 Gemplus
and Tangent Solutions partner to provide innovative smart card-based loyalty
program for Monterey customers
Manila, Philippines, June 9, 2005 - Gemplus International S.A. (Euronext:
LU0121706294 - GEM and NASDAQ: GEMP), the world's leading provider of smart card
solutions, and Tangent Solutions Inc., an innovative and premier provider of
end-to-end electronic card-based1 applications, team up to deliver a
smart card-based loyalty program for Monterey Neighborhood Meatshop customers
nationwide. Shopping at any Monterey Neighborhood Meatshop now becomes a truly
rewarding experience through its loyalty program called the Monterey Value Plus
(MVP).
MVP members are issued with an MVP Smart Card equipped with a Gemplus smart
chip to store and process the loyalty points earned by the customers upon
purchase in any Monterey Neighborhood Meatshop. These loyalty points can then be
converted into e-cash automatically.
Tangent Solutions Inc. is providing the technology to run the MVP loyalty
program. Their solution consists of the MVP Smart Card, Card Personalization
Services, the Smart Card Terminal and the Loyalty Host Server.
Unlike other loyalty programs, points earned from purchases are valid
perpetually and are convertible to e-cash, which can be used to buy Monterey
products. Members have the option to accumulate more points that automatically
translate to higher e-cash values.
Through the MVP Smart Card, customers will always be holding the most updated
purchase information or balance in their hands. Even without having to ''communicate''
with the Host Server, the customer can immediately know if he or she can redeem
his or her e-cash. For Monterey Neighborhood Meatshops, this translates to
greater cost savings since communication costs are reduced. Furthermore, since
the transactions are electronic, it is easier for Monterey Neighborhood
Meatshops to gather useful marketing information such as spending behaviour of
its customers. Such information can then be used to design subsequent target
marketing campaigns for greater effectiveness.
Gemplus General Manager for Financial Services and Identity/ Security (South
East Asia) Mr. Goh Say Yeow, said: "We are proud to work with Tangent
Solutions Inc. on this innovative project that once again demonstrates the vast
array of possibilities offered by smart card technology. In particular, the fact
that points are non-expiring and can be converted to e-cash makes participating
in this loyalty program a unique and truly rewarding experience for Monterey
Neighborhood Meatshop customers.''
Mr. Jose Mari Aldeguer, General Manager of Tangent Solutions, added: "The
smart card technology in the MVP loyalty program is an ingenious strategy to
drive customer interest and participation as it simplifies the process of
accumulation of points and the redemption of rewards."
Monterey Foods Corporation's Assistant Vice President for Marketing, Sales
& Franchising, Mr. Jose Alberto Arellano, declared: "So many loyalty
cards are competing for space in the customer's wallet today. To make a
difference, a loyalty program has to provide real value to the customer, and we
believe this is precisely what this solution from Tangent Solutions Inc. and
Gemplus is doing. Our customers want to be able to avail themselves of rewards
now, not in a distant future, and this is now possible with smart card
technology."
1. A smart card is an electronic card equipped with a
multi-application microprocessor. The most common smart card in the Philippines
is the SIM card used in mobile phones, but many other applications are possible,
for instance for credit cards and for loyalty cards.
About Gemplus
Gemplus International S.A. (Euronext: LU0121706294 - GEM and NASDAQ: GEMP) is
the world's leading player in the smart card industry in both revenue and total
shipments (source: Gartner-Dataquest (2005), Frost & Sullivan, Datamonitor.). It
has sold over 5 billion smart cards.
With security at its core, and 2400 patents and patent applications produced
by its innovative R&D team, Gemplus delivers a wide range of portable,
personalized solutions in areas including Identity, Mobile Telecommunications,
Public Telephony, Banking, Retail, Transport, Healthcare, WLAN, Pay-TV,
e-government, and access control.
Gemplus' revenue in 2004 was 865 million Euros.
www.gemplus.com
For more information
Janet LOH
Gemplus Technologies Asia
Tel: +65 6317 3333
janet.loh-tk@gemplus.com
Majivel MARBIBI
EON, Inc
Tel: +632 893 5642
maj@eon.com.ph
©2005 Gemplus. All rights reserved. Gemplus, the Gemplus
logo, are trademarks and service marks of Gemplus S.A. and are registered in
certain countries. All other trademarks and service marks, whether registered or
not in specific countries, are the property of their respective owners.
Some of the statements contained in this release constitute forward-looking
statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial
performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other
factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results,
levels of activities, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking
statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of
activity, performance or achievements. Factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those estimated by the forward-looking statements
contained in this release include, but are not limited to: trends in wireless
communication and mobile commerce markets; our ability to develop new technology,
and the effects of competing technologies developed and expected intense
competition generally in our main markets; profitability of our expansion
strategy; challenges to or loss of our intellectual property rights; our ability
to establish and maintain strategic relationships in our major businesses; our
ability to develop and take advantage of new software and services; and the
effect of future acquisitions and investments on our share price. Moreover,
neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and
completeness of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements
contained in this release speak only as of this release. We are under no duty to
update any of the forward-looking statements after this date to conform such
statements to actual results or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated results.
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