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The ink has only just dried on our first ever acquisition and we’re excited to announce our second! Bridg, a Los Angeles-based customer data platform, is the latest company to join our ranks. I spoke with Lynne Laube, CEO and co-founder of Cardlytics, as she explains why bringing Bridg on board is critical to our growth and how this deal could change the landscape of digital advertising.

AA: Here we are again, only weeks after announcing our acquisition of Dosh. Things at Cardlytics are moving fast! What can you tell us about Bridg?

LL: Bridg is truly unique. They’ve developed a technologically sophisticated platform that uses SKU-level product insights to empower marketers to better understand and reach their customers. Their cloud-based customer data platform is used by retailers and consumer packaged goods marketers for a wide range of applications, including analyzing customer behavior, marketing on digital platforms, and measuring the effectiveness of their business strategies, while following consumer privacy best practices.

AA: Two acquisitions in two months is no small feat. Why Bridg and why now?

LL: This really is an exciting time at Cardlytics.

Bridg has spent years building a tech platform that can personalize an individual customer’s shopping experience by applying machine learning algorithms that can show us their unique purchases while still protecting their privacy. In short, they see what we cannot. With the acquisition of Bridg, over time, we can combine our transaction level data with SKU-level insights to offer an even clearer picture of an individual customer’s purchase behavior.

This level of detail is incredibly powerful for both our financial partners and our advertisers.

AA: Can you explain how the Bridg platform supports our work?

LL: Their platform is the first of its kind to engage retailers and customers without the use of loyalty programs or receipt scanning. They can connect to 90% of point-of-sale systems in the United States and can ingest, categorize, and clean SKU data to create usable insights. Cardlytics currently has more than 168 million monthly active users. Adding Bridg to our business plays a key role in expanding the Cardlytics advertising platform into a holistic results-driven, self-serve, always-on solution for marketers.

AA: What should advertiser and bank partners know about this acquisition?

LL: Since the beginning, the Cardlytics vision has been to have a broad view into consumer spend with a detailed understanding of a customer’s individual product preference. This acquisition means we will be able to expand reach across retailers, gain product-level insights, and give marketers a comprehensive view of customer purchase behavior. On the bank side, we will work with our financial institution partners to integrate Bridg into future customer offerings so that they can convert this data into offers relevant to their clients. And all this will continue to be done through a privacy-first, brand-safe platform, which is incredible.

AA: What is the long-term plan for CDLX growth?

LL: We’re building something really special here. We have been working towards driving change in the industry for a while now and we are excited about what’s to come. By bringing both Dosh and Bridg on board we’re transforming the digital advertising landscape as we know it by offering advertisers a one-of-a-kind look at consumer spending while also offering our bank partners valuable incentives for their customers. It’s truly a win-win-win.

Atlanta, GA – May 4, 2021 – Cardlytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDLX), an advertising platform in banks' digital channels, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. Supplemental information is available on the Investor Relations section of the Cardlytics' website at http://ir.cardlytics.com/.

“We had a strong start to the year with Q1 billings and revenue exceeding our expectations. Our results reflect a continued positive trajectory in our business,” said Lynne Laube, CEO & Co-Founder of Cardlytics. “The Dosh acquisition is already proving out our acquisition thesis and we believe the upcoming Bridg acquisition has the potential to be transformational given its technology and unique position in the CDP market."

“We are extremely pleased with our results in Q1, which marked our return to year-over-year growth,” said Andy Christiansen, CFO of Cardlytics. “Our legacy business is strong and has a lot of momentum, and the acquisitions of Dosh and Bridg will not only sustain that momentum for years to come, but will also open up new avenues for future growth.”

First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

• Revenue was $53.2 million, an increase of 17% year-over-year, compared to $45.5 million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Billings, a non-GAAP metric, was $76.3 million, an increase of 13% year-over-year, compared to $67.8 million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Gross profit was $19.5 million, an increase of 22% year-over-year, compared to $16.0 million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Adjusted contribution, a non-GAAP metric, was $24.3 million, an increase of 19% year-over-year, compared to $20.4 million in the first quarter of 2020.
• Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(24.9) million, or $(0.85) per diluted share, based on 29.3 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $(13.5) million, or $(0.51) per diluted share, based on 26.7 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in the first quarter of 2020.
• Non-GAAP net loss was $(9.9) million, or $(0.34) per diluted share, based on 29.3 million weighted-average common shares outstanding, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $(7.0) million, or $(0.26) per diluted share, based on 26.7 million weighted-average common shares outstanding in the first quarter of 2020.
• Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP metric, was a loss of $(3.9) million compared to a loss of $(4.0) million in the first quarter of 2020.

