Millers rolls out thermochromic cards in Virginia

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on January 9, 2002

Millers rolls out thermochromic cards in Virginia

Just a few months after entering the US marketplace, New Zealand-based Visible Results has a roll-out of its thermochromic technology.

Millers Neighbourhood Market (a subsidiary of Norfolk-based Miller Oil) has rolled out its Millers Rewards loyalty programme in all of its 52 corporate-owned stores in Virginia. It ran a seven-store pilot late last year. The launch is being supported by a comprehensive local advertising campaign (costing $400,000 over the first nine months) on both TV and radio. Each time they use their card, customers are entered into a draw for a totally free four day trip for two to the Bahamas.

Vendors co-operate Many of Millers vendors - including Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Tropicana and Hershey - are providing products as prizes in return for free advertising on coupons redeemable for them. Millers is negotiating with third parties who operate franchises either within or near to its stores: during the test period some Arby's and Open Pantry outlets co-operated. More than 30,000 customers have signed up so far.

New technology The programme uses Visible Result's GraphiCard. Using thermochromic technology (more details) the card allows new optically visible information to be printed on it by a special terminal each time it used. This includes the current points total and other personalised data targeted to each customer. The terminal also prints out targeted coupons or other incentives. The card also contains a magnetic stripe that holds transaction and identification data. This is also rewritten each time the card is used.

The information collected during transactions is downloaded to Visible Results' international data centre, which maintains customer database and issues customised reports for each client.

Visible Results has recently expanded into Europe, Central and South America (see article).

More Info: 

http://www.visibleresults.com