Consumers spend more than $100 billion dollars on gift cards every year in the United States.

A simple 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by a whopping 75%. Brands are carefully navigating the post-COVID era, which dramatically altered consumer behavior. Gift, membership and loyalty cards will play an increasingly important role in building and maintaining brand equity in both the online and in-store retail environments.

This elevated awareness is evident in the growing popularity of ethical and sustainable brands and the increasing demand for transparency from companies. Using plastic gift cards is not suitable for brands searching for ways to improve their environmental profile.

In this presentation, we will offer insights on trends in the exploding loyalty, gift and membership market, and explain why sourcing sustainable alternatives to plastic gift cards is imperative for companies hoping to improve their environmental profile. With the amount of plastic that the global card industry produces and with consumers actively demanding suppliers to take more consideration in sustainability, the shift toward reducing or eliminating plastics has led to an increase in the production of fiber-based alternatives. The only way to incorporate this fully into your organization is to be well informed.

Takeaways (3):

• Why communicating sustainability in your gift card/loyalty program is so important.
• Why FSC Certification is important and its role in maintaining transparency and authenticity— from production to consumer.
• Why sourcing sustainable alternatives to plastic gift cards is imperative for improving environmental commitments.

IDEMIA has conducted a global consumer survey including respondents in the United States. This presentation will review the general payment trends based on the survey findings, i.e. consumer trends including the shift to digital, preference for the type of cards to pay with, payment patterns, payment behaviors, etc.

Eco-focused payment cards have matured beyond the initial product launch stage, with proven consumer interest. As more manufacturers enter the space, the focus shifts from introducing new card materials to scaling solutions to best support issuers.

Since 2019, CPI Card Group has sold more than 100 million eco-focused cards through its Earthwise® and Second Wave® card lines. Three members of CPI leadership will discuss recent advancements for both end-to-end card manufacturing processes and ways to support an environmental focus. The panel will include:

Jeremy Witte, Director of Operations - to discuss operational efficiencies and product evolution in the growth phase.

David Nicholson, Director of ESG - to discuss his role with CPI and give insights into how Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives reveal themselves in the card manufacturing industry.

Michael Dewulf, Packaging Engineer/Designer - to weigh in on considerations for the collateral, packaging and retail presentation of payment cards and to share his experience with earning FSC certification for a fulfillment operation.

Let’s have a fun night of networking with some cool music, good food and lots of time to make new connections. Tonight’s theme is all about tropical! We are in Florida, so let’s enjoy it. Wear your fun tropical style shirts – the brighter, the better – we will be outside, so shorts, sun visors, and your favorite shades are all welcome!  Margaritas and tonight’s Reception are sponsored by Apollo Colours.

This presentation offers a comprehensive review of a research study aimed at understanding the challenges faced by visually impaired consumers during physical card payments, and potential industry solutions to enhance their payment experience.

Antonio D'Albore, Vice President, Pre-Sales, Zwipe, will present Unlocking the Future: The Evolution of Biometric Cards Over the Last Decade.

Presentation topics will include:

• Generations of biometric cards from early prototypes to current
• Evolution of cardholder enrollment
• Key pilots/launches
• Applications: Pay, Access, Crypto
• Standardization efforts
• The future of biometric cards

While awareness of cryptocurrency is nearly universal among consumers, its acquisition, use or safe storage still require a certain level of technical savviness which the majority of consumers feel they still don't possess. Following multiple financial scandals involving crypto trading platforms, the more traditional banks are questioning the type and the extent of their involvement into the crypto world. But nonetheless, witnessing the strong consumer push and emerging business opportunities, we all feel that retail banks cannot and will not ignore the rise of crypto currencies and the growing tokenization of our real-world assets. Securing assets, facilitating payments or offering access to investment portfolios are roles traditionally played by banks; what might be the first steps of banks to support a mass adoption of crypto by consumers?

In today's ever-evolving digital landscape, banks strive to engage with their customers in ways that leave a lasting impression, forging connections, and showcasing their brand in a distinctive manner. This quest involves standing out in a competitive arena and cultivating lasting customer loyalty.

Design is poised to become an indispensable element in bankcard programs and strategies. A multitude of design elements now influence the card's composition, encompassing the body material, shape, visual aesthetics (for physical and digital cards), texture, weight, and even the form factor.

Content can include:

• Why the card, its design, features, weight matter for the banks.
• Card design as an area of innovation: Myriad of innovative design techniques possible: physical dimensions, shape and structure, dynamic color schemes with ink, e.g. hidden thermoactive features, colored edges, foil, 3D & transparent effects, etc. and customizable chips
• Trends around visual design: different types matching target consumer segment; artist collaborations for aesthetic purposes and marketing; partnership with brand licenses provider, Marvel, cartoons e.g. limited edition
• Demand for more sustainable products impacting the card
• Payment inclusivity & design: how to support everyone to access and use a payment means: the shape of the card: touch card; different textures, replacement of the PIN by a fingerprint sensor
• Embedded features: biometric sensors
• Consumers’ role in the card design: customizable cards / customers can choose different features/styles etc.
• Other trends around card design: card packaging
• Digital card designs: create links between digital & physical/brand representation

A key method for adding value to your offering and successfully competing against low-cost/high-volume competitors lies in personalization and small order processing. However, the challenges of building a manufacturing process capable of individualized order processing are daunting. Initial implementations typically require extraordinary amounts of time/labor in order processing and non-scalable processes for manufacturing and shipping small quantities. We discuss general approaches to solving these problems, with a highlight on digital order automation and digital manufacturing job management.

Biometrics on a card is poised to break through to mass adoption, marking a significant advancement in security and authentication technologies. Traditional methods of identification, such as passwords and PINs, are increasingly vulnerable to breaches, leading to a demand for more secure alternatives. Biometric authentication on cards involves incorporating unique physical or behavioral traits, like fingerprints, to verify an individual's identity. This not only enhances security but also provides a convenient and efficient means of access or payment. As the technology becomes more refined and cost-effective, the prospect of widespread adoption grows. The potential benefits include heightened protection against identity theft and fraud, streamlined processes for various sectors, and a more user-friendly experience. As society embraces the shift toward biometrics on cards, it represents a significant breakthrough in the evolution of secure and accessible authentication methods.

Presenting the Élan Awards of Excellence

Tonight we will not only celebrate the winners of our prestigious Élan Awards of Excellence, but also the rich culture and geographic diversity of our ICMA attendees. Make your way through the global food and drink stations for a fun culinary experience! Enjoy the music and make some new ICMA friends and connections.

Celebrating its 70th anniversary with a leading position as a plastic substrates supplier for the smartcard industry, SPICA discovered and launched a new technology unique in the industry, which will lead to a revolution in the way the PVC sheets for the card market will be designed and produced. There will be unlimited possibilities; the only limit will be the imagination of SPICA and its partners.

Training is an integral part of hiring and retention in the card manufacturing industry, especially for companies that are hiring outside of the industry. David Tushie, standards and technical representative of the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA), shares insights on the state of the card manufacturing industry and how the Advanced Card Education (ACE) program can be the answer to helping industry leaders better hire and retain employees.