MasterCard Launches First 'Priceless' Ad Campaign to Support MasterCard PayPass

MasterCard International today launched a new iteration of its award-winning Priceless® national advertising campaign, with its first broadcast execution supporting MasterCard® PayPass™, its contactless payment program. The execution supports MasterCard’s broader strategy of furthering its positioning in the burgeoning contactless payment market. In the last year alone, PayPass has attracted significant interest, adoption and acceptance among issuers, merchants, terminal vendors and consumers.

The TV spot, which breaks on October 9, is set at a McDonald’s drive-thru. The 30-second commercial features a consumer awkwardly searching his car for crumpled dollar bills and loose change. The narrator reels off the amount of cash and time it takes to pay for his meal, followed by the next consumer easily using his MasterCard PayPass card to “Tap & Go(™.” The piece concludes with the narrator stating, “Always having exact change: priceless.”

The spot highlights MasterCard PayPass usage at McDonald’s and how it offers a quicker and more convenient alternative to cash. The ad will run through the end of 2005 and was created by McCann Erickson of New York as part of a fully-integrated marketing campaign.

“This execution with McDonald’s truly brings to life the value proposition of MasterCard PayPass, which is to allow time-crunched consumers to easily tap and go at thousands of retailers, including McDonald’s,” said Amy Fuller, group head, Americas marketing for MasterCard International.

MasterCard PayPass allows accountholders to tap their PayPass card or device on specially equipped merchant terminals. It also continues to position MasterCard as the preferred payment choice for everything that matters. Payment is completed quickly, securely and easily, without the hassle of swiping a card, fumbling for cash and coins or signing a receipt. At select merchants, signatures may not be required for purchases under $25, further speeding customer’s transactions.

“McDonald’s accepts PayPass at more than 9,000 restaurant locations throughout the United States. The innovative technology of PayPass helps our customers get their McDonald’s favorites, like a Big Mac, fries and Coke, at the speed and convenience they’ve come to expect whenever they visit our restaurants,” said Gina Pfeifer, vice president, business integration for McDonald’s USA.

In addition to McDonald’s, the following merchants have announced that they will accept MasterCard PayPass: participating 7-Eleven stores, CVS, Ritz Camera Centers, Boater’s World Marine Centers, Sheetz, Regal Entertainment Group theatres (Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres), Duane Reade and Meijer Stores. PayPass is also accepted at QWEST Field, M&T Bank Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, FedExField, Giants Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium and Ford Field homes of the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New York Giants and New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions respectively, and at Citizens Park which is home to the Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies.

PayPass technology can be used in a number of different form factors. PayPass cards include magnetic stripe technology, so the cards can also be used in the traditional manner anywhere MasterCard is accepted around the world. PayPass technology can also be used in a number of devices, such as a convenient fob that fits on a key chain for easy access. Users simply tap their PayPass-enabled key fob on the PayPass reader at participating merchants and they are on their way.

For more information about MasterCard PayPass, visit www.mastercard.com/paypass.