The GiftCards.com Journey
Watch the video here 🎥 https://youtu.be/t--qbH6sx8k
One of our most innovative offerings at GiftCards.com was the ability for customers to upload their own personal photographs to create custom Visa and Mastercard gift cards. This feature gave individuals and businesses a highly personalized gifting experience, combining emotional value with financial flexibility.
It also required strict coordination with Visa and Mastercard compliance teams, deepening our expertise in credit card branding, network regulations, and card issuance protocols. This experience not only broadened our understanding of the prepaid ecosystem but also provided direct exposure to the operational and compliance frameworks that govern traditional credit card products—making us one of the first platforms to successfully bring custom-branded prepaid solutions to market at scale.
One of our most innovative offerings at GiftCards.com was the ability for customers to upload their own personal photographs to create custom Visa and Mastercard gift cards. This feature gave individuals and businesses a highly personalized gifting experience, combining emotional value with financial flexibility. It also required strict coordination with Visa and Mastercard compliance teams to ensure brand and regulatory standards were upheld—making us one of the first platforms to successfully bring custom-branded prepaid products to market at scale.
I was fortunate to be part of both transitions. After the first sale, I stayed on with Digital River, where I founded and scaled the Creative Services department. Eventually, I rejoined Jason and the team to help build GiftCards.com once again, taking it to new heights.
I created this video for a company-wide meeting, marking BlackHawk's commitment to the acquisition and celebrating the employees receiving profit sharing. It’s a tribute to the people, the work, and the roller-coaster ride that made it all possible.
Watch the video here 🎥 https://youtu.be/t--qbH6sx8k
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Campaign Outline I put together…
We did not do it but I thought it had potential from a humorous side.
Campaign Name: BLOCKHEAD™ — Your Face. Your Gift.
Concept:
BLOCKHEAD™ takes gift cards to the next level by putting your actual face right on the card. Upload a real photo, and we’ll print it directly onto a custom gift card—turning a simple present into something unforgettable, hilarious, and highly personal. It's the ultimate way to make a gift truly yours.
Campaign Slogan:
"Put Your Face Where Their Gift Is."
or
"Your Face. Their Favorite Gift."
Key Features:
Customers upload a photo—no avatars, no filters—their real face printed directly on a physical or digital gift card.
Choose from fun card frame designs: Birthday, Congratulations, Thank You, Holiday Themes, etc.
Add a personal message alongside the card.
Options for single purchase or bulk orders (perfect for parties, team gifts, bachelor/bachelorette gifts, and more).
Target Audience:
Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha—audiences who value humor, personalization, and shareable moments.
Companies looking for unique corporate gifts or employee rewards with personality.
Friends, family, and partners who want to give a truly one-of-a-kind present.
Marketing Channels:
Social Media Challenge: #FaceTheGift — encourage users to share videos of themselves revealing their face gift cards to friends.
Email Campaign: “Your Face. The Ultimate Personal Touch.”
Influencer Activation: Partner with lifestyle and humor influencers to create gift card reveal reactions.
Landing Page Feature: Live preview tool — "See Your Face on Your Gift Card!"
Paid Media: Bold, funny video ads highlighting real customer reactions to receiving face-printed gift cards.
Launch Event Idea:
BLOCKHEAD™ Reveal Party — a live-streamed event where early customers get their first reactions to seeing their face on a card (with prizes for the funniest and most heartwarming moments).
Example Taglines for Ads:
"Forget wrapping paper. Your face is enough."
"Serious gifts. Seriously your face."
"This year, give the gift of you."
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Print Media One Sheet
