European smart card vendor Gemalto has launched CardLikeMe, an online tool that allows customers to personalise their plastic bank cards with their own photographs.
The CardLikeMe service enables bank customers to upload their own pictures to their bank's Web site in order to create a customised card.
Once the picture is loaded on the bank Web site, users can view what their card will look like and adjust the photograph if they wish. The image is approved by the bank before the card is ordered.
The CardLikeMe package includes management of the entire process, from software integration into the bank Web site through to card delivery to the end-user.
The service is already being used by several European financial institutions, says Gemalto.
UK bank Abbey launched a service in 2005 that enables its customers to personalise their plastic payment cards with their own photographs or images.