Key Metrics

• MAUs were 168.6 million, an increase of 20%, compared to 140.8 million in the first quarter of 2020.
• ARPU was $0.32 in the first quarter of both 2020 and 2021.

Definitions of MAUs and ARPU are included below under the caption “Non-GAAP Measures and Other Performance Metrics.”

Second Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Expectations

Cardlytics anticipates billings, revenue, and adjusted contribution to be in the following ranges (in millions):

 Q2 2021 Guidance FY 2021 GuidanceBillings⁽¹⁾ $85.0 - $95.0  $380.0 - $420.0Revenue $58.0 - $65.0  $260.0 - $285.0Adjusted contribution⁽²⁾$26.0 - $30.0 $117.5 - $132.5

• A reconciliation of billings to GAAP revenue on a forward-looking basis is presented below under the heading "Reconciliation of Forecasted GAAP Revenue to Billings."
• A reconciliation of adjusted contribution to GAAP gross profit on a forward-looking basis is not available without unreasonable efforts due to the high variability, complexity and low visibility with respect to the items excluded from this non-GAAP measure.

Earnings Teleconference Information

Cardlytics will discuss its first quarter 2021 financial results during a teleconference today, May 4, 2021, at 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PT. The conference call can be accessed at (877) 407-3982 (domestic) or (201) 493-6780 (international), conference ID# 13719188. A replay of the conference call will be available through 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT on May 11, 2021 at (844) 512-2921 (domestic) or (412) 317-6671 (international). The replay passcode is 13719188. The call will also be broadcast simultaneously at http://ir.cardlytics.com/. Following the completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on Cardlytics’ website.

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Austin and Visakhapatnam. In March 2021, Cardlytics acquired Dosh, a transaction-based advertising platform, and has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bridg, a customer data platform. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

Lessons learned from consumer behavior

In early March of 2020, Americans were largely enjoying life as usual. Restaurants and stores were full, movie theaters were open, children were in school, and Spring Break planning was in full swing. Few people could’ve predicted the dramatic shift that would bring the world to a stop nearly overnight.

Now, one year later, we’re seeing signs of recovery as the speed of vaccinations increases and states begin loosening restrictions.  As marketers prepare for a post-Covid life, we use Cardlytics’ first-party data to help them determine:

• industries that are recovering quickest
• pandemic behaviors that are here to stay
• areas of the country where we’re seeing the most improvement in spend

As an advertising platform in banks’ digital channels, Cardlytics has insight into one out of every two U.S. card transactions. Cardlytics helps marketers understand current trends that are impacting their industries and importantly, activate against those insights to drive real business outcomes. The data in this report highlights important shifts in consumer spend between January 2020 and February 2021 and tracks signs of recovery. To isolate the impact of COVID-19, recent changes in spend are compared to the prior year.

Overall Spend Climbs Back

The good news: overall spend continues to recover in all industries, down just 4% year-over-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2021, after falling as low as -12% in the second quarter of 2020. The overall numbers were boosted by skyrocketing grocery spend, tempering the travel free fall of more than -60% at its lowest point in Q2 2020. We take a closer look at individual categories later in this State of Spend.

Who is Recovering Fastest?

Our Recovery Leading Indicator (RLI) tracks spend in select discretionary categories to help brands measure consumer confidence during the recovery. It compares weekly spend in categories such as salons, apparel retailers, casual dining, and QSR restaurants, among others.

Looking at state-by-state recovery YoY as of Feb. 2021, Florida (-5%), Georgia (-6%), and Alabama (-7%) are closest to pre-pandemic levels, while Oregon (-37%), Washington (-36%), and Vermont (-35%) lag behind. This reflects the pace at which states opened back up following pandemic closures.

