Airmiles teams up with Lloyds TSB for loyalty card take-off

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 £10 spent compared with for every £20. 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 £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.