30 May 2012

the first club™ and IHG Partner to Offer Priority Club Rewards Members New Digital Rewards™ Program

First-in-kind program introduces instant point redemption for Internet and mobile downloads

LOS ANGELES and ATLANTA - Starting this month, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) which manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards, will offer its 65 million members worldwide yet another fast and flexible way to redeem Priority Club points. Digital Rewards™ from the first club™, a global provider of instant digital rewards, is designed to engage consumers with the latest in downloadable content including music, games and software.

The first hotel loyalty program to offer comprehensive digital rewards, IHG illustrates the industry’s move toward relevant rewards that keep guests engaged, regardless of their point accumulation. According to a Mintel survey, members were motivated by loyalty programs that provided instant and easy to redeem opportunities.

“We are a hotel loyalty program with many firsts and the new Digital Rewards offering continues this tradition,” said Don Berg, vice president, loyalty programs and partnerships, IHG. “Our innovation and partnerships are driven by recognizing what our members value most, and making it available through Priority Club Rewards before other loyalty programs.”

The Digital Rewards program has been designed by the first club™ to be readily accessible and visible through priorityclub.com, particularly to members whose past point redemption preferences indicate a likely interest in the new offering.

“We’re very excited to have developed IHG's digital rewards redemption offering. They have embraced digital rewards as a new phase in loyalty and customer engagement, and we’re ready to help expand their existing successful rewards program to a new level,” said Jill Goldworn, president and co-founder of the first club™.

Leisure travelers, particularly families, want value from their hotel loyalty programs. Digital Rewards is a flexible option to help those with low point accumulations find an alternative point redemption option. And, all members will benefit from the fact that the Digital Rewards offers have been easily integrated with Priority Club’s existing point redemption choices.  Through first club’s global licensing agreements, members will have access to the most current and largest library of digital content available on the reward program market.

Some examples of the new Digital Rewards point redemption offerings include:

  • Well known songs from popular artists across genres including pop, country, alternative rock, R&B and oldies – starting at 300 points
  • Popular games such as sports, action/adventure and puzzles – available from 800 points
  • Software for your home office, foreign language education and multimedia tools are available – starting at just over 1,100 points

By providing millions of titles of branded digital content such as eBooks, games, music and software, the first club™ creates  relevant rewards by satisfying consumers’ desire to get a product when, where and how they want it. Furthermore, research by Colloquy¹ has shown that 32 percent of respondents said the recession has influenced their participation in rewards programs.

Visit digitalrewards.priorityclub.com to browse the full catalog of music, games and more. If you are not yet a Priority Club Rewards member, the program is always free to join by calling 1-888-211-9874 or downloading our mobile app.  Start experiencing great benefits like No Point Expiration and No Blackout Dates for booking Reward Night stays, when you earn through easy, unique ways such as the Priority Club® Select VISA card.

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About Priority Club Rewards

With 65 million members globally, IHG's Priority Club Rewards is the first, largest and fastest-growing guest loyalty program in the hotel industry.  Named Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World seven years running by Global Traveler magazine and Best Hotel Loyalty Program for four years by Business Traveler magazine, Priority Club Rewards offers more sought-after benefits and the greatest ease of use of any hotel loyalty program.  In addition to flexible features like No Points Expiration, No Blackout Dates, Points & Cash and Flights AnywhereTM, Hotels AnywhereTM, Priority Club Rewards members have more options for point redemption than any other hotel loyalty program. Members can redeem points not only for hotel nights, but also for airline miles on more than 40 partner airlines, for auto rentals, for gift certificates and for hundreds of products available in the Rewards Catalog.  And Priority Club Rewards is the only hotel loyalty program to offer members a Rewards Concierge program that allows members to exchange points for items not found in the Rewards Catalog. Enrollment in Priority Club Rewards is free. Guests can enroll by logging onto priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG's more than 4,500 hotels worldwide.

About the first club™

the first club™ is the first global solutions provider to present a new, better, and more effective way to offer rewards and build loyalty by delivering relevant, digital content that is instantly gratifying to today’s consumers.  the first club™ digital solutions can enhance loyalty, promotions, incentives and any type of rewards programs by offering the latest in premium content that will engage consumers worldwide, with attainable low-level rewards. Consumers can redeem rewards instantly to access the very latest in digital content in 12 languages, including millions of music tracks, mobile phone apps, games, eBooks, audio books, and soon casual games, digital magazines, movies and TV shows to engage with their favorite brands. the first club™ solutions are easily integrated into existing loyalty and reward programs, are cost-efficient and scalable to encourage low level reward redemption, increase customer loyalty and create additional revenues for brands.  

For more information, please visit www.thefirstclub.net, or the first club™ white label consumer site, www.thefirstclub.com.

¹ Colloquy Whitepaper: Consumer Attitudes and Perceptions About Loyalty Programs in the Post-Recession Economy

http://www.colloquy.com/files/2009-COLLOQUY-Segment-Talk-White-Paper.pdf

Media Contacts:
Sherry Telford, IHG, [email protected], +1(770) 604-2613
Vanessa Horwell, ThinkInk, the first club, +1(305) 749-5342 x232, [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with nine hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, as well as our two newest brands, EVENTM Hotels and HUALUXETM Hotels & Resorts. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 65 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 661,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

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