Retail: Sporting Goods and Home & Garden Enjoy Continued Boost

Since March 2020, retail sales are up 10% driven by strong growth in direct to consumer (+45%), sporting goods (+21%), and home and garden (+20%) retailers. Apparel saw the biggest negative impact, with YoY sales down more than 20%. Big box general retailers saw +8% YoY and have continued this growth in recent months. Overall retail online sales have grown over 46% since the pandemic began and have seen YoY growth every week in 2020, which has continued into 2021. In-store sales rebounded during the summer but have been flat since, excluding a small decline YoY during the December 2020 holiday season. On a positive note, apparel is showing signs of recovery, driven by states loosening restrictions and buy-online-pick-up-in-store buying options, which we expect to continue to grow in a big way in 2021.

Online is maintaining its pandemic boom, and we believe that customer adoption will likely continue, albeit at diminishing growth rates. Who wouldn’t want to skip a few hours a month in line at the store (despite not being able to squeeze those avocados)?  Grocery delivery and in-store pick up increased 91% YoY in February 2021 after being up over 100% in January. Despite this staggering YoY growth, online grocery sales are below levels reached during the height of the pandemic, and overall grocery sales have remained flat since April 2020. To retain their fair share of customer spend, grocers will not only need to address online demand and service expectations, they’ll also need to provide customers a reason to leverage their store footprint to retain/ recapture customer share of wallet. 

Restaurant Customers Hungry for In-Person Dining

If you filled up on take-out in 2020, you were not alone, and our data shows that restaurant delivery and take-out is still winning. Purchasing via technology accounted for 25% of all 2020 restaurant purchases.  At the start of 2020, third-party delivery represented less than 5% of overall restaurant spend. It peaked in April at approximately 15% but has remained a popular choice, leveling out recently around 12% of all restaurant spend in January 2021. Interestingly, Brand-specific online and app ordering accounts for another 14% of delivery and take-out, showing the importance of owning the customer experience in this channel.

Customers, however, rapidly shift back to in-person dining as states begin to allow it. For example, New Mexico, Colorado, and Illinois all reopened in-person dining from August to October and then closed back down in November. During the time that restaurants were open, restaurant spend overtook grocery spend for the first and only time during the pandemic. Expect to see those numbers rise again as more people return to restaurants across the country this Spring.

If you’re a restaurant marketer, you need to take an omni-channel approach to your customers. Cardlytics sees that customers who purchase both online and in-restaurant spend more annually compared to those who only purchase online OR in-restaurant. In fact, Cardlytics data shows that omni shoppers spend $122 per customer, but that drops to $47 per customer when in-store only. That translates to a 260% increase in sales with omni, a HUGE opportunity for revenue.

The Return to Travel

While business travel was never as glamorous as our partners might have imagined, I speak for many of us when I say that I’m looking forward to getting back to (some) business travel this year. That’s clearly true for personal travel, as well, as we see the industry continue to slowly recover. In the first eight weeks of 2021, trip volume recovered to approximately 50% of volume compared to 2019 and 2020. But the speed of industry recovery fluctuated throughout the pandemic. In May and June 2020, for example, trip volume increased 15% week-over-week (WoW) but then plateaued quickly.  From July through December 2020, the recovery was volatile with periods of moderate increase and decline. The good news for travel marketers is that recovery is picking back up with average WoW increase of 5.7%, the highest average gains we've seen since June 2020.

In 2020, alternative lodging benefited the most from the shifts in consumer spend behavior, and this has continued for the first 8 weeks of 2021 with strong YOY growth again of +18%.  However, a closer look shows this lift continues to be driven by the average transaction size, rather than the volume of trips, which remains in decline. This is likely due to consumers making longer-term stays due to the pandemic.  So, while alternative lodging captured spend share, particularly from luxury and upscale hotels chains, it remains to be seen if they will retain that share of high spending customers in 2021 as the broader hotel market recovers, and consumers shift back to shorter stays.

Another positive sign of recovery is that travelers are now venturing farther from home. Our hotel insights show that in 2019, the average distance from home zip code to hotel zip code was 606 miles. When the pandemic hit, the average distance decreased 33% to 409 miles. During the first 8 weeks of 2021, average distance increased slightly to 483 miles, now just a 20% decrease from 2019.

