Nation's first personalised picture credit card with premier value plan

Datuk Bridget Lai, Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and Director of Alliance Financial Group Berhad with Mr. Jim Cheah, Vice President and Senior Country Manager, Malaysia and Brunei, MasterCard Worldwide, flashing their respective You:nique Picture Credit Card during the launch.

Kuala Lumpur, 8 January 2009 - Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad (Alliance Bank) introduces You:nique Picture Card, Malaysia's first personalised picture credit card that comes with a customised value plan that offers the best rebates, rates and rewards scheme currently offered in the nation.

"This is a card that truly breaks the mould on service innovation and creativity! At a time when most consumers cringe inwardly each time they spend their Ringgit, Alliance Bank's You:nique Picture Card brings a smile not just because the card is 'one-of-its-kind' aesthetically, but it also comes with the best rebates, rates and rewards available in the Malaysia," said Group Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and Director of Alliance Financial Group Berhad, Datuk Bridget Lai, during the launch.

Certainly not a novice in introducing the nation's firsts, Alliance Bank continues its culture of service innovation with the brand new You:nique Picture Card, a personalised picture card feature. This is a definitive illustration of Alliance Bank's brand promise of 'Banking Made Personal' as it allows customers the power to choose the image that appears on their credit cards. This personalisation is further enhanced with a menu of substantially unrivalled Value Plans to choose from: Cash Rebates of up to 2% on all retail purchases, an all-time low flat interest rate of 9% per annum (from the 18% offered industry-wide) or Double Timeless Bonus Points on every Ringgit spent.

Commenting on the new payment programme, Jim Cheah, vice president and senior country manager, Malaysia and Brunei, MasterCard Worldwide, congratulated Alliance Bank for successfully rolling out the nation's first personalised picture credit card.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Alliance Bank once again to provide Malaysian consumers with flexibility, accessibility and convenience and our continuous commitment to providing unsurpassed benefits for our cardholders is reiterated with the launch of You:nique Picture Card. Endorsing a personal stamp or trademark via the picture card feature, You:nique Picture Card users stand out in this generation where individuality is highly valued whilst being assured that their card will be accepted everywhere the MasterCard brand is recognised," he said.

3Rs with Alliance Bank - Better Rebates, Better Rates, Better Rewards
A one-of-its-kind service that offers the best of 3Rs - Rebates, Rates, Rewards, Alliance Bank's You:nique Picture Card offers cardholders exclusive preferred rebate rates of up to 2% on all retail purchases spent with no restrictions on services or merchants, topped with an instant interest waiver for up to the first three months, unbelievably low interest rates of 9% per annum or a Rewards point accelerator with Double Timeless Bonus Points for every Ringgit spent.

All 3R options come with a Free-For-Life Option commencing with a fee waiver for the first three years, followed by an automatic annual fee waiver with a minimum of 12 swipes for any amount per subsequent year. This enables customers to enjoy the benefits of the card on a long-term basis.

Said Datuk Lai, "Our customers now have the power to choose between rebates, rates and rewards. Studies have indicated that many of our customers have very strong views on how they want to be rewarded each time they use their credit cards; be it rebates, rates or rewards, especially in these tough times. They want their banks to offer options that will stretch their Ringgit."

Alliance Captures the Moment
Bringing consumers to a whole new level of personalisation, You:nique Picture Card's feature elevates and reaffirms the differentiation that is required for a sense of individuality. "The power to choose the image that appears on your credit cards; be it of your loved ones, a special moment, or a poignant celebratory instant that was captured for eternity. This is what makes You:nique Picture Card so special - it reminds us of the many varied reasons why we use our credit cards to make our purchases," remarked Datuk Lai.

Three Easy Steps to You:nique
In addition, registering for an Alliance Bank's You:nique Picture Card service is made extremely simple in just three steps. All one needs is an Internet access to apply for a credit card, fill up their personal details along with the design that they have in mind, and submit your completed registration form to us.

"With such simple registration system, our customers now have more time to enjoy the exclusive perks and benefits that comes with being a You:nique Picture Service cardholder," she added.

"This is our way of ensuring that the personalisation concept is taken to a whole new level. You:nique Picture Card's 3R features are created especially to cater across market segments because we take pride in offering our customers attractive products and services, as we regard it as our value-added service to our customers. We do not merely offer competitive rates but aspire to distinguish ourselves from the pack. That's why we believe that You:nique Picture Card's truly special 3R features will entice and benefit our cardholders in the long run with their financial planning," added Datuk Lai.