From Amazon offering 7% back for No-Rush Delivery to Bank of America targeting new customers with its FIFA World Cup promotion, Andrew Davidson breaks down the latest news in the financial services industry. He also highlights the SoFi Smart Card for SoFi Plus members, talks about Amex’s Resy benefits, and interviews Bob Daly, MD of Global Co-Brand Cards at United Airlines.
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. Interview with Bob Daly: MD of Global Co-Brand Cards at United Airlines
In this episode of the Mintel Little Conversation podcast, I sat down with Bob Daly, Managing Director of Global Co-Brand Cards at United Airlines.
We covered:
- United’s strategy behind the recent relaunch of its Chase co-brand credit card portfolio and what it signals about the next phase of MileagePlus.
- Bob’s unique 360-degree perspective on loyalty, shaped by leadership roles across consulting, banking, and airlines.
- The thinking behind launching an innovative United debit card and how it expands engagement beyond traditional credit.
- How airline co-brand programs can continue to stand out as premium cards and bank-owned travel platforms intensify competition.
- Bob’s outlook on the future of loyalty and what brands must do to innovate while staying deeply connected to travelers.
💡 Carving a lane
- Banks and co-brands are on a collision course. As banks continue to invest in their own travel platforms, premium ecosystems, and direct-to-consumer experiences, the traditional lines between issuer and partner are blurring. Co-brands can no longer rely on rich perks or points alone to stay relevant. The winners will be those who clearly define and defend what only they can offer, whether that is exclusive access, differentiated experiences, or an emotional connection that banks cannot easily replicate.
- Loyalty must reflect how consumers actually live and spend. United’s expansion beyond traditional credit, including the move into debit, reflects a deliberate strategy to cater to different types of customers across the financial spectrum. As Bob noted, not every customer prefers or qualifies for credit, and many, often younger consumers, lean toward debit. By taking a more inclusive approach to cards, United is able to engage customers earlier and more often in their financial lives, expanding reach while building long-term loyalty that extends well beyond a single transaction or product.
2. Amazon offers 7% back for No-Rush Delivery
Amazon offered an EXTRA 2% back (7% total) to its Chase Prime Visa cardholders for choosing No-Rush Delivery at checkout from 11/27 to 12/2. In other words, the Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping window.
As an Amazon Prime member, it was a no-brainer to take advantage of this offer. I first noticed it in the app, but it turns out Amazon also featured the promotion in acquisition direct marketing as part of the overall value proposition for new customers.
- $250 gift card
- 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods
- 2% back on restaurants, gas stations and transit- Prime Card Bonus of 10% plus at select merchants
- 7% back from 11/27-12/2 with No-Rush Delivery
- Buy Now Pay Later installments option
- No annual fee
💡Visible Value
- A strategic logistics play disguised as a consumer reward. The National Retail Federation estimated that 202.9 million U.S. consumers shopped during the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. One of the biggest holiday shopping surges in years. Incentivize slower shipping. Reduce fulfillment strain. Reward customers. Amazon may have run similar offers before, but this one was far more visible.
- Strengthening the value message. Amazon needs to reinforce its value as competition from Walmart intensifies, and with Walmart+ costing less than Prime. There was a surge in offers leading into Prime Day and the holidays. Amazon is now communicating a higher first-year value, $695 vs $377 in earlier estimates, by including the gift card and Prime Card Bonus in the calculation. And highlighting the 7%. Is Amazon beefing up the value stack ahead of a likely Prime increase?
3. Bank of America targets new customers with FIFA World Cup promotion
As the official bank sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026, Bank of America has launched a fascinating new credit card promotion.
Apply and get approved for a no-fee Cash Rewards or Unlimited Cash Rewards card between December 4 and January 5, and you’ll receive a unique link giving you the chance to buy up to two World Cup tickets in February while supplies last. Not guaranteed tickets. Not a sweepstakes. Just ACCESS to the ticket portal for as long as inventory exists.
As someone who doesn’t need another credit card, I still caught myself thinking: Should I apply just for the chance?
💡Capitalizing on the moment
- 2026 will be the year of marketing super moments. With the World Cup and the 250th anniversary of the US headlining, momentum will belong to brands that show up in the moments that matter. Bank of America is early to the field, using its sponsorship of this generational cultural event to spark attention. And whether or not consumers actually get tickets, everyone gets a limited-edition World Cup card design, which is a clever way to make participation feel like part of the moment and to soften the risk of disappointment.
- Yes, this will move the needle, but not without risk. Urgency plus scarcity almost always drives a spike in applications. But the fine print is clear: access does not guarantee availability. That creates an expectation gap. If consumers apply and walk away with nothing, or with sticker shock, sentiment can turn quickly. And what about applicants who do not need the card but apply only for the promo? Bank of America has already priced that in. Owning the cultural conversation matters more. I’m still debating whether to apply for the card I definitely don’t need. That is the power and the risk of a well-timed marketing moment.
4. SoFi launches the SoFi Smart Card for SoFi Plus members
New CHARGE CARD alert! SoFi – as previously predicted – has launched its new SoFi Smart Card for SoFi Plus members, positioning it as “the best of debit and credit card benefits, all in one account.”
- 5% unlimited cash back at grocery stores
- Up to 4.30% APY on SoFi Savings for 6 months
- ⭐Dynamic spending power based on Checking & Savings balances (effectively a secured charge card)
- Credit-building through on-time payments
- Unlocks $1,000+ in value. E.g., interest on savings + credit card cash back + $250 financial planner session
- SoFi Plus = $10 per month subscription fee
💡A Different Approach
- A new form factor that blends charge, debit, and credit. Smart Card mixes the mechanics of a charge card with the behavior of a debit card and the protections of a credit card. Your spending power is based on your Checking and Savings balances rather than a traditional credit line, making this the first mass-market product to anchor credit access directly to deposit behavior. The result is a new form factor: deposit-backed credit with debit-style discipline and credit-style protection.
- A pure category play centered on 5% groceries. Outside the SoFi Travel portal, Smart Card earns zero rewards in every other category, making it a true single-category product built around a tightly scoped 5% grocery MCC definition that excludes Walmart, Target, Costco, delivery apps, and meal kits. This structure avoids cannibalizing SoFi’s Unlimited 2% card and positions Smart Card as the grocery plus membership engine rather than an everyday spend optimizer. It’s a clear example of a fintech choosing to strengthen its membership ecosystem rather than compete for full wallet share.
5. Amex leads with Resy benefits in the Resy app
American Express acquired Resy in 2019, but it was not until the 2025 Platinum Card refresh that Resy became a core part of the Platinum offering. As part of the refresh, which raised the annual fee from $695 to $895, Amex introduced a $400 Resy dining credit ($100 per quarter) plus access to exclusive reservations and experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy.
While booking a table on Resy recently, I saw this ad for the Platinum Card which in my view is a textbook example of moment-of-intent marketing. By surfacing the Resy credit right at the top during booking, Amex made the value obvious. Even for someone without the card, the benefit was clear and compelling.
💡When your product costs $895 a year, you have to show the value
- Moments matter. High-fee products demand clarity. Ads work best when they meet users at the exact point of intent. If the value is not obvious in that moment, it might as well not exist. Highlighting the specific benefit rather than a generic Platinum ad made this promotion stand out. Timing is everything.
- Ecosystem flywheel. Around the Platinum refresh in September, interest in Resy spiked, with Google searches outpacing competitors like OpenTable. Embedding a lifestyle perk within a premium card creates a self-reinforcing loop: the card drives Resy engagement, and Resy’s buzz strengthens the card’s perceived value. At $895 a year, every interaction must prove the Platinum card is worth it.
