National Ad Campaign for Citibank Reward Program to Feature Alicia Keys

September 6, 2012, 12:31 pm

By TANZINA VEGA

Add being boring to the list of reasons to break up with someone. While there are many women who would gladly jump at the chance to date a “boring” guy, a new television ad for a Citibank reward program features one woman who has had enough of her boyfriend's staid ways.

Over a meal at a restaurant, Lauren, the woman, tells her beau, “Jack, you're a little boring,” and repeats the word boring twice after that. Later, in the solace of his apartment, Jack visits the Web site for Citi Private Pass, an events and perks program for Citibank debit and credit card holders. “I decided to be not boring,” says Jack as he visits an art gallery, a cooking class with Giada De Laurentiis and a concert with Alicia Keys.

The commercial is part of the first national advertising campaign for the Private Pass program, which offers cardholders early access to tickets for sporting events and concerts, among other things. It began in 2003 for the exclusive use of Citi AAdvantage cardholders, an American Airlines affiliate card, and was expanded to all cardholders in 2007. Until now, the program has been marketed locally and to cardholders through e-mails and newsletters.

The latest iteration of the Private Pass program, and the one that Citi is eager to promote through digital, print and television ads, includes small group events with celebrities, like a concert by Ms. Keys, a cooking class with Ms. De Laurentiis, dinner prepared by Daniel Boulud and a Sunday football viewing party with John Madden. The goal of the campaign is “to make an emotional connection with card members and earn their loyalty,” said Ralph Andretta, the head of co-brands and loyalty at Citi Car ds.

The television ad, called “The Ex” will debut Thursday during the MTV Video Music Awards. Ms. Keys, who is featured in the ads, will also perform at the awards show and will use her performance and the ads to debut her single, “Girl on Fire.”

Print and digital ads began running in May in magazines like Rolling Stone, GQ and People and on Web sites like FoodNetwork.com, Pandora and Yahoo.

Tanzina Vega writes about advertising and digital media. Follow @tanzinavega on Twitter.