Mastercard and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) have run a football rewards campaign for cardholders in the UAE.
Selected FAB Mastercard holders took part in a game linked to Lionel Messi, who is a Mastercard ambassador. Each player had the chance to win rare Messi memorabilia.
The game ran on Mastercard’s Priceless platform. It also drew on FAB’s rewards scheme, the Mastercard network and its sports sponsorships.
Both companies said the goal is to tie card spending more closely to what their customers enjoy.
They see the campaign as part of a wider change in UAE loyalty schemes. In their view, rewards are moving away from points and towards access and exclusivity.

“Through our collaboration with FAB, we are bringing the excitement of football and the global appeal of Lionel Messi closer to cardholders in the UAE, creating exclusive experiences that turn everyday payments into priceless moments,”
said Gina Petersen-Skyrme, senior vice president and country manager for the UAE and Oman at Mastercard.
This campaign builds on the FAB Rewards Active Mastercard credit card. Messi’s role, the two firms said, is meant to back the card’s focus on an active way of life.
Inside the FAB app, users can view a virtual version of the card with a moving image of Messi. Both firms say this feature is the first of its kind in the world.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News UAE, based on image by Mastercard via its website.

