

TSB and British Gas are talking to advertising agencies about a 10m launch campaign for a co-branded credit card.

Chris Moss, former marketing director for mobile phone company Orange, is acting as a consultant to TSB.

He has drawn up a shortlist thought to include TSB’s agency D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters, Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson and Lowe Howard-Spink.

Moss, who would not comment, is expected to cut the list to three today and make a final decision very shortly. One source describes the launch as “imminent”.

The British Gas credit card will be offered to its 18.5 million domestic customers, who will be able to use it to pay their bills as well as to make general purchases.

TSB will issue the card and control the day-to-day running of the scheme.

It is expected that holders of the card will receive discount on their gas bills. Customers who already pay their bills by direct debit get a six per cent discount.

The card is the latest in a line of co-branded credit cards issued, with companies such as Peugeot linking with Midland and Tesco in talks about a similar scheme with NatWest Bank.

News Analysis, page 21

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