July 6, 1997
Issue 86
Phonecards On-Line is written and distributed by Alan Cohen
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News and Views
Publisher’s Note
Happy 4th of July weekend. I decided to publish this weekend, as there will be a time in the near future that I will miss a week or two. As some of you know, we are expecting our first child (a son) later this month. If it is Monday and you do not see an issue, you can probably assume that the baby has been born.
National Parks
NEW YORK, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- American Express and the National Park Foundation have teamed up to offer a new series of prepaid phone cards entitled "National Parks -- America's Legacy." The cards, which are rechargeable and replaceable if lost or stolen, will be available initially at select National Parks or by calling 1-888-AXP-PARK. For every card purchased, American Express will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation for funding priority projects throughout the more than 370 sites in the National Park System.
"These new cards are great collector's items and give park enthusiasts a terrific way to contribute directly back to America's best places," said Jim Maddy, president of the National Park Foundation. "We believe that the more than 268 million visitors to our national parks will find the product both practical and meaningful," continued Maddy.
"We are thrilled to be working with the National Park Foundation on this groundbreaking public-private partnership," said Anne Hopkins, president of American Express Telecom, Inc. "We believe that this product will be especially appealing to the consumer because above all else, it's a quality phone card backed by the reliability and security of American Express, and it's a great way to help preserve our nation's natural, cultural and historical treasures for generations to come."
The National Parks -- America's Legacy PhoneFunds(SM) series will become part of American Express Telecom's standard line of prepaid phone cards. They are available at participating park associations and concessioners as well as other participating retail channels. The series will be made available to any retailer who wishes to become involved in supporting America's national parks. Cards and compelling point-of-sale materials can be ordered by calling 1-801-965-5072.
The first series of the National Parks -- America's Legacy PhoneFunds cards will be in denominations of $5 and $20 and will depict more than 20 national parks, sites, and icons, including:
- -- Liberty Bell
- -- Statue of Liberty (2 images)
- -- Washington Monument (2 images)
- -- Lincoln Memorial
- -- Grand Canyon National Park (2 images)
- -- Everglades National Park
- -- Gettysburg National Military Park
- -- Acadia National Park
- -- Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- -- Yosemite National Park (2 images)
- -- Golden Gate National Recreation Area
- -- Rocky Mountain National Park
- -- Yellowstone National Park
- -- Great Smoky Mountain National Park
The series also includes images of wildlife found in national parks, a special card for children, and a wildflower image that will support the Native Plant Conservation Initiative.
MCI Greeting Card Phone Card
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 1, 1997--
The greeting card of the future is here...TODAY! For the first time ever consumers can attach a recorded message to a gift card and have their greeting delivered via any telephone. The new MCI PrePaid Social Expressions series offers card givers an innovative and individual way to socially express themselves to their family, friends and loved ones. The personalized message from the card's sender, up to two minutes in length, is heard when the recipient uses the MCI PrePaid Social Expressions greeting card for the first time.
MCI PrePaid Social Expressions cards are packaged in a colorful carrier that doubles as a greeting card, including a space for a handwritten salutation. The cards feature five favorite sentiments that appeal to all gift and card givers: Happy Birthday, I Love You, Congratulations, Keep in Touch and Thinking of You. A color coordinated envelope is included with each card for use with presents or when mailing.
All cards include 20 minutes of domestic long distance calling for use at any time, to anywhere in the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. International calls can also be made, however usage rates vary with the country called. The cards can be purchased now at Wal-Mart stores across the U.S. and will be available soon at mass merchants, specialty stores, florists, and gift and stationary retailers.
The personal message feature of MCI PrePaid Social Expressions allows individuals, families or groups to record a greeting for card's recipient, up to two and a half minutes in length. After recording the greeting, the message can be reviewed, re-recorded or approved. Once the message conveys what the sender desires, the message is saved and matched electronically to the card. The recorded message with the gift of long distance calling time is then given or sent to the recipient, who hears the personal greeting the first time the card is used to make calls. To hear a demonstration messaging capabilities dial 1-800-489-3177.
Phone Cards Via ATM
CINCINNATI, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifth Third Bank is taking one-stop- shopping one step further -- customers can now get pre-paid calling cards at select Fifth Third Jeanie(R)/Money Station ATMs!
On July 7, Fifth Third will become the first bank in Greater Cincinnati to offer phone cards through its ATMs. The cards offer 40 minutes of long-distance calling for just $10, and are perfect for students, travelers and emergency use.
The Washington DC Phone Card Collector's Group
The Washington DC Phone Card Collector's Group had its meeting on June 25th without Art Becker, Tom Zelinski, Ron Abler or Brian Chanin. Art is traveling around somewhere, no doubt using his phone card finder. Tom was visiting his ill father in Wisconsin. We wish your father well Tom. Ron could fixing up one of his houses. Brian was last heard sharing tidbits about Scoreboard products in the phonecard newsgroup.
