Press Release
Blackhawk Network Honored by Prepaid Media with The Most Innovative Product Award
The 2007 Prepaid Card Expo’s First Annual Awards Recognizes Blackhawk Network’s Gift Card Mall Destination Concept
PLEASANTON, CA ( March 5, 2007 ) – Blackhawk Network, a market leader in card-based financial solutions and the largest provider of third-party gift cards in the United States and Canada, announced today that the company’s Gift Card Mall Destination Concept, a convenient one-stop shop for consumers to purchase all the prepaid cards they need, has been honored as The Most Innovative Product at the Prepaid Card Awards.
Created and produced by Prepaid Media, the annual Prepaid Card Awards recognize noteworthy professionals, organizations, and programs throughout the prepaid card industry. Awards were presented on Tuesday, February 27 at an awards dinner held during the 2007 Prepaid Card Expo in Las Vegas.
“Through our exclusive network, we offer the most leading brands in every category, enabling more than 135 million consumers a week to shop conveniently for prepaid cards in grocery, mass, convenience, drug and specialty retailers,” said Don Kingsborough, president and chief executive officer at Blackhawk Network.
“With our roots in retail, we know that variety, selection and convenience are the critical elements that make a consumer retail program successful. Our Gift Card Mall Destination Concept has revolutionized how consumers shop for gift cards and we are pleased it was honored as The Most Innovative Product during the first annual Prepaid Card Awards.”
Blackhawk Network developed the Gift Card Mall Destination Concept which involves one permanent, in-store display that is large enough to carry major branded cards in all the categories consumers want – gift, sports, telecom, open loop gift (cards that can be used at millions of locations), tickets and reloadable products. The Gift Card Mall Destination Concept creates a win-win-win for consumers, retailers and card partners. As a one stop shop, consumers enjoy greater choices at more convenient locations; retailers see increased foot traffic that generates incremental revenue; and card partners get new customers and in most cases additional spend in their stores above the face value of the card.
“We want to congratulate all the companies that submitted their products, services, and professionals for consideration for the first annual Prepaid Card Awards,” said Jonathan Weiner, president of Prepaid Media. “There are many companies and individuals developing and offering innovative programs and products in the rapidly evolving prepaid card market. These winners represent some of the most innovative programs and products that have had significant impact in their respective categories in the past twelve months.”
About Prepaid Media
Prepaid Media provides a host of business-to-business media and information services to the rapidly growing network branded prepaid and stored value card industry.
Prepaid Media’s properties include the Paybefore online portal, Paybefore Update electronic newsletter, and Prepaid Card Report (PCR) print publication, the leading information sources for the prepaid and stored value card markets. Prepaid Media also owns and produces the Prepaid Buyers Guide, Prepaid Card Data, and Prepaid Card Awards, all of which are incorporated across its various media properties.
As the prepaid and stored value card industry continues to evolve, Prepaid Media serves as a trusted partner, providing compelling learning, buying and selling, and networking opportunities to key market participants. For more information on Prepaid Media, please visit: www.prepaidmedia.com.
About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network, a subsidiary of Safeway Inc., is a prepaid and payments network, a market leader in card-based financial solutions and the largest provider of third-party prepaid cards. Blackhawk Network develops unique products in easy-to-use formats and delivers them to consumers through an exclusive retail network of leading grocery, mass, convenience, drug and specialty retailers. The network includes more than 60,000 store fronts and reaches more than 135 million consumers each week. Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Blackhawk Network has offices in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.