Would you like your bank statement to be more interactive? Cardlytics is betting you would. The company's patent-pending technology allows merchants to present their customers with rewards and incentives for shopping with existing bankcards, without needing extra coupons or promotional codes.

But the clever part is that the incentives are placed directly in the customer's online bank statement. The consumer can activate an offer by clicking on it and then using their card at the merchant. No coupons necessary.

Here's how it works:

(1) Bank clients log into online banking. The bank statement includes special offers based on the client's previous spending. As shown below, offers are presented next to the transaction record:

(2) To get more information, users click the expand link.

(3) Accepting the offer activates the promotional deal.

(4) Once the promotion has been activated, the cardholder simply uses the associated debit or credit card at the merchant. The reward dollars are then automatically credited to the account at the end of the next month. Nothing needs to be printed or carried to the store.

(5) Qualifying transactions are instantly confirmed in the consumers' online banking statement.

Analysis: The Cardlytics system is a useful tool for banks seeking to develop incentive programs. According to Cardlytics CEO Scott Grimes, consumers in the current economy are no longer buying into the "pay for it later" mentality fostered by credit cards, making this the perfect time for banks to provide debit card incentives. Merchants fund the rewards in exchange for the highly targeted advertising.

The appeal for the merchants is obvious. They are able to make highly targeted offers directly to customers of their competitors. In the example above, McDonald's places its famous Golden Arches in front of a Burger King customer. That's a definite score.

As a result, more than 50 national retailers have signed up for the platform.

One cautionary note: Will Burger King customers feel they've been sold off to McDonalds by their banks? It's a real concern. Customer education will be important so that consumers understand that no personally identifiable information is being released to advertisers.

The ultimate test for Cardlytics will come from the consumer. Will the Cardlytics program increase bankcard use? It might if the deals are attractive enough to change behavior. So far, the company reports positive results, with an average response rate of 15% and some going as high as 40%.

I'll be watching my bank statement.