MasterCard Worldwide launched its inaugural MasterCard Hall of Fame Marketing Awards and immediately inducted 26 banks to its Hall of Fame. These banks were presented awards for their outstanding marketing efforts in launching or promoting MasterCard card programs.

The MasterCard Hall of Fame Awards celebrate the best card marketing programs in South East and South Asia and showcase the latest marketing trends in the card payments industry. Recognizing excellence in marketing initiatives by financial institutions, the awards were conferred by MasterCard based on a review of the card marketing campaigns launched by banks region-wide over the past year.

“The Hall of Fame Marketing Awards was developed as a way to applaud the teams for their innovative and strategic card marketing campaigns, and their ability to really understand and capture the imagination of MasterCard cardholders, providing them with benefits that are truly Priceless” said Ajay Bhalla, executive vice president, South East and South Asia, MasterCard Worldwide.

“MasterCard recognizes the importance of innovative and creative marketing campaigns – it is fundamental to our business and we ourselves are constantly innovating to build our brand through our Priceless campaigns, global destination event sponsorships and creating unique cardholder experiences around the world.”

Awards in 10 categories were presented to the most strategic, creative and well executed payment card marketing campaigns across 6 markets, and almost 200 entries were considered for the inaugural MasterCard Hall of Fame.

Winning 3 of the 10 awards, Philippine banks figured prominently in the event. Banco de Oro Unibank, Inc. won the Best Cardholder Promotion award for BDO Exclusive 5% Rebate while Allied Banking Corporation won the Most Effective Card Marketing Program for its PHP 35 to a Mile campaign. Finally, Bankard, Inc. for RCBC Bankard 3 Reasons to Travel in Style was adjudged Best Usage Campaign (cross-border).

Other Philippine banks that made an impact included Bank of the Philippine Islands (Finalist in Best-in-Class and Most Effective Card Marketing Program) for Express Credit: Real Thrills and (Finalist in Best Activation/Acquisition Program) for Segmented Acquisition Campaign; and HSBC Philippines (Finalist in Most Effective Card Marketing Program) for Red Points of Value and (Finalist in Best New Card Launch/Relaunch) for HSBC Red MasterCard.

“We were very impressed with the entries that we received for the Hall of Fame, which showcased the marketing diversity, sophistication and excellence of our financial institutions in this part of the world today,” added Bhalla.

The MasterCard Hall of Fame Awards entries were judged on four key criteria: Strategy, creativity, media channel strategy and quantitative results, the weighting of which differed for each of the award categories.

For the Best-In-Class Award, which honored the overall best performing card marketing campaign, judges were looking for an integrated card marketing campaign targeted at specific segments that delivered by improving market share and enhancing customer loyalty.

The judging panel consisted of David Tiltman, Managing Editor, Media Magazine Asia, as well as members of MasterCard’s senior management team including Ajay Bhalla, executive vice president, South East and South Asia, and Ai June Schult, vice president and marketing head, South East and South Asia.

The 2009 MasterCard Hall of Fame Awards were held as part of “The Harvest Celebration,” a year-end appreciation gala dinner at the six-star Capella Hotel in Singapore. The theme acknowledged reaping the fruits of labor and the 260 attending guests were treated to a fine array of culinary delights, an exciting fashion show, musical entertainment and a performance by an artistic aqua performer from Germany.