Priceless: A celebration of 25 years

There are some things that money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s Mastercard. This simple sentence uttered 25 years ago, captured the imagination of millions and thrust Mastercard’s Priceless campaign onto the global platform. Since then, Mastercard has been hitting Priceless experiences out of the park ever since. And it has also elevated that reach to include more people.

Priceless has been part of the world’s consciousness stretching across continents, cultures and generations. The word is synonymous with Mastercard, of creating special memories and experiences, which have become even more important in recent years as people come together again and rediscover their passions.

Now, a quarter-of-a-century after the launch of Priceless, the world is certainly a different place. We’ve seen the inception of social media, and transitioned to explore the possibilities of Web3 and the metaverse.

When Priceless launched, the world had 5.8 billion people. Now there are 8 billion humans roaming our Priceless Planet. For Mastercard, it means a wonderful opportunity to bring Priceless experiences to more people, and to more diverse audiences, connecting all of us to our passions and to each other.

A Priceless digital destination 

Priceless has adapted to the changing world and it has evolved from initially celebrating Priceless moments to curating Priceless experiences to sparking Priceless movements. Passions like travel, arts, culture, sports, dining, shopping, entertainment and philanthropy, are all at the heart of Priceless.

On Priceless.com people can discover a concert by the Dubai Opera Big Band, bringing together 25 of the very best jazz musicians in the UAE and wider GCC. Or they can go Down South to Cape Town, exploring Table Mountain with South African musician Jeremy Loops.

There are golfing tips in Morocco from former US Open champion Michael Campbell, and encounters with football legend Luis Figo to get up close with the UEFA Champions League Trophy. Whether it’s dining on top of a Times Square billboard in New York City, or following the footsteps of Coco Chanel on a Parisian walking tour, Priceless Experiences are what dreams are made of.

Priceless with a purpose 

Priceless is also connecting passions to purpose. It enables us to be a force for good in more corners of the world, and in the lives of more people. We actively tap into the power of inclusive marketing to do this, as it’s part of our journey to create an inclusive economy that works for everyone, everywhere.

We are extending our commitment to introduce innovative ideas and products to welcome overlooked communities into the digital economy with the launch of Touch Card—a new accessible card standard for the 2.2 billion people around the world with visual impairments.

Touch Card enables blind and partially sighted people to tell, at a touch, what kind of card they are holding, making the everyday act of payment simpler, more intuitive, and more inclusive. This innovation builds upon a current design standard by introducing a simple yet effective system of notches built into the side of the card, allowing consumers to use the right card, the right way, using touch alone. I am very proud that the very first global roll-out of the Touch Card was in the UAE in partnership with Ajman Bank.

A Priceless evolution of the senses

The Touch Card is also part of our multisensory brand evolution. After introducing the very vivid and visual overlapping circles of our logo, we created a sonic brand DNA. Wherever consumers engage with Mastercard across the globe – be it physical, digital or voice environments - the distinct and memorable Mastercard melody provides simple, seamless familiarity.  With the soundtrack in place, we indulged in the sense of taste to unveil two original macaron flavors, and also launched two perfumes, namely Passion and Optimism.

At Mastercard, we look forward to keep Priceless relevant and resonant by continuing to innovate, fueling passions and making memories that last a lifetime.