American Express Introduces New Charge Card, ZYNC from American Express, Lets Cardmembers Customize Card Benefits and Rewards and Control Finances

NEW YORK--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--American Express (NYSE:AXP) today announced the launch of ZYNC from American Express, a new Charge Card designed for and with a new generation of Cardmembers in their 20s and 30s. Offered in beta since December 2009, the ZYNC^SM Card brings together the financial control of the pay-in-full Charge Card with the added flexibility to select bundles of rewards and benefits called “Packs” that are tailored to specific lifestyle interests and spending habits in categories such as music, fashion, food, travel and more.

“Through that collaboration, we found that people in their 20s and 30s are just as concerned about wisely managing their money as they are about being empowered to further pursue their interests and passions – the ZYNC Card allows them to do both.”

The ZYNC Card is available for an annual fee of $25 and Packs vary in price from no additional cost to $25 per year.

“With the ZYNC Card, we’ve taken a completely new and unique approach in product development by asking people to step inside American Express and join our design team,” said Mary Hines, vice president, ZYNC Product Management, American Express. “Through that collaboration, we found that people in their 20s and 30s are just as concerned about wisely managing their money as they are about being empowered to further pursue their interests and passions – the ZYNC Card allows them to do both.”

Over the course of several months, American Express worked closely with people in their 20s and 30s to identify their key lifestyle interests and passions to help shape the Card, specifically the Pack offerings. Based on the feedback collected, American Express is introducing six new ZYNC Packs and made some changes to the original four Packs that were tested during beta. The ten Packs currently available and key benefits include:

Pack	Benefit	Cost
Give Back	1,000 Membership Rewards® points for each logged hour of volunteer service and one Membership Rewards point for every charitable dollar donated using your American Express Card	No fee, must enroll
Family Travel	Access a family travel specialist to assist in booking vacations, family-specific travel benefits and savings with hotels, cruise, car rental and tour partners, and more	No fee, must enroll
Personal Finance	Complimentary credit score and report, access to money management tools and tips	No fee, must enroll
Eco	2X Membership Rewards points at more than 4,000 select green merchants as rated by Greenopia, discounts on eco-friendly merchandise in the Membership Rewards program and access to an eco concierge service to answer green questions	No fee, must enroll
Music	2X Membership Rewards points on concert tickets, pre-sale access to select music events and concert tickets	$5
Go	2X Membership Rewards points on airfare ticket purchases, lost wallet protection and travel discounts	$20
Food & Wine	A one-year subscription to FOOD & WINE® Magazine, savings on Cookbooks and wine guide and discounted membership to FOOD & WINE Connoisseur Club	$20
Connect	2X Membership Rewards points on mobile phone, cable, broadband and internet charges, plus discounts on select mobile merchandise in the Membership Rewards program	$20
Style	2X Membership Rewards points at department stores and specialty retailer Gilt.com, enhanced Return Protection, and special offers from Gilt.com and Lucky Magazine	$25
Restaurant	2X Membership Rewards points at restaurants plus special dining discounts and offers from restaurants including Lettuce Entertain You®, Morton’s The Steakhouse®, Patina Restaurant Group, Seasons 52® Dunkin’ Donuts® and Cold Stone Creamery®	$25

The ZYNC Tank^SM

In the spirit of collaboration, American Express is utilizing an online community called the ZYNC Tank where Cardmembers and select prospects are invited to engage in a dialogue to provide ideas for enhancements to evolve and refine the ZYNC Card. The ZYNC Tank to date has been a valuable tool. In fact, the feedback received during beta helped shape the new Packs now available and resulted in changes to core Card benefits. For example, American Express recently added ExpressPay (RFID), its contactless payment functionality, to the ZYNC Card due to popular demand from the ZYNC Tank community.

Introducing the ZYNC Card to a New Generation – Live Concert and Webcast with The National

In celebration of the ZYNC Card launch, American Express will present a live in-venue and online concert with critically acclaimed Brooklyn band, The National, on May 15. Advance tickets will be available for ZYNC Cardmembers to the in-venue concert before the general public on May 6 for $25 each. All ticket proceeds will benefit Red Hot, a leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Fans across the country will also be able to enjoy the concert experience as it will be streamed live. The live concert webcast will be directed by D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus. Pennebaker is best known for the seminal music films Dont Look Back and Monterey Pop, while he and Hegedus together made the Oscar-nominated documentary The War Room and the forthcoming Kings of Pastry. For more information on how to buy tickets, access the live webcast or event details as they are revealed, visit the ZYNC Facebook page at facebook.com/zync and follow @AmericanExpress on Twitter. In addition, exclusive content, such as artist and fan interviews, will also be available on the ZYNC Card Facebook page.

Valued Charge Card Benefits and Features

While Zync was designed with the interests of people in their 20s and 30s in mind, Zync comes with a broad array of benefits and services that will appeal to a wide range of consumers. All ZYNC Cardmembers upon approval of the Card are automatically enrolled in the Membership Rewards Express® program, which allows Cardmembers to earn one point for virtually every dollar charged with many opportunities to earn points faster. The Membership Rewards program offers more than a million rewards from over 500 brands across popular categories, including financial services, shopping, dining and entertainment and travel with redemptions beginning at 200 points. Points have no expiration date, and there is no limit on the number of points a Cardmember can earn.

ZYNC Cardmembers also enjoy the peace of mind and security that comes with carrying an American Express® Charge Card with benefits, such as:

Emergency assistance when Card members are 100 miles or more away from home with Global Assist ® Hotline

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, at no additional charge
24/7 Roadside Assistance Anywhere
Baggage Insurance Plan
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Return Protection (An enhanced return protection is available with enrollment in the Style pack.)

Terms, conditions, and restrictions apply to these benefits. Visit www.americanexpress.com for details. For more information about ZYNC from American Express, please visit: zynccard.com or call 1-800-833-3323.

About American Express Charge Cards

American Express offers several Charge Card products including: the Green Card, launched in 1958; the Gold Card, launched in 1966; the Platinum Card®, launched in 1984; the Centurion® Card, launched in 1999; and the ZYNC Card launched in 2010. American Express Charge Cards help Cardmembers take charge and maintain control of their finances because the balance is due in full at the end of every month. All Charge Cards provide Cardmembers with one Membership Rewards point for every eligible dollar of spending, valuable retail and travel protections, and award-winning customer service.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at www.americanexpress.com and connect with us on www.facebook.com/americanexpress, www.twitter.com/americanexpress and www.youtube.com/americanexpress.

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