Cardlytics is an advertising platform that works directly with leading banks such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase to serve offers to an audience of more than 163 million monthly active users. Leading marketers including Walmart, GAP, Dunkin’, Hilton, Sephora, and Wayfair work with Cardlytics to better reach and convert customers with relevant advertising. While analysis is representative of purchase behavior, it does not include every customer or every financial institution on the Cardlytics platform.

Cardlytics can help marketers create targeted campaigns that help answer:

• When and where are customers starting to make in-store purchases?

• How quickly am I gaining or losing share vs. my industry?

• How is my eCommerce channel performing against my category?

• Are my newly acquired customers likely to churn?

Whether marketers are experiencing ups or downs in consumer spend, Cardlytics is focused on helping clients navigate the times and drive measurable sales. Contact us today for an analysis and a campaign strategy customized for your brand.

LONDON- May 5, 2021 -Today, Curve and Cardlytics announce a new partnership to launch Curve Rewards, a new programme available for customers in-app. The partnership will connect Curve’s more than one million UK customers with Cardlytics’ growing roster of over 100 recognised high street brands, including Pret a Manger, JustEat, FatFace, Harvey Nichols and Cult Beauty, offering an extensive range of rewards.

Curve’s new Rewards programme will feature exclusive offers of up to 20% cashback on much loved high street and online brands for many customers. Introductory offers include up to 20% cashback at Hussle and 5% cashback at Harvey Nichols and Cult Beauty.

The offers have been carefully selected to add value for Curve customers, by reflecting the predicted spending habits of the nation over the coming weeks as coronavirus restrictions lift.

New Cardlytics data, based on the purchasing habits of more than 12 million active UK bank card customers, finds consumer demand for eating out and shopping for clothing and homewares rose significantly, following the easing of lockdown restrictions on 12 April.

Spend in pubs and restaurants rose by 215% week-on-week as the public enjoyed new freedoms, many braving the brisk weather to socialise outside with friends and family. With consumers hitting the high street once again, pent up consumer demand spurred a 97% week-on-week increase in spend on fashion, as shoppers spent a total of £129 million in the first week of retail reopening.

Homewares, interiors, and gardens were also top of the list for consumers returning to the shops; spend rose 24% week-on-week across home, furniture and DIY retailers, as consumers focused on sprucing up their homes and gardens ahead of hosting visitors indoors which will be permitted beginning 17th May.

Available through the Curve app, Curve Rewards helps customers earn while they spend. Built on Cardlytics’ real-time purchase intelligence data, the cashback offers available to Curve customers will be tailored around their everyday spending habits.

Nathalie Oestmann, Chief Operating Officer, Curve: “We’re delighted to be working with Cardlytics to refresh Curve’s Rewards programme and deliver more value to our customers. Whether you are looking forward to hitting the high street again or prefer to  order online, or a mixture of both, Curve Rewards programme will help you earn while you shop, with discounts on a huge range of some of the UK’s best loved online and high street brands.”

Campbell Shaw, Head of Bank Partnerships at Cardlytics, said: “Today’s consumers want a reward scheme that is tailored to how they shop and why they shop. We’re pleased to have built a reward scheme for Curve that does just that, putting customers back in the driving seat while building loyalty and engagement for Curve.

“Partnering with Curve to deliver their new-look rewards programme is fantastic proof of the value Cardlytics’ purchase-led marketing approach brings to banks, their customers, and brands.”

Curve is the first digital-native brand to partner with Cardlytics, whose customers include traditional banking brands like Lloyds Banking Group and Santander. Cardlytics facilitates card-linked offers to save customers money and drive more meaningful engagement and loyalty for both brands and banks.

Curve Rewards: terms and conditions apply

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Austin and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com

About Curve

Curve is a fintech that combines multiple cards and accounts into one smart card and even smarter app. The unique Curve card allows customers to supercharge their legacy banks to the 21st century without leaving their bank. Curve is live in 31 markets across the UK and Europe, and plans to launch in the US later in 2021.

