New Yorkers have more options for entertainment, not to mention banks and credit cards, than any other city in the world. With Private Pass, Citi wanted to create unique value propositions through live entertainment partnerships to rise above the pack – and make some history in the process. Its three-year (and counting) program with Madison Square Garden’s Billy Joel Franchise has broken records for most performances and most sellouts at the iconic New York venue.

Implementation: Citi and MAC designed exclusive cardmember events on a consistent basis that tapped into people’s passions (music, sports, culinary), surrounding them with cardmember benefits and amplifying them with custom content.

Timeline: Citi wanted to host events year round to keep engagement high among Citi customers, and to always look for new ways to engage and capture new customers.

Placement: Citi leveraged its new multi-year sponsorship of NBC’s “Today,” bought full-page ads in the Sunday New York Times, sent out email blasts to over 50 million cardmembers and leveraged other owned assets to promote its programs.

Scale: Citi sponsored more than 11,000 live events in 2015 alone, and worked with more than 1,400 artists. Its title sponsorship of the Citi Concert Series on NBC’s “Today” was watched by an average of 4.62 million viewers every time it aired in fourth-quarter 2015, including 1.79 million in the coveted 25-to-54-year-old demo.

Citi Private Pass made highly aspirational events like meet-and-greets, cardmember lounges and pre-sale access to hot-ticket concerts attainable — more than 1,400 artists worked with Citi in 2015 alone, increasing card spend on entertainment 11% year-over-year. Citi pre-sales expanded to 11 countries for the first time in 2015, establishing a global footprint that will make the brand even more competitive in the touring marketplace going forward.

Citi produced more than 11,000 live events in 2015, and sold more concert tickets than any other financial services brand (out-selling rival American Express by a multiple of 10) by continuing to introduce innovative, memorable opportunities and experiences to its cardmembers. Private Pass programs went global (Madonna, Katy Perry) and broke several industry records this past year, cementing Citi’s status as the leading brand in all of music sponsorship, not just financial services. The results are infectious: internal research has proven that 30% of people aware of a Citi card’s benefits are likely to recommend it to others.

By delivering against a year-long, cross-channel program, Citi was able to not only increase brand loyalty, but also card usage as well as engage/acquire new Citi customers both in the US and in 10 other countries internationally. Driven by the Citi Private Pass platform, superstars like Madonna, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, The Who and Foo Fighters were able to harness the power of Citi on their tours both globally and domestically through pre-sales, media promotion and exclusive events, all demonstrating the power of card membership. Private Pass perks included entertainment access for Citi cardmembers like presale tickets, preferred seating, and VIP packages. In the New York market alone, a key target, Citi gave its cardholders special benefits to concerts such as The Who, Billy Joel, Foo Fighters and the Global Citizen Festival.

Citi wanted to increase spend and “share of wallet” among cardmembers, and in 2015, the company amplified its support of live music, sports and dining. Citi sponsored more than 11,000 events that year, providing exclusive access to presale/preferred tickets and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, making it the go-to card in entertainment.

Citi particularly focused on the New York market in 2015, which remains Citi’s largest despite increased competition from leading U.S. banks Chase, American Express and Bank Of America. Throughout the year, Citi looked to engage its customers by offering special discounts, opportunities, and VIP experiences. To reach different demographics and interests, Citi created experiences at a series of tentpole events and tours, from its Billy Joel franchise at Madison Square Garden to cardmember lounges at New York dates on tours for The Foo Fighters and The Who to an ultra-VIP Citi-branded lounge at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City.