Susan Zelinski showed up and is now in soul possession of second place for the most meetings attended. Also present were Richard Brook, Lowell Rollins, Kendra Hershey, Bob Howe and me.
No one sent us any cards for door prizes so we antied up some of our own for a lottery. I brought two bags of Combos as my contribution. Richard got the one with the phone card and Susan got the one with the trading card. The phone card is narrower and less rigid, but one can't tell by feeling the package. Kendra got a $2 Liberty NACS St. Louis phonecard brought in by Susan. I won a used 7-11 Nascar card of Dale Earnhardt. Lowell won a Best Buy 20 minute used card brought by Richard. Bob won an unopened Monsters of the GridIron card brought in by Lowell. I remember having bought a couple of those for 25% each once.
The summer is hard to schedule so we chose September 10th as the next night for our meeting. Maybe we will all plan a trip to New York.
Walgreen’s / Coke
Walgreens is offering a free 30 minute phone card with the purchase of 48 cans of any Coke product. The card is apparently redeemed by mail.
This offer is shown on the back page of the Walgreens flyer in today's newspaper (The Miami Herald). The card is pictured in the ad and looks like a winner. Having an "old time" theme, There is a caricature of a boy with a Coke bottle hat holding a 6 pack of Coke bottles. The card also has the Walgreens logo.
From: Scott Nemeroff
Gillette Set (UK)
Free £1 & £2 phonecards are inside 5 and 10 packs of G2 and Contour
razor blades. There are 4 design featuring Gillette's sponsorship of the
Benetton Formula One motor racing team. The cards are laminated paper
with an exposed pin number.
From: The Phone Card Shopper (EMCards@aol.com)
KELLOGG'S / NASCAR
Kellogg's is offering a free Nascar phone card. Mail 2 UPC symbols from
specific sizes of Kellogg's Corn Pops, Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, and Mini
Wheat Bites cereals with the required mail-in form. Sorry, I haven't found
the form yet, and can't be more specific, but apparently there is no limit to
the number of cards you can send for using one form and 2 UPC's for each
card.
From: The Phone Card Shopper (EMCards@aol.com)
Official San Francisco Phone Card
There is a good looking new phonecard called "Official San Francisco Phone Card" issued to celebrate the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Parade & Celebration
for 1997. It is a $10.00 phonecard put out by the City of San Francisco
and Winston Taylor, Inc. (517 Jacoby Street - San Rafael, CA 94901 -
Tel: (415) 458-2278 - Fax (415) 458-2266). Phone time is by MCI. The
card is very colorful, showing a rainbow and a picture of the poster
that has promoted the Parade this year, along with the words "One
Community Many Faces - June 28&29 1997".
From: Annie Petitjean
Post Office Contest
I stopped at the Post Office on the way home yesterday. I saw a notice that they are haveing a "Instant Win" game to win a First Class trip around the world! Also there are 5 first class trips anywhere in the US; 500 $50 first class phonecards; and 15,000 First class phonecards ! You get a special game piece where you buy a phonecard from the Post Office. Scratch off the special spot and you can win.
From: Paula Clark
ITA Contest
Visit the home page of The International Telecard Association (http://www.telecard.org/) and sign their guest book. Every 4th person wins a phonecard.
Also, there is a phonecard giveaway page at: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/9035/phone.html
From: Carolyn Thomas
Marathon Gas
There is a promotion from Marathon Gas Stations here in Central IN. I don't know if it's nationwide or what. On TV commercial for Marathon's "Great American Ride" game, one of the prizes that can be seen for the 'merchandise prizes' that you can win is a $10 phonecard. The one shown in the commercial, which is painted on the side of a vehicle speeding by, is a very colorful one with a Bald Eagle and American flag motif to it. That's all I could really catch on the one time I saw the commercial while flipping channels.
From: Mitch (Last name unknown)
Cineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon - a chain of movie theatres are offering a "men in Black"
5 minute phonecard with the purchase of $25 gift certificate. Card expires
Dec 31/97 and air time is by AT&T Canada. I bought the gift certificates first and then paid for the movie and refreshments.So the card does not really cost you anything. This offer is available in Canada
World Village Phonecard
Visit http://www.worldvillage.com/phonecard.htm to order a 5 minute World Village Phonecard, Limited to 1000. Cards are $5 each.
From: Christine Kasnick
Until Next Week
Alan
Distribution
Phonecards On-Line is written and distributed by Alan Cohen. It is a weekly
newsletter devoted to phonecards - Current news, viewpoints, and reviews of
new issues. It is distributed free of charge, and available two ways.
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