Curve offers a host of benefits to its customers, including instant notifications and categorisation across their spend, the capacity to earn instant 1% cashback at selected retailers such as Amazon, Uber, Netflix and Tesco, the ability to fit their cards into Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, even if their banks don’t support this, and Curve’s patented Time Travel functionality, which enables customers to swap spend to a different card in the app for up to 90 days after the purchase was made.

Curve supports Mastercard® and Visa networks. The Curve Card and e-money, related to cards issued in the UK, is issued by Curve OS Limited, authorised in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue electronic money (firm reference number 900926). The Curve Card and e-money, related to cards issued in the EEA, is issued by Curve Europe UAB, authorised in Lithuania by the Bank of Lithuania (electronic money institution license No. 73 issued on 22 of October, 2020).

In the UK, we are finally making tentative steps to unlocking our lives, the economy, and our spending. With the reopening of shops, pubs and restaurants many of us will be looking forward to getting our hair cut, having a proper pulled pint, or sitting down to a meal cooked in a kitchen away from home.

As life tentatively moves towards normality, we are delighted to announce our expanded partnership with MBNA, which will reward the bank’s customers for their everyday spending in shops and restaurants across the UK.

MBNA ‘Smart Rewards’, powered by Cardlytics, will allow MBNA credit card customers to earn as they spend, receiving up to 15% cash back on everyday purchases when they activate tailored offers from some of the UK’s top brands. MBNA customers can gain access through the MBNA online and mobile ‘Smart Rewards’ Hub where they can browse available offers specifically chosen for them based on past purchases.

Launching in time for the reopening of retail and hospitality in the UK, ‘Smart Rewards’ offers span sectors. From retail and entertainment, to hospitality and travel, MBNA customers can expect discounts from much-loved brands like Harvey Nichols, American Golf to Cult Beauty.  We hope this partnership will help put money back in customers’ pockets at a time when many are looking to get back to the high street to spend.

But that’s just one half of the story. We’re excited for MBNA to join our roster of UK banks, which includes Lloyds Bank and Santander, who are looking to create more value for their customers, through purchase-led rewards.

‘Smart Rewards’ will also help MBNA improve engagement and build loyalty among its customer base, at a time when the banking sector is facing increasing competition and customer switching. By creating a tailored reward scheme based on everyday spending, we hope to support MBNA in bringing greater value to its customers and ultimately help the credit card stand out from the market.

There is a lot to celebrate in the UK at the moment. As we take one step back to normality with the opening of our pubs, shops and restaurants, we are delighted to be partnering with MBNA to bring their customers value at the brands they love.  

Atlanta, GA – April 20, 2021 – Cardlytics, Inc., (NASDAQ: CDLX), an advertising platform in banks’ digital channels, today announced that its first quarter ended March 31, 2021 financial results will be released on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, after market close. The company will host a conference call and webcast at 5:00 PM (ET) / 2:00 PM (PT) to discuss the company’s financial results.

A live audio webcast of the event will be available on the Cardlytics Investor Relations website at http://ir.cardlytics.com/.

A live dial-in will be available at (877) 407-3982 (domestic) or (201) 493-6780 (international).  The conference ID number is 13719188. Shortly after the conclusion of the call, a replay of this conference call will be available through 8:00 PM ET on May 11, 2021 at (844) 512-2921 (domestic) or (412) 317-6671 (international).  The replay passcode is 13719188. 

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Austin and Visakhapatnam. In March 2021, Cardlytics acquired Dosh, a transaction-based advertising platform, and has entered into a definitive agreements to acquire Bridg, a customer data platform. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

Following the recent acquisition of Austin, Texas based Dosh, I sat down with our co-founder and CEO, Lynne Laube, to talk about why this deal was so important - not only for Cardlytics and its future vision - but for our advertisers, consumers, and financial services partners.

Congratulations on officially closing Cardlytics’ first acquisition in its 13-year history! I know you’ve been considering M&A opportunities for a while now. What made you decide to pull the trigger with Dosh? 

LYNNE: Our goal for any acquisition is to find a company who truly complements our existing business and supports the transformational journey we are on. Dosh accomplishes that. While we have strong partnerships with large traditional banks, their modern platform can quickly integrate with neo-banks, fintechs, and other consumer-facing organizations. This gives them a solid presence amongst millennials and younger consumers, as evidenced by their partnership with Venmo and others. Their direct-to-consumer app also allows us to quickly understand what drives consumer engagement so we can further increase returns for our advertisers and rapidly launch scaled deployments for our banks.

