Essel Group to launch Itz Cash card with nationwide campaign

After a successful pilot run in Maharashtra, Intrex India, the 'innovative businesses' division of the Essel Group is ready to go national with Itz Cash, the first-of-its-kind cash card in the country. A nationwide campaign, devised by Bates, is going to hit the air very soon, sources confirm.

Put simply, Itz Cash is a prepaid cash card that enables the user to shop online and play Playwin through SMSs, anytime, anywhere. “All you need to do is to scratch the card for your code, punch it in for the products or services that you want to enjoy and the amount will get debited from your balance,” informs Navin Surya, executive director, Intrex India.

The card offers users the cloak of anonymity and is expected to appeal to those, who are either uncomfortable about using their credit card details for online transactions, or do not possess a credit/debit card for online, or wireless transactions.

For the time being, Itz Cash is acceptable at indiatimes, rediff, Asian Sky Shop, Dishnet and HCL. But the star product/service is railway bookings on IRCTC.

“About five lakh tickets are bought everyday, out of which only 5,000 are bought online. With Itz Cash, online booking will definitely get a fillip. Any one who wants to buy tickets online, but does not have a credit card or does not want to use one because of fears of misuse, can use Itz Cash,” explains Surya.

Talks are on to extend the service through SMSs as well. SMSs are expected to “revolutionise” the concept of wireless interactivity while leveraging the 100-million strong mobile subscriber base.

Itz Cash is available in denominations of Rs 100 to Rs 10,000, valid for one year and throughout the country with Dishnet dealers, Playwin and Asian Sky Shop outlets. Customers can also dial 1600221600 or SMS to 7575 and have the card home delivered. Intrex is quite confident about the product as they see enormous potential in its application and usage.

The media campaign, says the agency, will talk to the consumer about the functional benefits of the product, while taking the emotional route. The focus of the campaign would be the railway booking application, which, both the agency and the company feel, will strike a chord with the masses.

The agency worked on the insight that for the common man, who works away from home in a different city, going back to his family is something to look forward to. But the long queues at booking counters and the tout-mafia often put a spanner in the works. With Itz Cash, life would get a lot simpler, and that is what the communication will highlight.

The media campaign will be skewed towards TV, with some amount of print advertising as well. Radio is not under consideration right now. The company is spending about Rs 5 crore for the communication. The agency promises that the communication will be as innovative as the product itself.

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