London, June 21 2007: First Data International, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment services, today announced the launch of an electronic gift and spending card for Vue, the UK multiplex cinema chain.
Fifty-eight cinemas across the UK will offer Vue gift cards, which are useable towards the purchase of cinema tickets, refreshments or any other goods on sale at Vue cinemas. Vue will offer a range of exciting limited edition cards to support the launch of new film releases, including "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", "Shrek 3", "Transformers", "Evan Almighty" and "The Simpson's Movie", as well as standard gift cards.
First Data is managing the end-to-end gift card service, including processing and card procurement services to enable delivery of the new gift card programme. First Data's prepaid technology is fully integrated into Vue point of sale machines.
Prepaid cards offer significant advantages over the paper vouchers they replace such as the ability to re-load and develop designs on the cards. Innovative designs increase the appeal of the cards, which consumers can load with any amount of credit from £5 to £250. The card can be redeemed again until the credit is used up, creating the ideal gift or spending card for the movie fan. Once the card balance is zero, the card is re-loadable for continued use.
"The launch of a prepaid gift and spending card will deliver a compelling consumer proposition as well as significant efficiencies for Vue" comments Claire Dudley-Hodson, prepaid sales director for First Data International in Europe. "We are very pleased to apply our global expertise and experience in delivering gift card programmes to support this exciting business expansion."
Vue is entering the prepaid card market with ambitious plans. "Vue is committed to providing our customers with state-of-the-art services and facilities." said Toni Younger, Vue Marketing Manager. "The Vue gift card will enhance our innovative brand, creating a number of opportunities for card-based promotions, and offers a new level of versatility for our customers, who are the focus of our business. First Data has strong expertise in the prepaid market and is the ideal partner to help Vue secure the benefits of prepaid and gift card technology."
First Data's range of prepaid services enables banks, merchants and businesses to create compelling prepaid propositions across the world, providing an end to end service offering, utilising a proven, robust platform. Available across closed, controlled and open loop, First Data's unrivalled payments expertise and flexible service creates successful prepaid products for hundreds of brands globally.
About First Data International
First Data International, part of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC) is a leading provider of electronic commerce and payment solutions for businesses worldwide. The company serves a diverse range of markets, leveraging global scale through a local presence and maintaining focus on individual client needs. First Data International has approximately 7,900 employees and operates across Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Canada, Australia and Asia-Pacific.
Serving over 5 million merchant locations, 1,900 card issuers and their customers, First Data powers the global economy by making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses around the world to buy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. The company's portfolio of services and solutions includes merchant transaction processing services; credit, debit, private-label, gift, payroll and other prepaid card offerings; fraud protection and authentication solutions; electronic check acceptance services through TeleCheck; as well as Internet commerce and mobile payment solutions. The company's STAR Network offers PIN-secured debit acceptance at 2 million ATM and retail locations. For more information, visit www.firstdata.com.
About Vue Entertainment
Vue Entertainment is one of the UK's leading multiplex developers and operators of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas. Formed in May 2003, Vue is one of the fastest growing cinema companies in the country. Having acquired the Ster Century cinema chain at the end of April 2005, Vue announced a management buyout in June 2006 in partnership with Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated Finance Team in a deal valued in the region of £350 million. Vue now owns 59 multiplexes across the UK and Ireland, with over 570 screens, and it continues its expansion with a programme of building new multiplexes across the UK involving plans to open 15 to 20 new sites in the next two to three years. The company has the most modern cinemas in the UK, with over 90% stadium seating and as a result it won the prestigious award for International Exhibitor of the Year at Cinema Expo 2005.
CEO Tim Richards was awarded the title of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 and he also won the Leisure Report Individual of the Year award.
www.myvue.com
