Dutch bank the Postbank is offering customized ATM cards. Customers can upload a photo, edit it in the paskamer (fitting room) and receive their personalized, working bank card within six days.
Soft launch for now: no advertising and lots of blog coverage. For a limited time only, the cards are free; they'll be EUR 9,75 after the trial period. Creating a "My Postbank Card" automatically enters the cardholder into a contest. The winning card not only bags its creator a trip to New York, but will also be used in national billboards promoting the service.
Allowing consumers to flaunt their adorable infant, prize-winning hamster or best holiday snapshot — in short, appealing to their gravanity, this should be an instant hit.
Update | December 2005
A month later, over 100,000 Postbank customers in The Netherlands have ordered their own customized cards. Are you letting your customers get personal and creative?
Cut to the chase, why bother to send to the bank for the picture upload?, with a simple HP printer, a digital camera,printer tranparencies, I do my own transparent overlays on my own cards, as long as the numbers are readable on the front, the visa logo and the swipe mag strip on the back is intact, you can do your own thing for pennies on the dollar
Geoff, you're right, let me know your address, i'll send you my stuff and you can do it for me :)
Banks are not known to evoke much emotion, at least now, everytime you take out your plastic - it not only brings a smile to your face, but is a conversation starter.