From Timothée Chalamet’s partnership with Cash App, to Robinhood’s expanded access to solid gold cards, Andrew Davidson breaks down the key developments redefining the financial services industry. He also discusses Alaska Airlines’ new premium credit card and the highly anticipated Amex Platinum teaser.
Want to discover more of Andrew’s cutting-edge insights on financial products, marketing strategies, and industry innovations? Follow him on LinkedIn, or listen to him as the host of Mintel’s Little Conversation podcast.
Here are the 5 things you need to know:
1. Cash App launches ad campaign featuring Timothée Chalamet
👀Spotted on Bleecker Street: Timothée Chalamet for Cash App
Cash App has teamed up with two-time Academy Award–nominated actor Timothée Chalamet in his first-ever financial services partnership. The integrated campaign spans movie theater ads, high-visibility billboards in NYC and LA, and will soon include limited-edition Cash App Card stamps which are pre-designed graphics that let cardholders customize their debit cards.
The centerpiece is a 2-minute cinematic spot (client access only) where Chalamet visits a quirky produce shop that only accepts ancient forms of payment. With help from a tech-savvy teenager, the shop owner learns that embracing modern tools like Cash App can coexist with tradition, bridging a generational gap around money.
Source: Comperemedia Omni [08/01/2025 – 009/06/2025] as of 09/09/2025 | LinkedIn
💡Cash App taps into cultural relevance
- Cash App’s growth advantage. Mintel data shows 33% of US consumers used Cash App in 2024, outpacing Venmo (23%) and Apple Cash (14%), with the strongest adoption among Gen Z and multicultural consumers. I usually get a look of surprise when I share this data but it’s true folks…more people use Cash App than Venmo.
- Cultural relevance as strategy. Collaborating with Timothée Chalamet embeds the brand in pop culture spaces, from movie theaters to NYC streets, appealing to young, trend-conscious audiences.
- Storytelling over selling. The out-of-home ad focuses on mood, style, and cultural cues rather than product features, reinforcing Cash App’s identity as part of everyday lifestyle rather than just a payment tool.
2. Robinhood expands access to solid gold cards
Robinhood’s Solid Gold Credit Card made headlines again recently. TheStreet.com first reported that cardholders can now upgrade to a Solid Gold variant of their card, a message later reinforced in an email (client-access only) we captured in Comperemedia and in paid social posts (client-access only).
The two options include a 27-gram, 24-karat Gold Card for 100,000 points and the original 36-gram, 10-karat Solid Gold Card for 850,000 points.
According to TheStreet, a cardmember would need to spend either $33,333 or $283,334 to earn enough points for the two card options.
Source: Comperemedia Omni [08/01/2025 – 009/06/2025] as of 09/09/2025 | LinkedIn
💡Card design to the extreme
- Surprise and delight can evolve into loyalty. What began as a spectacle with limited-edition gold cards and NBA stars showing them off on custom gold chains is now becoming a loyalty play. Robinhood is monetizing the buzz and responding to customer demand by letting cardholders redeem points for their own Solid Gold card.
- Card design matters more than ever. This is the ultimate extreme: turning the physical card into a symbol of status, exclusivity, and customer passion. Whether you see it as over-the-top or brilliant marketing, it’s a powerful reminder that even in an era of mobile wallets, card design isn’t just packaging; it can be the product.
3. BMO U.S. launches a new premium credit card
BMO U.S. has launched (client-access only) the BMO Escape Credit Card with Mastercard. A new premium credit card with a $150 annual fee designed for BMO customers who are frequent travelers.
