OREANDA-NEWS. On April 21, 2009 The "My Alfa" bankcard has won the BRAND OF THE YEAR/EFFIE 2008 award in the "Financial Institutions, Products and Services" category. The results were revealed at the 11th awards ceremony, reported the press-centre of Alfa-Bank.

The "My Alfa" card is the first Russian full-scale card that allows customers to design their card themselves.

Alfa’s director of marketing, Victor Shkipin, said, "The „My Alfa“ project reflects the bank’s innovative approach to developing and promoting its products. It owes its success to several factors, such as customer awareness, the right positioning, ongoing development, creative advertising and PR-promotion".

The product, developed in 2008, allows customer’s to personalize their cards by choosing any image of their choice, for example a photo of themselves, their family, friends, pets, or favorite view, or by making use of Alfa-Bank’s design gallery. The customer can also choose the layout of their chosen image.

The card can be ordered over the Internet using Alfa-Click, and can be collected from the customer’s local branch a few days later.

The "My Alfa" card is available for the following cards: Visa Classic, MasterCard Standart, and can be both a debit card or a supplement to the customer’s main credit card. It may be also ordered in any third party’s name, e.g.  for a friend or family member.

Alfa-Bank’s "My Alfa" project demonstrates the banks leadership in technology and personal touch.