Paybefore Names 2011 Award Winners

January 2011

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Paybefore Awards began five years ago with one goal: To recognize the best the prepaid and stored value industry has to offer. This year, the global prepaid community helped us reach that goal once again by submitting more nominations than ever before.

As in years past, we were flooded with entries from organizations in the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. But it wasn’t only the number of entries that stood out, it was the caliber of entries as well. We had so many outstanding nominations, in fact, that Paybefore decided for the first time to honor two entries with a Judges’ Choice Award. One Judges’ Choice winner defies categorization, while the other represents a newer program on the brink of breaking through. In each case, the judges believed the entries deserved recognition for the mark they undoubtedly will leave on the industry.

“In each of its five years, Paybefore Awards has attracted a wider and more diverse group of nominations,” says Mar ilyn Bochicchio, Paybefore’s CEO. “This year’s entries showed exceptional creativity and thoughtfulness in using prepaid to solve real-world payment issues and provide outstanding convenience, safety and control for individuals who are the ultimate users of these products.”

The three—in some cases, four—winners chosen by the judges in each program category now are competing for Paybefore Awards’ Best-in-Category distinction. Best-in-Category honorees as well as Judges’ Choice winners will be announced during the Paybefore Awards ceremony at 5:45 p.m. on Day One of Prepaid Expo USA—Monday, March 7—at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla. In addition, the prestigious Paybefore Industry Achievement award will be presented to the individual(s) whom the judges determined has made the most significant contribution to the success of the prepaid industry during the past year or throughout his/her career.

Best-in-Category, Judges’ Choice and Industry Achievement winners will be profiled in the Spring edition of Paybefore Magazine, and all winners will be profiled in upcoming issues of Paybefore Update.

“Paybefore Awards were created to celebrate the innovators in our industry who are using prepaid to transform payments with ever-more efficient and accessible products,” notes Loraine DeBonis, Paybefore editor-in-chief and chair of the judging panel.

“Our industry is growing rapidly because companies such as this year’s winners continually improve their products and services or create new ones.”

About the Judges

The 2011 Paybefore Awards judging panel included Bochicchio and DeBonis, as well as three industry veterans: government payments expert Brian Kibble-Smith; John MacAllister, principal at Dorado Industries and former president of Benton International; and Andrew Johnson, director general, UK Gift Card & Voucher Association.  

Paybefore extends its thanks to these individuals, who dedicated many hours to reviewing the extensive materials submitted for evaluation and making reasoned choices among the many nominees worthy of recognition.

See You in Florida

Congratulations to all of the Paybefore Awards winners for their outstanding achievements. And, thank you to all Paybefore industry colleagues who completed the extensive materials required as part of the nomination process. We look forward to celebrating your contributions to the advancement of prepaid at the Paybefore Awards ceremony in Orlando!

And the Winners Are ...

Best Consumer-Funded Prepaid Program

• MyPlash Teen Card

• PASS from American Express

• UpSide Visa

Best General Purpose Reloadable Program: In-Person Sales Channel

• H&R Block Emerald Prepaid MasterCard

• Progreso Financiero Ventiva Visa Prepaid Card

• Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard

Best General Purpose Program: Online Sales Channel

• AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card

• PayPower

• SmartyPig Cash Rewards Card

Best Prepaid Program Media Advertising

• Community Financial Outreach Program

• Green Dot National Television Campaign

• Visa Prepaid Debit Marketing Campaign

• Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard Direct Response Television Campaign

Best Prepaid Program Direct Marketing

• AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card

• ICW Master Account Prepaid Program

• Sweeten Invitation to Shop at New and Remodeled Stores

Best Web Sales Channel

• American Express Gift Card

• GiftCards.com

• PayPal/MoneyPak Sweepstakes

Best Government-Funded Prepaid Program

• Blackboard Pay Campus Card Program

• ENERGY STAR

• TranZtec Prepaid TruCa$h MasterCard

Best Business-to-Consumer or -Employee Prepaid Program

• Auto Purchasing Program Reward and Program Referral Cards

• Mocapay Partners with Wow Bao to Provide Mobile Experience

• TotalPay and Money Network Check Program

Best Corporate-Funded Prepaid Incentive, Reward, Rebate or Loyalty Program

• Home Depot’s B2B Incentive eGift Card Program

• Plata Promociones

• Subaru Foundations

Best Third-Party Prepaid Product Retailer

• Aktif38

• CVS/pharmacy

• Kroger One Stop Card Shop Holiday Mega Event

Best Gift Card Program  

• American Express Gift Card

• Vanilla Visa Gift Card

• Walmart Gift Card: Save Money. Live Better. Go Global.

• Western Union Online Gift and Greeting Card

Best Prepaid Card Design

• American Express Bundled Gifting Solution

• Gift It. Spend It!

• MyPlash

Best Virtual or Mobile Prepaid Application

• AccelaPay Mobile Banking Application

• MetroPCS Virtual Prepaid MasterCard

• SWAGG

Best Consumer Value in Prepaid

• SmartyPig Cash Rewards Card

• Walmart MoneyCard

• Zoompass Mobile Wallet and Prepaid MasterCard Program

Most Effective Prepaid Solution

• Tour Operator Program

• TravelexOceanPay

• Wal-Mart Associate Electronic Pay Program

Best Non-U.S.-Based Prepaid Program

• Aktif38 City Card

• Grass Roots Prepaid Cards

• noQ^24x7 Prepaid Card Program

Most Innovative Prepaid Program

• Citi Flu Care Card

• MetroPCS Virtual Prepaid MasterCard

• SWAGG

 

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