American Express Launches “Link, Like, Love” on Facebook -- First-Ever Platform to Deliver Deals, Access and Experiences Based on Cardmember “Likes” and Interests

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, American Express launched a first-of-its-kind application on Facebook^® -- “Link, Like, Love” -- that delivers cardmember deals, access and experiences based on the likes, interests and social connections of cardmembers and their Facebook friends. Starting today, on the American Express Facebook page, cardmembers can link their cards to the program and choose their favorite deals; American Express will send statement credits to cardmembers’ accounts as they shop online or in stores, without the need to pre-purchase anything, print out or show a coupon at the point of sale. In the coming months, American Express will also deliver Membership Rewards^® points offers, entertainment access, exclusive content and special events through the application, all based on a cardmember’s Facebook social graph.

“American Express has created innovative programs on Facebook that continue to put people at the center of their business”

The platform is built upon American Express’ Smart Offer APIs, which enable coupon-less offers that remove any hassle at the point of sale for the consumer and free merchants from having to train their staff. The technology also enables American Express to provide detailed reporting on deal redemption and customer loyalty to help merchants design their digital marketing programs. To bring additional value to merchants, American Express also unveiled a first-of-its-kind marketing tool, “Go Social,” (americanexpress.com/gosocial) for its small business merchants to create and distribute coupon-less cardmember offers into digital channels such as Facebook and other platforms. The new “Go Social” tool will help merchants to build their business and evaluate their social offer campaigns with detailed reports that they can access through their own secure dashboards.

“As we continue to transform our business in the digital space, we’re focused on three key areas: value, relevance and user experience, for both cardmembers and merchants. Because of our unique business model – our closed loop – we’re able to deliver on all three in a way that is unprecedented,” said Ed Gilligan, Vice Chairman, American Express. “We’re thrilled to bring together the power of the Facebook platform and our core business assets in a way that is personalized, meaningful, and will result in significant value for both merchants and cardmembers.”

“American Express has created innovative programs on Facebook that continue to put people at the center of their business," said David Fischer, vice president of advertising and global operations, Facebook. "Their latest consumer and merchant initiative takes advantage of the power of the social graph to create value for people and drive meaningful business results.”

Link, Like, Love: How it Works

When cardmembers use the “Link, Like, Love” application on the American Express Facebook page, they will be connected to a personalized dashboard through which American Express will deliver deals, content and experiences based on their Facebook likes and interests, as well as the likes and interests of their friends. Cardmembers can choose the deals they want and then use their card as they usually do. American Express will send statement credits to their card accounts – no coupons, no print-outs.

For example, if a cardmember “likes” Whole Foods Market on Facebook or has “checked in” on Facebook Places, she may see a Whole Foods Market deal in her dashboard. If her friend has the Fox television show “Glee” as one of her interests on Facebook, she may see an exclusive experience for Glee the 3D Concert Movie on her dashboard. Cardmembers can share deals with friends, choose the deals they want and then use their card as they usually do to claim the offer.

The national merchants and partners that created special launch deals in addition to the offers and experiences already available in the American Express Network include: 20th Century Fox, Dunkin’ Donuts, Whole Foods Market, Lord & Taylor, Outback Steakhouse, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Virgin America, Bonefish Grill, H&M, Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Celebrity Cruises, Lenovo, Sports Authority, 1-800-FLOWERS, and Travelocity.

“Go Social” Tool for Small Business Merchants

The new “Go Social” offer tool is a virtual one-stop shop that allows American Express merchants to:

Easily establish official merchant locations on social networks in just a few clicks;
Create and manage coupon-less offers that can be redeemed without the need to train staff;
Track offer campaign results across multiple social networks and locations.

For more information, merchants can visit americanexpress.com/gosocial.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, twitter.com/americanexpress and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Editors Note: American Express will be hosting a live stream of this announcement, along with a demonstration of these new capabilities, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 11AM EDT at livestream.com/americanexpress. The announcement will also be streamed live on facebook.com/americanexpress.