Why was now the right time?

LYNNE: We’ve been following Dosh for a while and have been impressed with their team, their platform, and what they’ve been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. We’ve been looking for the right acquisition to support the transformational journey we are on, so when the Dosh opportunity presented itself, we knew we needed to pursue.  

Speaking of timing, not only did you lead this acquisition during a pandemic, but you were also working to close the deal in the middle of an extraordinary Texas winter storm. What was that like?

LYNNE: Cardlytics has been working remote for a year now, so the fact that we’ve only met the Dosh team on Zoom calls oddly doesn’t feel strange anymore. But the storm did add another layer of challenges to navigate. It happened the week leading into final signatures and the official announcement, so I was taking calls with their leadership bundled up in cars or hotels because their homes had no water or power. I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like for the Dosh team, but thanks to their dedication and professionalism the acquisition was seamless. Talk about resilient! I’m really proud of how this deal came together and am excited about what the future holds.

Quick on the heels of the Dosh announcement Cardlytics also announced a half billion-dollar round of funding for near-term additional expansion. Can you share any plans for the future of this funding?

LYNNE: We are in a strong capital position, so we knew we needed to take advantage of it. This round of funding provides us with the equity we need to continue our excellerated growth to become a top competitor in the digital advertising space. As with Dosh, we will continue to look at companies that complement our existing business model to further strengthen our offering for advertisers, financial services companies, and their shared customers.

How does the acquisition and the fast follow funding round help position Cardlytics as it looks toward the future?

LYNNE: This acquisition takes Cardlytics’ strength serving larger advertisers and banks and combines it with Dosh’s exceptional capabilities serving the newer emerging financial services companies and non-traditional banks. The round of funding will help us continue to accelerate this type of growth in the future. We are transforming Cardlytics to be a viable player as one of the largest ad platforms out there. I definitely have a vision of what this can be when we are all said and done. It’s a really exciting journey for us to be on.

Marketers Will Gain Unprecedented Ability to Understand and Reach Consumers with Bridg SKU Data and Cardlytics’ Advertising Platform

ATLANTA, GA – April 13, 2021 – Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) announced today its intent to acquire Bridg, a customer data platform that empowers marketers to better understand and reach customers using SKU-level insights. Once the integration is complete, this addition will pair Cardlytics’ advertising platform, which has an audience of more than 163 million monthly active users, with Bridg’s enhanced SKU-level insights and ability to engage consumers across other digital platforms. The acquisition of Bridg plays a key role in the expansion of Cardlytics’ advertising platform into a holistic results-driven, self-serve, always-on solution for marketers.

“The Cardlytics platform is a powerful and unique advertising platform that brands trust because we have a better approach to target and engage consumers, which is based on actual consumer purchases across all merchants in a privacy-first way. Bridg built a similar model, but instead focused on all of the products purchased at an individual retailer,” said Lynne Laube, CEO and co-founder of Cardlytics. “Since founding Cardlytics, our vision was to have a broad view into consumer spend with a detailed understanding of a customer’s individual product preferences. Once we integrate this SKU-level data, we will be able to deliver significant reach, along with targeting and measurement capabilities to brands across all of their marketing investments.”

Bridg provides a cloud-based platform that retailers and CPG marketers use for a wide range of applications, including analyzing customer behavior, marketing on digital platforms, and measuring the effectiveness of their business strategies, while following consumer privacy best practices. Cardlytics will work with its financial institution partners to integrate the Bridg solution into its future customer offerings. Following the acquisition and integration of the two platforms, marketers will have the ability to reach customers with a comprehensive view of their purchase behavior – both where they shop and what they buy – across any retailer.

“As the first platform to enable retailers to engage all of their customers, regardless of loyalty enrollment, our focus has been to build a holistic 360-degree view of purchase behavior. There is no solution besides Cardlytics that makes it possible to scale Bridg in a privacy-first, brand-safe manner,” said Amit Jain, CEO of Bridg. “Lynne and the Cardlytics team have created an advertising solution with an unmatched capability to truly understand and reach more than 163 million consumers. We believe bringing our two platforms together is going to revolutionize the industry and become table stakes for retailers and CPG advertisers.”

