• by Tanya Gazdik , February 17, 2011

CVS/pharmacy and Weight Watchers International are offering mutually beneficial rewards for CVS/pharmacy ExtraCare cardholders and Weight Watchers members.

ExtraCare cardholders can save when they join Weight Watchers meetings, and Weight Watchers members will receive CVS/pharmacy ExtraBucks offers on health-related items including blood pressure monitors, blood glucose testing equipment, healthy snacks and more.

The two companies are using email, newsletters, and direct mail to communicate with customers about the program, according to Carolyn Castel, a spokesperson for CVS Caremark.

"Our organizations have worked together in the past," Castel tells Marketing Daily. "Weight Watchers had participated in free health fair events that CVS/pharmacy sponsored. Both CVS and Weight Watchers are committed to improving the health of our customers."

The open-ended program is aimed at both rewarding current members and customers and also attract prospective ones, she says.

"We have no end date in mind at this time," Castel says. "We are in the early stages of promotions and are hopeful for great results."

The ExtraCare program rewards customers with 2% back on purchases in ExtraBucks rewards, and $1.00 ExtraBucks rewards to spend on front store merchandise for every two prescriptions purchased. ExtraBucks rewards can be used on nearly anything in the store. CVS/pharmacy ExtraCare is the largest retail loyalty program in the U.S. with more than 66 million active members.

CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corp., includes more than 7,100 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drug stores.