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Co-branding has entered its late adolescence and is a fixture of American marketing, and increasingly so, of the global payments industry. There are literally thousands of co-branded and affinity card programs on offer. According to some industry estimates, approximately 45% of the cards in the wallets of U.S. consumers are co-branded or affinity cards. The overall co-branded card market is larger than the affinity market in terms of number of accounts and outstandings. However, the sheer number of affinity card programs dwarfs the number of co-branding cards because so many affinity programs tend to be small.

With over three quarters of U.S. adults (pretty much the entire credit worthy adult population) owning at least one credit and debit card, co-branded and affinity card marketers are seeking to fashion programs to attract new or under-penetrated consumer segments. Thus card industry professionals are taking fresh looks at ethnic groups and at the affluent and at the other end of the scale the non-affluent and unbanked. In most segments, airlines, hotels, organizations, the big customer lists have been thoroughly mined. Co-branders are also trying to create programs that will capture the interest of consumers at significant life stages, teens, college students, new drivers, engaged couple, young married and mature adults, etc. Similarly they are trying craft programs that will capture a lifestyle. If the consumer has an interested, a passion, an event or desire, some issuer somewhere is trying to craft a program for it.

Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. focuses on the U.S. market for co-branded and affinity cards, in which Packaged Facts estimates that by year-end 2006, roughly 30-60 million U.S. consumers carried over 320 million co-branded and affinity credit cards, up from Packaged Facts estimate of 212.1 million in 2003. Consumers used them in at least 9.4 billion transactions worth at least $849 billion. The report provides an overview of the major market players; a survey of recent and ongoing litigation and regulation of the market; and market share of major issuers, as well as leading growth and marketing trends and an examination of their latest co-brand products and technology, particularly contactless technology. Competitive profiles of the major card associations and top card issuers provide added insight into their recent activity and future plans, while data from Simmons Market Research Bureau paints a picture of card users, from demographics to opinions to card usage rates.

Report Methodology
The information in Co-branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. is based on both primary and secondary research. Primary research involved extensive interviews with senior marketing, public relations and industry executives within the banking, retail and credit card markets and consultants to the industry, including American Express, MasterCard, Visa, JPMorganChase, Edgar, Dunn & Company, Advantage Consulting, Auriemma Consulting, Entadem, Maritz Loyalty, the Nilson Report, Strategic Planning & Marketing (UK) and Synergistics Research Corp. Secondary research entailed data-gathering from relevant trade, business, and government sources, including company literature, annual reports and 10(k) filings, and white papers. Permission was also graciously granted to use data from The Nilson Report, one of the mostly widely read and respected publications in the credit card industry. Consumer data was obtained from Simmons Market Research Bureau’s Fall 2006 National Consumer Study. Media spending data was obtained from TNS Media Intelligence.

About the Author
An expert in primary research, Té Revesz is the principal of Revesz International and Kentera Associates. She has conducted thousands of in-depth interviews with business, political and labor experts around the world. She was featured in Super Searchers Go to the Source as one of the US’s top primary researchers. Prior to founding Kentera Associates, Té headed the Healthcare and Industrial Practices of FIND/SVP’s Strategic Consulting and Research Group and was its International Practice Coordinator. She was also a Director of FIND’s Signia Partners division. Before joining FIND, Té served at Business International as Director of North American Publications, Editor-In-Chief of its global newsletter, and helped create BI’s global risk assessment product. She also worked at Prudential-Bache’s financial planning group and at Citibank’s Washington Representative Office.

What You’ll Get in this Report
Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. makes important predictions and recommendations regarding the future of this market, and pinpoints ways current and prospective players can capitalize on current trends and spearhead new ones. No other market research report provides both the comprehensive analysis and extensive data that Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. offers.

Plus, you’ll benefit from extensive data, presented in easy-to-read and practical charts, tables and graphs.

How You Will Benefit from this Report
If your company is already doing business in the co-branded and affinity credit card market, or is considering making the leap, you will find this report invaluable, as it provides a comprehensive package of information and insight not offered in any other single source. You will gain a thorough understanding of the current market for co-branded and affinity credit cards, as well as projected markets and trends through 2011.

This report will help:

• Marketing Managers identify market opportunities and develop targeted promotion plans for co-branded and affinity credit cards.
• Research and development professionals stay on top of competitor initiatives and explore demand for co-branded and affinity credit cards.
• Advertising agencies working with clients in the banking and retail industries understand the product buyer to develop messages and images that compel consumers to use co-branded and affinity credit cards.
• Business development executives understand the dynamics of the market and identify possible partnerships.
• Information and research center librarians provide market researchers, brand and product managers and other colleagues with the vital information they need to do their jobs more effectively.

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