Client Overview

American Express Company(NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as "AmEx"or "Amex", is a diversified global financial services company headquartered in New York City. Business Week and Interbrand ranked American Express as the 22nd most valuable brand in the world, estimating the brand to be worth US$14.97 billion. Fortune listed Amex as one of the top 30 Most Admired Companies in the World. The New York Times reports it has a 91% Satisfaction rank.

Amex cards account for approximately 24% of the total dollar volume of credit card transactions in the US, the highest of any card issuer.

Client Goals

American Express was interested in using the indoorDIRECT Restaurant Entertainment Network to increase consumers' awareness of the availability of their card's usage at various Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) in the United States.  indoorDIRECT was selected due to the number of locations,  proximity of POS screens to order placement and the engaging content provided by the Restaurant Entertainment Network.

How Results Were Achieved

One of the main components of the campaign that American Express was interested in was the POS screens and the opportunity that they provide to reach customers at the exact timing of the purchase. As part of the indoorDIRECT Restaurant Entertainment Network solution screens are positioned strategically at the Point of Sale (POS) and in the dining area. The POS screens run without sound and are focused on messages regarding ordering and point of purchase.  Because of this positioning at the point of sale the POS screens are well suited to recommend forms of payment.

The POS screens are seen while customers are making decisions about what items to order and in this case what method of payment to use.

In order to determine how the American Express campaign airing on the Restaurant Entertainment Network during November 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 impacted card usage; the following methodology was utilized: 

• Historical (4Q ‘08) Credit Card usage for locations running the AMEX campaign was obtained for benchmarking purposes.  Historical data included AMEX usage % as a total of credit card sales. 
• The % usage of AMEX Cards in October 2009 (pre-campaign) was obtained to determine a baseline for measuring usage during campaign. 
• During the period of November 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009 credit card usage was captured at each location running the American Express content in both Dining Room and on POS display. 

Results

The following results were achieved at the locations running the AMEX Campaign and where transaction data was captured. 

• Locations running the AMEX campaign had a double digit increase in AMEX usage % from October 2009 to December 2009.  
• Locations running the AMEX campaign had a double digit increase in AMEX usage % from Q4 ‘08 to Q4 ‘09.