Press Release
August 20, 2001
BOULDER, CO -- Sunshine MarketPlace Inc., developer of the first real-time, global conversion system for leisure-
and travel-based assets, announced today the signing of a licensing agreement with Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based
Club America Enterprises Inc., which does business under the WOWpoints brand. WOWpoints has developed various points-based
incentive programs.
Club America has developed state-of-the-art database-management and marketing software that will be integrated
with the existing Sunshine MarketPlace platform. The WOWpoints technology will add a popular customer-loyalty component
to the Sunshine MarketPlace model and will allow for immediate expansion into other core businesses, including
the credit card industry.
According to Anthony (Tony) Genth, RRP, Sunshine MarketPlace CEO, the licensing agreement bolsters its mission
to become a comprehensive provider of turnkey, leisure-marketing programs, with customer acquisition and relationship
management as primary drivers. "The WOWpoints technology will broaden and strengthen our B2B and B2C platforms
right out of the box."
WOWpoints co-founders Vic Bubnow and Tom Hill have extensive backgrounds in media marketing and loyalty-program
development. Bubnow and Hill co-founded Gusto Rewards, the dominant consumer-loyalty program for the U.S. newspaper
industry, in 1995. They subsequently recognized the marketplace need for the next generation of loyalty marketing
and co-founded Club America Enterprises in 1998.
Genth says the agreement creates a powerful strategic partnership between the two entities that will enhance Sunshine
MarketPlace's business objectives. "The WOWpoints technology has been well received within the media, retail,
financial and travel industries," he explains. "Sunshine MarketPlace plans to capitalize on the relationships
WOWpoints has built with major credit card companies, thousands of merchants and select travel providers to expand
our reach into the hospitality and affinity-group markets."
More than 80 percent of all credit cards issued provide some type of loyalty-based incentive, according to Hill.
In 2000, U.S. businesses spent $15 billion for consumer incentive programs, with $4 billion to $6 billion targeted
to credit card incentives provided directly by credit card issuers such as VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American
Express. "WOWpoints will readily empower businesses, in any industry segment, to track and provide rewards
for both online and offline purchases," Hill says.
Sunshine MarketPlace was introduced in April 2001, with a primary agenda to provide value-added services to timeshare
developers/operators and their owners by helping purchasers achieve maximum utilization of their ownership interests.
The company's membership program is designed to increase owner satisfaction levels, reduce delinquencies and resales
and enhance potential for referral sales. Sunshine MarketPlace combines 24-hour, Web-based convenience with traditional
customer care.
The Sunshine MarketPlace technology is being developed in collaboration with global giant Accenture (formerly Andersen
Consulting). A first quarter 2002 membership-program launch is planned, with a phased expansion of Sunshine MarketPlace
product/service offerings and technology initiatives throughout 2002.
Genth says the WOWpoints agreement supports Sunshine MarketPlace's long-term vision to become a provider of "everything
under the sun" for consumers who need to convert time-sensitive assets such as timeshare-usage rights, frequent-flyer
miles and loyalty-program points for desirable product and experience alternatives. "Sunshine MarketPlace
membership will maximize consumers' satisfaction and loyalty levels with our participating business partners,"
he explains.
According to Genth, WOWpoints and Sunshine MarketPlace share a philosophy of keeping business clients "in
the driver's seat" when it comes to their owners/members. "We won't compete with our business clients
when dealing with their customers - even when they are Sunshine MarketPlace members. The control always will rest
firmly in the hands of our business partners."
Sunshine MarketPlace, located in Boulder, Colo., also has offices in Miami, Fla., and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Interest
in the company is substantially vested by Tanco Holdings Berhad, a publicly held, diversified Asian corporation.
Tanco Holdings owns Tanco Resorts Berhad, the largest timeshare developer/operator in Asia.
For more information, visit www.sunshinemarketplace.com and www.wowpoints.com.
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CONTACT:
Tony Genth, RRP/Sunshine MarketPlace Inc.
303.381.1145 or tony.genth@sunshinemarketplace.com
Tom Hill/WOWpoints
954.421.6399 or thill@wowpoints.com