Groupe Aeroplan rebrands as Aimia

The parent company of the Aeroplan loyalty program changed its name and unveiled a new brand for its non-consumer operations: Aimia.

Effective immediately Montreal-based Groupe Aeroplan will be known as Aimia. The popular loyalty program will continue to use the Aeroplan, Nectar and Air Miles Middle East names for its consumer divisions.

But the business-to-business programs LMG Insight & Communication and Carlson Marketing will now operate under the name Aimia.

"As competitors try to position themselves to take advantage of the burgeoning international market for loyalty management services, we are already well positioned as the established experts," CEO Rupert Duchesne said. "A single, explicit global brand clearly reaffirms this privileged position."

In a release, the company explained the move by saying its new business reflects "the capabilities acquired over recent years." The company's original moniker was derived from the air travel loyalty program, which was created as an extension of Air Canada starting in 1984. But as the business expanded beyond its air travel roots, the name was no longer an accurate reflection of the company.

Aeroplan was spun out as an independent company in 2005. The Aeroplan program contributes about 50 per cent of the company's revenues but Duchesne said the, in five years, he expects that to go down to about a third of total revenues as other parts of the company grow.

Starting October 7th, Aeroplan's common shares (which had been trading under the symbol AER) will trade under the AIM symbol. The preferred shares will trade as AIM.PR.A.