Credit cards, prestige and snobbery

poppy_f1

i'll admit to being a bit shallow
at the moment i have a po card which i got to do a BT which is nearly payed off also i have currently a rbs gold mastercard which i use in the *posh* shops but pay off in full most months, and to my shallower delight i got a letter saying they were upgrading me to a platinum card which if i was to apply for i wouldnt have a hope in hell getting it

Mozette

CopperPlate wrote: »

Okay, looking at it from another angle - what about affinity cards? Does that influence the choice you make - the design, what it 'says' about your principles/ethics, etc? Is this another layer in the marketing process - design and market cards for those with a 'conscience'?

I've had various charity cards, only going on what I would personally support. I used to have one that gave to theatres - in America that used to get commented on, and they really couldn't seem to get their heads around the fact that part of the money went to charity! Latterly I had an American Express Red card. I generally go with the charity cards to give the the initial donation, then use them for a while, then I generally come over all MSE and go back to my egg blue card on the basis that charity begins at home.
My home:o 'til I've cleared the wretched things, then I shall just have a cash back card and a Nationwide for foreign tracsactions, and I shall pay them off in full every month!

Can't say I ever thought that it 'said' anything about me. The AmEx Red card did look nice, though that wasn't an influencing factor, just an observation.

CopperPlate_2

poppy_f1, I know what you mean.

Now I have no reason to pick these two cards, just as examples, would I use an Asda credit card in John Lewis? Probably not. Would I use a John Lewis credit card in Asda? Probably.

I think the class system is alive and kicking in Great Britain today :rolleyes2

poppy_f1

CopperPlate wrote: »

poppy_f1, I know what you mean.

Now I have no reason to pick these two cards, just as examples, would I use an Asda credit card in John Lewis? Probably not. Would I use a John Lewis credit card in Asda? Probably.

I think the class system is alive and kicking in Great Britain today :rolleyes2

in all honesty at least from my pov is years ago i was fed up by being looked down upon by snotty sales assistants who felt by the way i was dressed i couldnt afford to buy their stuff, so nowadays i do take great pleasure by going into shops like harvey nichols, dressed like a tramp buying some expensive toiletries and handing over the gold card, its somewhat a sense of achievement when their attitude suddenly changes

CopperPlate_2

Mozette wrote: »

I've had various charity cards, only going on what I would personally support. I used to have one that gave to theatres - in America that used to get commented on, and they really couldn't seem to get their heads around the fact that part of the money went to charity! Latterly I had an American Express Red card. I generally go with the charity cards to give the the initial donation, then use them for a while, then I generally come over all MSE and go back to my egg blue card on the basis that charity begins at home.
My home:o 'til I've cleared the wretched things, then I shall just have a cash back card and a Nationwide for foreign tracsactions, and I shall pay them off in full every month!

Can't say I ever thought that it 'said' anything about me. The AmEx Red card did look nice, though that wasn't an influencing factor, just an observation.

Yeah, but isn't this another type of kudos or way of identifying you as an individual, your values and the way you want others to see you? The example you gave - only going on what I would personally support - if it had, I don't know, the Audi car brand, Royal Opera, Apple Inc logo, or another brand or affiliate organisation that wasn't 'mainstream' would that affiliate you as an individual and would you hope/expect/believe that others who saw you pay for goods, saw the card and acknowledged (perhaps vocally or silently) what you were trying to show them (even subliminally)?

In contrast if it had an organisation that was generally distasteful - certain political parties, animal hunts, etc - it would be presumed that people would notice the branding and even comment negatively about it, so the same might be said in reverse?

Stompa

CopperPlate wrote: »

would I use an Asda credit card in John Lewis? Probably not. Would I use a John Lewis credit card in Asda? Probably.

I have to say I find that utterly bizarre!

*srjp*

LittlePiskey wrote: »

Too be honest i'm not really fussed about the way my card looks - my bank recently upgraded me to a gold card which has no added benefit at all so it just seems rather pointless to me.

Have you read all the literature with it? Most of the 'premium' cards have (or at least 'had'; it's been a while since I looked) extra benefits such as extended warranties on electrical goods, travel insurance for any trips you buy on it etc etc.

I rang Barclays last week to ask to swap to the Platinum Card with Cashback, but, as the assistant rather amusingly pointed out, "sorry sir, but to sound a bit like the advertising for one of our competitors, I'm afraid that's only available to new customers.." :rotfl:

Warnie

*srjp* wrote: »

Depends on your circumstances, my colleagues tend to eat out a lot after working late so everyone sees the cards when they get thrown in the pot to divvy the bill up. There is always a bit of ribbing about the ones with amusing/terrible pictures on the front or foreign banks as issuers.

The one that got most people commenting this week was a friend's Red AMEX which donates to Africa/HIV/Poverty/something, so it works both ways really.

I've got a Gold Amex card and have given my brother one for emergency and i have admit I was drawn by the stigma attatched to Gold ! That said I am now getting a American Express RED card once the postal strike is over for a combination of money to Africa/etc etc - would rather money go to charity than cashback to me.

Stompa

*srjp* wrote: »

I rang Barclays last week to ask to swap to the Platinum Card with Cashback, but, as the assistant rather amusingly pointed out, "sorry sir, but to sound a bit like the advertising for one of our competitors, I'm afraid that's only available to new customers.." :rotfl:

I tried to do the same thing. FWIW they told me I could, but I'd have to do it in person by visiting a Barclays branch - sounded like complete nonsense to me!

chinbergs

It's good to see this thread generate such an interest. I think this reflects that, one way or another, people obviously do care about these things!