- 45K points for spending $5K in 3 months
- 4X points on airfare & dining up to $3K per quarter
- 3X points on hotels, tours, travel agencies and cruises up to $3k per quarter
- 2X points on rideshare, taxis and car rentals
- 1X points on everything else
- Digital PriorityPass (worth $99) plus 2 free lounge visits (worth $70)
- $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus
- $240 hotel credit at $20 monthly (attractive in theory, but the monthly cadence may reduce its usability for most travelers) – Sleek, durable metal design (positioned as a prestige feature
- No foreign transaction fees
- APR: 19.24% – 27.24%
- Apply in branch only
💡Premium card momentum builds
- Is $150 the new $95? BMO joins United Explorer, Delta SkyMiles Gold, Hilton Surpass and Ameriprise Premier at the $150 price point. As Chase, Amex and Citi stretch the top end, issuers are filling white space with “premium-light” cards that feel aspirational but remain affordable.
- Regional banks are jumping in. Escape follows Citizens Summit Reserve, signaling a mindset shift: regional issuers now see premium cards as a new frontier in deepening relationships and capturing the spend of their most valuable customers. 👉 Which regional bank will be next to test the premium card waters?
4. Alaska Airlines launches a new premium credit card
Alaska Airlines (now incorporating Hawaiian Airlines) has launched a new loyalty program called Atmos Rewards and a new $395 premium credit card, the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card issued by Bank of America.
In a video, Alaska’s Chairman & CEO Ben Minicucci said: “It’s not just a card. It’s your ticket to global travel, faster status and unforgettable experiences.
Reception so far has been very positive, with One Mile at a Time calling it “one of the all-around most interesting credit card launches we’ve seen in a very long time.”
💡The anti-coupon book credit card
- The anti-coupon book. Alaska has bucked the coupon-book trend by building value around the travel experience rather than stuffing in random lifestyle credits. As co-brand cards piled on ever more complicated perks, it was inevitable that value props with a clear focus and marketing to match would break through.
- Addressing travel pain points. Alaska positions this as your “global travel companion” with unique benefits that add real value on the journey: 3X points abroad, a $50 Instant Travel Delay Credit (for delays of 2+ hours), and same-day change fee waivers. The emphasis on flexibility is a refreshing departure from what travelers have come to expect from airline rewards.
- Competitive pricing. At $395, this premium card comes in well below the annual fees of other airline and bank-branded premium products. It feels more common sense, delivering a value prop tightly aligned to travel.
- Marketing playbook. The card officially launched on August 20. Alaska has been sending emails to existing loyalty program members (client-access only), including those who signed up to be on the email waitlist in return for an additional 5K miles. Beyond affiliate coverage, we have yet to see a major marketing push. Expect messaging to lean into the “anti-coupon book” theme as Alaska capitalizes on rising card fees and bloated competitor value props.
5. Amex teases new “mirror-finish” card design for Platinum
Amex posted an Instagram Reels video teasing a new “mirror finish” card design and the words “coming soon.” The post follows the June 16 announcement that a refresh of Amex Platinum would be coming in the fall and would be the biggest investment in a card refresh ever.
“We’re going to take these Cards to a new level, not only in what they offer in travel, dining and lifestyle benefits, but also in HOW THEY LOOK AND FEEL, to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
💡The credit card as a marketing tool
- Next level design. Premium cards have become an expression of identity with cards being the key to unlock a lifestyle platform. The physical card embodies that lifestyle as a badge/signal of aspirational wealth and card design has shifted from being a nice to have value-add to being a core feature of the credit card value prop and the focus of card marketing. No other financial product can project this physical desirability.
- Teaser campaign trend. Over the years I’ve written about pre-launch marketing epitomized by Apple Card’s yearlong pre-launch campaign back in 2018-2019. Recent launches have leveraged social platforms to take a shorter teaser approach lasting either days or weeks before the official launch. The Chase Sapphire Reserve refresh, the OnePay CashRewards card and now Amex Platinum have all deployed a short-term teaser campaign approach to create some buzz and excitement. It’s a smart approach that creates intrigue and builds a narrative. In the case of Amex Platinum, rumors are circulating following leaks regarding the value prop and a potential launch date of September 18.
