IMGCAP(1)]
Barclaycard, the credit card issuing arm of United Kingdom-based Barclays PLC, has signed a concert-sponsorship deal designed to promote its aggressive push into contactless payments. The deal, with United States-based concert promoter Live Nation Inc., follows a Barclaycard TV campaign for contactless that ended late last year, a spokesperson for the issuer tells CardLine Global. The new marketing campaign will enable Barclaycard to offer contactless payments at such UK music festivals as Hard Rock Calling, Download and Wireless. Last week, Barclaycard announced a partnership with mobile operator Orange UK to promote mobile payments, including Near Field Communication, an effort the issuer expects to also produce a cobranded contactless credit card (CardLine Global, 19 March). Barclaycard has issued some 1.5 million contactless credit cards. Parent Barclays PLC, meanwhile, plans to issue 3 million contactless debit cards by 2010.
