HOUSTON -- Banks and credit unions across the United States can now put their mark on an extended network of conveniently located retail ATMs--and offer their cardholders increased fee-free ATM access--with Cardtronics' new take on ATM branding. The world's largest retail ATM owner, Cardtronics Inc., has announced an expansion of its ATM branding product line featuring the launch of Preferred Branding.
Whereas Cardtronics' traditional ATM branding solution, Principal Branding (ATM topper, screens, exterior sign and more), enables one financial institution to use a Cardtronics-owned ATM to expand its fee-free ATM network and elevate its brand visibility in a very high-profile way, Preferred Branding opens up a new point of presence to multiple banks and credit unions and creates new ATM branding opportunities at previously unavailable locations.
With Preferred Branding, up to nine additional financial institutions can use the same premium retailer location and the same Cardtronics-owned ATM, including locations that already have a Principal Branding partner, to expand fee-free cash access for their accountholders and generate awareness for their bank or credit union.
Financial institutions have their logos added to the Preferred Branding decal located on the ATM's safe door.
Preferred branding is available as a standalone product, although many financial institutions will use Principal Branding and Preferred Branding in a coordinated, complementary fashion based on their service area.
Frost Bank and Texas Dow Employees Credit Union (TDECU) are already experiencing the benefits of both Principal and Preferred Branding by Cardtronics and are offering their customers and members increased fee-free access to their accounts in retail outlets. For example, Frost Bank uses Principal Branding, with a prominent Frost logo and topper, at the ATMs located in the Texas markets it serves and Preferred Branding, with a smaller logo, for ATMs located in other parts of Texas. TDECU uses Principal and Preferred Branding for ATMs located along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Preferred Branding combines a two-inch by two-inch logo decal with the ubiquity of mobile banking and smartphones to help ensure this new type of branded ATM won't go unnoticed. To add to the appeal of the Preferred Branding offering, Cardtronics also encourages and facilitates the transfer of ATM location data into ATM locator tools to help consumers find all of their bank's or credit union's fee-free ATMs. Using mobile banking apps or standalone ATM locators, customers of Cardtronics' partner financial institutions can easily find their closest fee-free ATM, regardless of whether it's owned by their bank or credit union, or by Cardtronics.
"When Cardtronics places its ATMs with America's most well-known and convenient retailers, we are constantly mindful of the importance of offering as many consumers as possible access to their funds when and where they need it," said Rick Updyke, president of the North America Business Group for Cardtronics. "Preferred Branding, whether as a standalone product or as a complement to Principal Branding, is about making the convenience of Cardtronics' ATM fleet available to more financial institutions than ever before, giving them a new, cost-efficient option to expand fee-free ATM access for their customers."
Financial institutions have cumulatively branded a total of 19,000 Cardtronics-owned ATMs.
Making ATM cash access convenient where people shop, work and live, Cardtronics is at the convergence of retailers, financial institutions, prepaid card programs and the customers they share. Cardtronics owns/operates more than 70,800 retail ATMs in U.S. and international locales.
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