ITV

Tag: co-branded

  • LG and SBI Card launch co-branded credit card

    MUMBAI: SBI Card and LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd. (LGEIL) have got together to launch the LG – SBI credit card.
     

     
    The LG – SBI card is India’s first CO-branded credit card for the consumer appliances industry and can be used at more than 200,000 outlets in India and more than 30 million outlets around the world displaying the Visa logo. The LG – SBI card will leverage the extensive national distribution networks of both LG and SBI Card to drive penetration.
     
     
    Designed as a customer loyalty and rewards program, the LG – SBI card combines all the well-known features of SBI card with a series of exclusive rewards, benefits and promotional offers from LGEIL for the CO-branded cardholder.

    LGEIL markets one of the most sought after range of consumer electronics, home appliances, mobile phones and IT products. As leaders with a turnover of Rs 65 billion, LGEIL sold eight million products last year alone. This customer base is expected to increase to 30 million by the end of this year. The card is an attempt at understanding LG customers and offering more in products, service and offers as rewards for their association with the brand.

     
     
    Announcing the launch, LGE president South West Asia and LGEIL managing director K R Kim said, “The LG – SBI card brings together two leading companies in their industries, both with a reputation for quality products, experience in providing superior customer service, and innovation. LG’s product leadership is driven by our cutting edge technology, design and functionality but our market leadership is the result of a relentless drive to make the experience of our customers an unrivalled one. Through the LG – SBI Card, we hope to get even closer to our customers and drive long-term relationships with them.”

    SBI Card CEO Roopam Astana said, “SBI card is always looking for innovative ways to add value and convenience to our cardholders. Developing new partnerships is a key part of our business strategy. LG, with its leadership position in the consumer appliances industry and its wide distribution network, was the natural choice to be our partner for this CO-branded card.”

    He added, “Our goal is to be the card of choice for today’s frequent shopper. The LG – SBI Card will introduce the benefits of SBI Card to a new and wider group of smart consumers who are looking to consolidate their spending and earn multiple benefits in return. LG SBI cardholders will enjoy the convenience and financial flexibility of this new CO-branded credit card, which not only allows them to buy now and pay later in parts, but also to aspire for higher-end products by taking advantage of the exclusive offers they will earn from LG.”

    On buying a product from LG, a consumer is eligible for this internationally valid CO-branded card — absolutely free for the first year. The LG – SBI card comes packed with exclusive offers and fabulous deals from LG and SBI cards throughout the year. Some of the prominent features offered on the LG – SBI card include:

    ‘Flexi pay’ – an easy installment plan at one of the industry’s lowest rate of interest at 10 per cent.
    ‘Balance transfer’ facility at zero per cent interest for 75 days.
    Free Purchase Protection against fire and theft upto Rs 15,000 for 90 days
    Transaction fee waivers on IOC and IBP petrol pumps for fuel purchase of more than Rs 400
    24 hour SBI card customer helpline in India and Visa Emergency Services in 75 countries.
    SBI card adopts a long-term strategy to set industry benchmarks in customer service, supported with the use of state-of-the-art technology and the widest customer support and distribution network in the country. Its goal to expand the market for credit cards has been built on: speed unique 14-day average turnaround time, simplicity simple application process with minimum documentation and service 24×7 access to the SBI card helpline via a local call.

  • MCCS’ Bengali channel to be co-branded; looking for April-May launch

    MCCS’ Bengali channel to be co-branded; looking for April-May launch

    MUMBAI: The Bengali new year, 15 April, has good news for, who else but, Bengalis. A proposed Bengali channel from the ABP Group-Rupert Murdoch combine is on its way, scheduled to be put on air late April or early May, while plans for foraying into select other Indian languages, including English, are being spruced up.

    The 24-hour Bengali news channel will also be co-branded. This lays to rest speculations on the channel not carrying the Star brand name.

    “We are expecting the formalities to be completed very soon, including getting an uplink permission from India. After that happens, it will be just a matter of time before we put the Bengali channel on air. Internally, we are ready,” Media Content & Communications Services India Pvt. Ltd (MCCS) CEO Uday Shankar told Indiantelevision in an interview.

    MCCS, a 74:26 per cent joint venture between the Aveek Sarkar-controlled Kolkata-based ABP Group and Murdoch-promoted Star Group, manages Star News channel. It has ambitions of creating a bouquet of select other Indian language-specific news channels.

    Dwelling on the company’s expansion plans, Shankar said that the company has drawn up plans to consolidate its position with Star News even while tapping regional language markets with channels that would have a “national outlook.”

    “We are in the process of evaluating what should be the next move after the Bengali channel is put on air. But we certainly have lined up several activities for this year,” he added, hinting that MCCS is investing afresh in technology, human resources and, may be, even in distribution activities.

    Meanwhile, trusted Sarkar aide, Suman Chattopadhyay, will be the executive editor for the proposed Bengali channel, which is being kept in the unencrypted free-to-air mode. “The present regulatory set-up does not make sense for us to go pay and get inadequate subscription revenue,” Shankar explained.

    BBC’s design arm BBC Broadcast Design, which was instrumental in providing a new look for Star News in February, will be responsible for the graphics and on-air look of the Bengali channel too.

    On the programming front, the proposed channel will have a blend of programming that is aimed at attracting Bengali speaking audiences nationally. However, due focus on local (West Bengal-specific) news too would be given as MCCS would like to capitialise on the ABP Group strong presence in eastern India.

    The Kolkata-based company publishes The Telegraph in English and the widely circulated Bengali newspaper Ananda Bazar Patrika, both of whom have the ambition to be national dailies.

  • HDFC Bank, Escotel’s co-branded international debit card

    NEW DELHI: HDFC Bank and Escotel which claims to be the leading cellular service provider in Kerala, UP, Uttranchal and Haryana, have announced the launch of the HDFC Bank Escotel co-branded international debit card. Both parties offer customers benefits through the first of its kind debit card.

    For an Escotel customer, whether prepaid or post paid, the debit card will come virtually free, as the Rs 150 paid towards the cost of the card will be credited back to him as talk time. This will be done by way of first free credit of Rs 100 upon registration and second free credit of Rs 50 on first usage of the debit card at merchant outlets within 31 days of card issuance.

    Escotel’s CEO Rajan Swaroop made the following remarks about the endeavour. “It has always been our effort to provide our customers with value that goes far beyond the normal benefits of mobile usage. That is why we have entered into this tie-up with HDFC Bank to give our customers a whole range of benefits and value-additions. We are sure the HDFC Bank Escotel Debit Card will find wide acceptance among our customers.”

    An official release informs that among the exclusive benefits being offered to postpaid customers is the waiver of Rs 532 activation fees along with the waiver of the national roaming rental worth Rs 1,200 for a lifetime. On the other hand, the prepaid customer gets an exclusive offer of credit of Rs 50 worth talk time on his first five recharges.

    HDFC bank has also offered to waive off the one per cent processing fee on HDFC Bank personal loans and two per cent on HDFC Bank two-wheeler loans. The initiative also has a social side to it. The two companies will also be donating two rupees to People for Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) compassionate citizen programme against every co-brand card issued in Kerala, states the release.