Visa, Chase Kick-Off Mobile Offers Pilot

Cardholders in Phoenix Area to Benefit From Merchant Offers Delivered via SMS Text.

Visa (NYSE:V) together with Chase (NYSE:JPM) today announces a consumer pilot that delivers merchant offers directly to the mobile devices of Chase credit and debit cardholders in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

The offers - from merchant discounts to specials - are tailored to match the personal interests selected by Chase cardholders and will be redeemable at the point of sale or the web site of more than 50 participating merchants.

Partnering with Chase in this trial, Visa is delivering merchant offers to mobile devices via short message service (SMS), the same technology that handles text messaging between individuals. The trial takes advantage of the widespread adoption of “texting” as an everyday activity by younger consumers aged 18 to 34, who are the primary group selected for the program.

One of the key aspects of the pilot is its personalization. When Chase cardholders sign up for the service, they will have the option to set preferences on the program’s Web site, choosing offers and merchants that are most relevant and compelling for them. This approach allows consumers the ability to see offers they are likely to want and enables merchants to send offers only to those consumers most likely to be interested.

“Chase is always looking for new, innovative ways to reward cardholders and enhance the consumer payment experience,” said Eileen Serra, Chase Card Services executive. “The intersection of mobile technology and consumer financial services is an area of focus for Chase. We’re using leading technology to deliver compelling offers from top merchants directly to consumers’ mobile devices, and at the same time, helping to increase spending and create greater loyalty for merchants participating in the trial.”

Among the merchants in the pilot are Chico’s FAS, Inc (brands Soma Intimates and White House|Black Market), Circle K, Macy’s, Marriott, Old Navy, Papa John’s Pizza and Robeks Juice. Thanks to the Chase sponsorship of the Arizona Diamondbacks, baseball fans will receive special game-day offers when attending Major League Baseball games at Chase Field in Phoenix.

In this trial, select Chase Visa cardholders will be invited to participate in the program by mail, email, Chase ATM and the Chase.com website. Customers who aren’t directly invited may still participate in the program by responding to marketing at Chase Field. In keeping with the mobile focus of the pilot, participants may enroll in the program online or through the SMS technology itself.

Chase and Visa will review the program in the fourth quarter to evaluate the impact of mobile offers on stakeholder interest, cardholder engagement, and card usage.

Visa Mobile Platform

At the heart of the pilot is Visa’s Mobile Platform, a suite of technologies that enables Visa, its clients, and mobile operators to engage in trial activities and develop commercially scalable mobile services. Built on years of experience in mobile payments, Visa’s platform complements the infrastructure of financial institutions, and is supported by contributions from chip suppliers, mobile applications developers, over-the-air (OTA) service providers and mobile messaging providers.

“Visa innovations enable more people in more places to enjoy the advantages of electronic payments,” said Pam Zuercher, Head of Global Product Innovation at Visa Inc. “The Visa Mobile Platform helps us deliver on that promise and enables our clients to expand their products to new channels.”