Sponsorships at Amex: the experience is the strategy

In a previous post, “Choose organic product placements or your brand suffers“, I highlighted a number of criteria to think about as companies and marketers selection product placements or sponsorships.  American Express has an interesting strategy for their sponsorships that focuses on “experience”. This is also a core element of the American Express brand.

Q: What determines Amex sponsorships?
A: We think about partnerships in terms of what overlaps with cardmembers’ passions. Our cardmembers are voracious consumers of entertainment, and music is a big area of interest. First and foremost, it’s about cardmembers and providing value for them. – Courtney Kelso, VP of Sponsorship Marketing at Amex

To get the full Q&A with Courtney Kelso, VP of Sponsorship Marketing at Amex, please read “Amex Sponsorships Give Members An Experience” from MediaPost MarketingDaily.

For American Express, members (a.k.a. customers) and “memebership” are the driving force for their brand and business. By simply being a card member, customers have access and exclusiveness that provides value regardless of the actual service (credit) being provided. Now obviously Amex is smart and has built their business model on the more you use (credit) the more access and exclusiveness you gain.