Before I founded C4B Strategies, I worked on digital and behavioral programs for larger institutions, including a major international bank that wanted to shift how its cardholders transacted online.
At the time, credit card usage for online purchases was still relatively low. Most of the bank’s existing campaigns leaned heavily on wide partnerships and mass discounting, but there was little structure – and little understanding of how online shopping behavior actually worked. That challenge, and the opportunity behind it, would shape how I now approach behavior-led strategy at C4B.
This is not a traditional campaign story. It’s about how sequencing, trust-building, and behavioral framing can change how people spend and what other businesses can learn from doing it the long way, but the right way.
Phase 1: Fix the Foundation – Everyday Offers That Make Sense
Before anything else, we had to make online credit card usage feel safe, consistent, and rewarding. We strengthened the business-as-usual (BAU) offers, giving people enough incentive to build the habit.
What that looked like:
- Standardized discount thresholds (so customers didn’t have to decode fine print)
- Longer campaign durations (some running 6–12 months)
- Merchant partners people actually used – marketplace/retail, travel, food, lifestyle platforms
We paired this with a simple, low-cost comms strategy: a consistent website presence, one newsletter feature, one SMS, and one Facebook carousel ad for the participating brands/partners. Nothing flashy. Just familiar, repeated nudges in the right direction.
Phase 2: Sync With Natural Spending Cycles
Once the base was strong, we layered in short-term, high-impact campaigns but only when the timing made sense.
That meant:
- Seasonal promos for Valentine’s, Christmas, and key travel periods
- Mega sale tie-ups for 11.11, 12.12, and Black Friday via Lazada, Shopee, and other digital giants
- A quarterly program called Love to Click that offered exclusive eCommerce deals and reinforced the habit of online spend
More importantly, we addressed consumer hesitation, especially around data security and fraud. Clear, targeted messaging helped reduce fear, build trust, and show that the bank wasn’t just promoting spend. It was protecting users too.
Phase 3: From Habit to Behavior – Enter Friyay
After almost two years of groundwork, we introduced Friyay, a behavioral spending program built on a simple insight: Fridays are a good moment to persuade people to spend.
It’s the end of the week. For many, it’s also payday. People are tired, a little decision-fatigued, and more open to treating themselves, whether that means booking a trip, ordering food, or finally checking out their cart.
Friyay was designed to match that mindset. We offered exclusive weekend-only discounts across four high-engagement categories:
- Shopping
- Travel
- Entertainment
- Food Delivery & Dining
This wasn’t just another promo. It was positioned as a reward. Messaging focused on “you’ve worked hard all week, reward yourself with Friyay,” turning Friday into a feel-good trigger.
To support it, we used a mix of PR, influencer content, and solo comms per partner to give each offer more visibility. We also added traditional and digital amplification – billboards in key highways, targeted SMS to cardholders with a high likelihood to spend on shopping or travel, and Facebook ads tailored to match those same spending profiles. Since trust had already been built, cardholders responded.
The Results? Sustained Behavior Change.
By the time Friyay launched, cardholders weren’t just chasing deals. They were already in the habit of using their cards online and Friyay gave them a reason to do it more consistently.
Here’s what we saw:
- +50% YoY increase in online transaction volume for participating partners
- +46% uplift in overall online credit card transactions
- 23% average YoY growth in total online credit card spend
- Stronger merchant partnerships and positioning in the eCommerce space
Most importantly, it wasn’t a one-off success. It showed that behavior-first marketing, done with patience and intent, drives longer-term outcomes than any single flash sale ever could.
What This Means for You
Whether you’re in banking, retail, healthcare, or B2B – you can’t rush behavior change. Discounting alone won’t do the job. Neither will loud comms without trust, timing, or relevance.
What worked here was a sequenced approach:
- Build trust through consistency
- Nudge behavior during familiar moments
- Introduce a new trigger once people are ready
That same logic applies to any business trying to shift how customers engage.
Curious how to make marketing work for the long term? And not just for launch?
Let’s talk. Your first 30-minute call is on us.
