Access (credit card)
 | |
| Location | United Kingdom and Ireland |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1972 |
| Technology | |
| Operator | Joint Credit Card Company |
| Currency | GBP, Irish pound |
Access was a United Kingdom and Irish credit card brand used by three of the big four UK banks plus a couple of other banks between 1972 and 1996. It was established by a consortium of banks in the UK to rival the already established Barclaycard. It became defunct in 1996 when it was taken over by Mastercard.
History
It was originally introduced in the United Kingdom in 1972 by a consortium of National Westminster Bank, Midland Bank, Lloyds Bank and Williams & Glyn's Bank, as a rival to the established Barclaycard (Visa). It was also issued in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by Ulster Bank, a subsidiary of NatWest, Northern Bank, then a subsidiary of Midland; and Bank of Ireland, which was otherwise unconnected to the founder banks.
The card scheme was run from Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, by the Joint Credit Card Company Limited. It participated in the Eurocard/MasterCard systems. Europay International SA has since been taken over by MasterCard International.
Cultural impact
From 1978, the main slogan was Your flexible friend, which featured in many TV adverts, accompanied by an animated Access and his friend Money (a pound sign). The slogan Your flexible friend was featured in an episode of Mr. Bean. Another slogan which featured in a television advertisement was Does you does, or does you don't take Access? (sung to the tune of "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby"). Yet another slogan was It takes the waiting out of wanting. The Access brand was acquired by MasterCard International around 1996-7, around which time the Access logo and brand disappeared from UK credit cards.
Current Brand Use
The Access brand name is once again in limited use on some MasterCard branded products. Most notably the Access Prepaid Worldwide card, and the Paypal Access card.
External links
- The UK Cards Association History of Plastic Cards
- The Access Credit Card The history of the Access credit card brand
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