Connexions Loyalty Acquires SkyMall Ventures, a Leader in Providing Loyalty Solutions in the Financial Services, Hospitality and Gaming Industries

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Connexions Loyalty, a division of Affinion Group and a leading provider of loyalty and rewards programs, today announced the acquisition of SkyMall Ventures, a division of Xhibit Corporation and provider of loyalty solutions for well-established brands in the financial services, hospitality and gaming industries.

Connexions Loyalty and SkyMall Ventures combine to offer an increased breadth and depth of products and services to a collective client roster that includes blue-chip companies across a wide variety of industries. The combined business will now service more than 200 million consumers globally.

"SkyMall Ventures has an impressive track record of organic growth, with proven leadership and an impressive client base," said Scott Lazear, President of Connexions Loyalty. "We believe the acquisition will provide entry into new verticals, while further solidifying our position as the premier provider to large financial institutions."

Connexions Loyalty continues to execute on its growth strategy of expanding into new verticals and new geographies. The company previously announced its expansion in the corporate wellness market last year. Furthermore, Connexions Loyalty has also been expanding its operations outside the United States, securing new clients and enhancing its capabilities around the globe, with particular success in Latin America. 

It is anticipated that that the management team and employees of SkyMall Ventures will continue to work with the combined company.  The acquisition does not pertain to the well-known SkyMall catalog, also owned by Xhibit Corporation.

For more information, visit www.cxloyalty.com

About Connexions Loyalty: 

Connexions Loyalty is a leader in enhancing the connection between major brands and their customers. Backed by more than 30 years of experience, Connexions Loyalty offers blue-chip companies the ability to reward their customers, from once-in-a-lifetime moments around the world through everyday occasions just down the street. With locations throughout the U.S., Connexions Loyalty is a division of Affinion Group, the global leader in customer engagement, and serves more than 130 million active users throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.cxloyalty.com.

About Affinion Group:

As a global leader with over 40 years of experience, Affinion Group enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion Group provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,670 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., Affinion Group has approximately 3,925 employees and has marketing capabilities in 20 countries globally. For more information, visit www.affinion.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its rules, regulations and releases. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions regarding industry outlook, Affinion Group, Inc.'s ("Affinion Group") expectations regarding the performance of its business (including the SkyMall Ventures acquisition), its liquidity and capital resources, its guidance for 2014 and the other non-historical statements. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes" "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "continues," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs only as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, risks related to general economic and business conditions and international and geopolitical events, a downturn in the credit card industry or changes in the techniques of credit card issuers, industry trends, foreign currency exchange rates, the effects of a decline in travel on Affinion Group's travel fulfillment business, termination or expiration of one or more agreements with its marketing partners or a reduction of the marketing of its services by one or more of its marketing partners, Affinion Group's substantial leverage, restrictions contained in its debt agreements, its inability to compete effectively, and other risks identified and discussed from time to time in reports filed by Affinion Group with the SEC, including Affinion Group's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014. Readers are strongly encouraged to review carefully the full cautionary statements described in these reports. Except as required by law, Affinion Group undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances.

SOURCE Affinion Group; Connexions Loyalty