U.S. Bank names Jessica Alba for new business cards

U.S. Bank has launched two new credit cards for small business owners and named Jessica Alba as their spokesperson.

The cards are the U.S. Bank Business Essentials Visa Card and the U.S. Bank Business Essentials Plus Visa Signature Card. Both offer unlimited 2% cash back on eligible business purchases, with higher rewards for customers who maintain qualifying balances in a business current account with the bank.

The standard Business Essentials card offers up to 2.5% total cash back when linked to eligible deposit balances. Business Essentials Plus offers up to 3.5% total cash back under the same structure, plus 5% cash back on a cardholder's top spending category, up to USD $200,000 a year.

Fees and introductory offers differ between the two cards. Business Essentials has no annual fee and offers USD $500 cash back after USD $5,000 in spending within the first 150 days, along with a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles for eligible new cardholders.

Business Essentials Plus carries a USD $295 annual fee. New cardholders can earn USD $1,000 cash back after spending USD $15,000 in the first 150 days of opening an account.

The launch expands U.S. Bank's push into products for smaller companies, a segment where banks are competing on rewards, digital controls and links to business current accounts. The cards target owners seeking straightforward rewards on routine business spending.

Banking links

Beyond rewards, the cards connect with other U.S. Bank small-business banking services. Owners can redeem cash back into a qualifying business current account or apply it as a statement credit.

Both cards include the bank's Spend Management platform, which lets owners capture receipts, track card spending, set card controls and connect with existing accounting software.

The cards also include ExtendPay, which offers fixed-fee payment plans for larger purchases. The broader aim is to help small business owners manage day-to-day expenses and cash flow while centralising business purchases on one card account.

In remarks accompanying the launch, the bank pointed to the economic weight of the small-business sector in the United States.

"Small business owners employ over 61 million Americans and contribute to nearly half of our nation's GDP; they deserve financial products that reward their ambition and empower them to succeed," said Courtney Kelso, Senior Executive Vice President of Payments, Consumer and Small Business at U.S. Bank.

Kelso presented the products as part of a broader relationship strategy rather than a standalone card offering.

"Our new Business EssentialsTM cards offer small business owners straightforward, easy-to-use benefits that help simplify their spending, banking and expense management," Kelso said.

The launch also reflects a broader trend in business banking, where card products are increasingly bundled with treasury, payments and accounting tools to deepen customer ties. For banks, the appeal lies not only in card spending but also in deposits and fee income tied to broader account use.

Celebrity campaign

U.S. Bank is pairing the launch with a marketing campaign featuring Alba, known both as an actress and an entrepreneur. She will appear in digital and television advertising for the new products.

The choice of a high-profile business figure suggests the bank is seeking greater visibility in the crowded small-business financial products market, where issuers often distinguish their cards through rewards and branding as much as through lending terms.

Kelso tied Alba's appointment to the image U.S. Bank wants the cards to project.

"Our goal is to build long-lasting relationships with small business owners through integrated solutions, not simply give them a card," Kelso said.

She added: "Jessica is an ideal representative for our Business EssentialsTM cardholders as she embodies many of the traits we celebrate among small business owners, including a tireless work ethic and the knowledge of what it takes to grow a business."

U.S. Bank is part of U.S. Bancorp, based in Minneapolis. The parent company describes U.S. Bank as the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States, serving 15 million clients across the U.S., Canada and Europe with a workforce of nearly 70,000.