Burger King Corp., Miami, has joined with online auction site eBay, San Jose, CA, on a multi-year loyalty program that will let fast-food diners collect points they can redeem for special rewards.
The as-yet unnamed program, which will launch with in-store promos in 8,400 restaurants, will let members deposit points earned through purchases at a co-branded site and use them to bid on a pool of more than one million rewards; the exclusive pool will include CDs and concert tickets obtained through the chain’s new alliance with AOL Time Warner, New York City (see below).
“We chose eBay because they have an excellent customer service ethic, they are an established big brand with high performance credibility, and because they share much of the same target with Burger King,” says Hal Rossiter, Burger King’s director of Internet and loyalty.
The partnership has a lot of loyalty experience behind it: BK chief global marketing officer Chris Clouser cut his teeth on loyalty marketing while at Northwest Airlines, and eBay chief operating officer Brian Swette spearheaded PepsiStuff.com while at Pepsi-Cola Co.
New York City-based AOL Time Warner kept its major alliance streak (December 2001 promo) going by announcing pacts with Battle Creek, MI-based Kellogg USA and Burger King. The first deal calls for Kellogg to leverage the media giant’s portfolio for a variety of marketing campaigns. The second will put Burger King online in a “series of integrated marketing concepts” including promotions and loyalty campaigns. Already in development is a BK Backstage Web site linking the chain to AOL’s massive music holdings.
White Plains, NY-based Heineken USA’s Amstel Light signed a three-year deal to be the official beer of the Professional Golf Association of America, Palm Beach Gardens, FL. The brand gets prominent presence at all major PGA of America events, which include the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, and Grand Slam of Golf. It also gains exclusive rights to the organization’s name, logo, and the “official” designation in advertising and promotions.
Visa USA and Simon Property Group, Indianapolis, extended their four-year partnership for another two years. San Francisco-based Visa is “preferred method of payment” at Simon’s 170-plus retail properties. The extension includes plans for a new shopping card and other co-branded national and regional promotions.
King-Casey, Inc., Norwalk, CT, a 48-year-old retail design consultant, forged a strategic alliance with 60-year-old design firm Carter & Burgess, Fort Worth, TX, to jointly offer services. King-Casey clients include Pepsi-Cola, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell, while Carter & Burgess serves Wal-Mart, Staples, and Pier 1 Imports.
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