Innovation in Loyalty, the first club™ Launches eBook and Audio Book Digital Rewards to Engage Consumers and Encourage Higher Brand Interaction

Los Angeles, 11 January 2011. With almost two billion loyalty memberships in North America, how can brands differentiate their programs while providing exciting, relevant and usable rewards? the first club™ has just expanded its digital rewards platform to help airline, hotel and retail loyalty programs do just that by adding eBooks and audio books to its expansive digital rewards catalog.

The launch of the first club™ eBook and audio book digital catalogs is perfectly timed to coincide with the massive increase in eBook sales, which almost doubled during 2010 and now make up 9% of consumer book sales in the United States – compared to 3.31% in 2009.

The catalogs launch with over 100,000 titles including latest releases from best-selling authors such Stieg Larsson, Stephen Hawking, Barack Obama, David Baldacci, Elizabeth Gilbert – and more than a dozen genres. The eBooks work on most eReader formats and are available in English – with French, German and Spanish added in early 2011. Audio books are available in English and German, with more languages coming in 2011.

Launched in 2009, the first club™ is the first global digital loyalty, incentive and promotions solution of its kind, offering instant, usable rewards: consumers can download the latest in premium digital content including over 34 million choices of mp3 tracks, mobile phone apps, games, eBooks, audio books and software to engage with their favorite brands. Unlike other digital content sites, the first club™ is the only digital platform that is culturally relevant, offering international and local content based on the user’s location, available in 12 languages. And because the first club™ is fully customizable and can be branded according to any company’s needs, brands are in full control of their loyalty program and their customers.

Loyalty challenge

One of the biggest hurdles for loyalty programs is reward redemption and the number of points needed for the lowest reward levels. Take frequent flyer programs: there are over 120 million people enrolled in these programs, and trillions of miles that never get used. In many cases, consumers lose motivation to remain loyal to a brand’s program as they feel the rewards are not attainable. the first club™ solution removes this barrier by giving consumers the opportunity to redeem meaningful rewards in all areas of their life: music, games, mobile content and now eBooks and audio books, with content starting as low as 10 points or $1.

“Today’s consumers are sophisticated and demanding. They want more value from every dollar they spend, and when it comes to loyalty and incentive programs, they also want value and rewards they can use – immediately. the first club™ solution helps airline, hotel and retail brands build more value into their programs by offering instant and relevant rewards, through an exciting catalog of downloadable digital content to suit all tastes, cultures and lifestyles. Consumers can access and redeem their points online or via mobile, and use their rewards wherever they are. And with the explosive growth in eBook sales, our newly released eBooks reinforces the need for providing relevant, useful and meaningful rewards to customers or employees,” says Jill Goldworn, President and co-founder of the first club™.

The result? Higher brand interaction and increased loyalty. What loyalty manager would say no to that?

For more information about the first club™ or to experience the first club™ digital rewards solution, please contact Vanessa Horwell at +305.749.5342 x 232 or Vanessa@thinkinkpr.com or visit http://www.thefirstclub.net.