Designed to be different...
from the ground up

The Advanta Corporation, a leading issuer of consumer credit cards, and the Comcast Corporation, a wireless communications company, joined forces with Kobie Marketing in 1996 to create an innovative customer loyalty program. (The program, originally called Comcast Rewards, was later renamed when Cellular One acquired Comcast.)

The challenge:

Fortify retention of wireless customers in the fiercely competitive Philadelphia/Central New Jersey market. Kobie responded with a highly targeted, points-based loyalty program, enrolling high-value wireless customers as well as those who responded to a co-branded credit card offer.

The program offered more than 150 rewards chosen especially for their appeal to the target audience, many of them unique local favorites. For sports fans, everything from a team hat or mug to exclusive autographed memorabilia. For others, dining at Philly's landmark eateries, everything from hoagie shops to five-star restaurants, plus tickets to popular area events and attractions. Shopping rewards at well-known local retailers and a wide range of wireless services were additional reward options.

To further enhance the benefits of membership, Kobie recruited a well-known travel company - Rosenbluth Vacations - to offer members up to 10 points per dollar on their travel arrangements. Later, long distance service added yet another way for members to accumulate points.

The Kobie Masterstroke:

A second tier of unique rewards was created to turbocharge member involvement. Playoff tickets, admission to closed practices, "impossible-to-find" theater and concert tickets - fabulous awards that kept the program running at lofty levels after its introduction. These high-value rewards, offered in limited quantities and at exceptionally low point values, utilized a variety of redemption techniques including "first come, first served," silent point auctions and random drawings, and more than satisfied the need to stimulate member involvement.

Kobie also developed and maintained an exclusive program Web site, which quickly attracted almost half of all member activity. Here, members could browse the online rewards catalog, shop the special offers that rotated through the home page, check or redeem their points, and contact program management with questions and comments.

Return on investment in this unique program was very positive.