Subject to closing conditions, Cardlytics has agreed to acquire Bridg for approximately $350 million in cash at closing. In addition, Cardlytics has agreed to make two potential earnout payments in cash and stock on the first and second anniversary of the closing based on Bridg’s U.S. annualized revenue run rate. Cardlytics expects these payments could equal approximately $100 million to $300 million in the aggregate.   

BofA Securities is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Cooley LLP as legal advisor to Cardlytics. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal advisor to Bridg. Bridg was backed by Morpheus Ventures and March Capital.

Investor Conference Call Information

Cardlytics will host a conference call to discuss the proposed transaction today, April 13, 2021, at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PT. The conference call can be accessed at (866) 385-4179 (domestic) or (210) 874-7775 (international), conference ID# 9192989. A replay of the conference call will be available through 11:30 AM ET / 8:30 AM PT on April 20, 2021 at (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international). The replay passcode is 9192989. The call will also be broadcast simultaneously at http://ir.cardlytics.com/. Following the completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on Cardlytics’ website.  The conference call will be accompanied by an investor presentation.

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is a digital advertising platform. We partner with financial institutions to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Austin and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

LONDON - April 13, 2021: Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), a purchase intelligence platform that makes marketing more relevant and measurable, announces today its partnership with leading credit card provider MBNA to help drive its new ‘Smart Rewards’ programme.

‘Smart Rewards’ will allow MBNA credit card customers to earn as they spend, receiving up to 15% cash back on everyday purchases when they activate tailored offers from some of the UK’s top brands across retail, entertainment, hospitality and travel. Brands on the platform range from Harvey Nichols, American Golf to Cult Beauty.

The launch of ‘Smart Rewards’ will further increase the scale of Cardlytics’ offer, allowing retail partners across sectors the opportunity to reward customers and drive incremental in-store and online sales.

MBNA is the latest financial institution to partner with Cardlytics, joining a high-end roster which includes Lloyds Bank and Santander. Cardlytics powers these reward programmes on behalf of banks to build customer engagement and deepen loyalty over the long-term.

MBNA customers can gain access through the online Smart Rewards Hub where they can browse available offers specifically chosen for them based on past purchases..

Commenting on the announcement, Campbell Shaw, Head of Bank Partnerships at Cardlytics, said,

“Through ‘Smart Rewards’, MBNA will be providing great value to their customers, which has never been more important given the current landscape. Increasingly, bank customers are wanting more from their provider and this new scheme will set MBNA apart and help foster loyalty among new and existing customers. 

“Our expansion is a fantastic statement of the value Cardlytics continues to provide to customers, and our commitment to deepening banking relationships with merchants, brands and customers. This is another very exciting banking partner to join the Cardlytics platform, and it shows evidence of our commitment to increasing our user base.”

Elyn Corfield, Managing Director at MBNA “During what has been a challenging time, we’re excited to have launched our new Smart Rewards, offering our customers a little extra  for  spending with us. Through personalised and relevant offers, our customers will be able to earn more on their purchases at selected retailers, with cashback added to their accounts at the end of every month.”

About Cardlytics

Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX) is an advertising platform in banks’ digital channels. We partner with major financial institutions – including Lloyds and Santander – to run their banking rewards programs that promote customer loyalty and deepen banking relationships. In turn, we have a secure view into where and when consumers are spending their money. We use these insights to help marketers identify, reach, and influence likely buyers at scale, as well as measure the true sales impact of marketing campaigns. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cardlytics has offices in London, New York, San Francisco, and Visakhapatnam. Learn more at www.cardlytics.com.

About MBNA

Over the years we’ve helped millions of customers with their borrowing needs... from emergency repairs to unexpected bills, MBNA credit cards have been there helping to make good stuff happen. We love a bit of technology too. All the stuff that makes contactless payments possible, transfers speedier and mobile apps more useful.

MBNA is a trading style of Lloyds Bank plc. Lloyds Bank plc Registered Office, 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales number 2065. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278. Lloyds Bank plc adheres to the Standards of Lending Practice, which are monitored and enforced by the Lending Standards Board.