South Africa Edition 2

the puppy’s excavations. The Concierge desk
duly sourced lion droppings and delivered them
to the Cardmember’s home.
The American Express Corporate Card
programme for large organisations is a
comprehensive expense management system
designed for managing travel, entertainment and
operational costs, helping companies manage
and contain staff expenses. This reduces the
time and hassles for business owners usually
involved in reconciling expenses; they can now
just get on with business. Since the Card is
accepted globally, it streamlines
and simplifies company travel
expenses.
For medium and smaller
businesses, there is the
Business Gold Card. This
offers financial flexibility and
control. The Business Gold Card
is an easy and cost effective way
to make business purchases and
simplify administration. It offers
the highest levels of personal service
and benefits, both at home or when
travelling abroad. American Express
has negotiated upfront savings with
some of South Africa’s largest suppliers
and even enables Cardmembers to be
rewarded for business spending by earning
Membership Rewards points.
Charge Card and Credit Card members
all benefit from the award-winning American
Express Membership Rewards programme. It
gives Cardmembers one point for virtually every
five rand spent on the Card and points never
expire. The programme allows Cardmembers to
redeem their points for a wide range of rewards,
from free flights on a variety of airline programme
partners, to weekends away, shopping centre
vouchers and much more.
Recent developments
In September 2002, American Express Cards
joined forces with the Stellenbosch Winelands,
to create an umbrella body aimed at promoting
Stellenbosch as a leading producer of quality
wines and as South Africa’s premier wine tourism
destination. The Stellenbosch American Express
Wine Routes aims to promote the entire South
African wine industry.
Highlighting the achievements, quality and
other merits of the Stellenbosch region, draws
attention to South Africa as a wine country that
can compete on the international stage. Linked
to this sponsorship is an
imaginative
initiative
to improve the lives
of wine farm labourers in the
Stellenbosch region. These workers, who have
been pruning, labelling, and spraying vines for
decades, now have the opportunity to attend
wine appreciation courses, in what is called the
“cellar-door experience”. Workers are taught how
to correctly open a bottle, pour wine and assist
with tastings and more importantly, work with
customers. Subjects studied on this course include
viticulture, fermentation, additives, occupational
safety, cellar hygiene, marketing and life skills.
It’s a revolutionary approach to farm work and
gives labourers rare insight into the value of what
they do, inspiring them to take pride in their role
in the whole culture and business of wine.
In September 2006, SAA launched a cobranded
American Express Card with three
different tiers - SAA Voyager Classic, SAA
Voyager Gold and SAA Voyager Premium. This
new programme earned the accolade of the
most valuable standalone credit card in the 2006
Razor’s Edge Business Intelligence survey.
Promotion
American Express Cards actively markets its
products and services through a wide range of
channels, including television, radio, press, print,
airport and outdoor sites, direct mail and selected
internet sites. The brand also receives extensive
exposure through national Nedbank branches
and supports above-the-line campaigns with
branch merchandising. Through sponsorship
of the Stellenbosch American Express Wine
Routes and the new co-branded SAA
Voyager credit cards, the brand receives
further exposure in multi-medium
channels.
During the festive season
in 2006, American Express
Cards ran a highly successful
joint consumer and merchant
campaign at selected top-end
shopping centres around the country.
At each centre American Express Card members
were invited to enjoy and experience VIP
treatment and offered espresso, shiatsu massage
and a gift-wrapping service.
Brand values
American Express continues to enjoy an
international reputation for prestige and
excellence and its commitment to constant
improvement of its brand. The innovative spirit
that pioneered the original Charge Card in 1963
has seen American Express consistently develop
new products to suit consumer-spending needs.
Despite many imitators, American Express
distinguishes itself in a competitive marketplace
by combining first-class products with superior
customer service.
Things you didn’t know about
American Express
American Express® Cards in South
Africa has been operated under licence
by Nedbank Limited since 1996
The Platinum Card confers membership to
an exclusive club providing Cardmembers
with the unrivalled attention of a dedicated
Concierge Service, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. The Concierge Service has
a fine record of meeting even the most
apparently rare and demanding needs
Four survivors from a plane that crashed
in shark-infested waters off the US coast
were saved from certain death when one
of them flashed his American Express
Card at the sun to attract a Coast Guard
plane
In 2000 American Express® celebrated
its 150th anniversary