4 Retail Marketing Practices That Destroy Customer Loyalty People consider Monday to be the most daunting day of the week. As if it didn’t need more spotlight, everyone’s “favorite” day of the week was forever characterized as Manic Monday in a song written by Prince for the 80’s pop group, the Bangles, in 1986. Marketing has its own claim to mania – creating campaigns and mismanaging data in ways that swing your mood as a consumer in seismic shifts - impacting your emotions and attitude in the process. Over the past month, members of our staff have contributed stories of “Main Street Maladies ..read more

This episode is available in audio format as “Let’s Talk Loyalty” and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV. Today’s conversation features Under Armour, a leading inventor, marketer, and distributor of branded athletic performance clothing, footwear, and accessories. Under Armour was originally launched in 1996 but only recently launched its loyalty proposition for customers. Joining us today to share the story of this program is Nandika Suri, VP, Global Loyalty, CRM and Personalization at Under Armour. Nandika shares how her insights from more than sixteen years in the airline loy ..read more

A Powerful Cautionary Tale in CPG Loyalty Marketing The story of Coca-Cola’s “My Coke Rewards” program stands as a powerful cautionary tale in the history of customer loyalty initiatives. This program’s shortcomings highlight a critical lesson: even the most established industry leaders can stumble when their loyalty strategies fail to align with their brand’s fundamental values and overarching marketing goals. “My Coke Rewards” was launched in 2006 amid much excitement, representing Coca-Cola’s ambitious effort to engage customers by rewarding their product purchases. The concept was straight ..read more

Duck Donuts introduced QuackChat, a new SMS rewards program this week. The program, created in partnership with Vibes, is a seamless channel for Duck Donuts to sprinkle exclusive offers and new flavors directly to registered mobile devices. Upon registering for QuackChat, guests will receive a complimentary donut of their choice with purchase. Here is the full text of the official press release: Duck Donuts® Partners with Vibes to Launch QuackChat, a New SMS & Mobile Wallet Rewards Program Initial Results Showcase Strong Adoption Rate with More Than 40,000 Subscribers MECHA ..read more

An Interview with Jean-Matthieu Schertzer, Chief AI Officer, Eagle Eye Group AI's transformative potential is dominating headlines. Even McKinsey recently said that AI could contribute $22.1 trillion to the global economy. So, it’s no surprise that AI solutions are an inescapable talking point in retail and will remain so in 2024. Attention is turning toward how retailers of every size can incorporate generative and predictive AI into their operations to deliver efficiencies and reimagine the retail customer experience. AI may eventually impact every facet of the retail business. Still, at thi ..read more

Bill Hanifin and Aaron Dauphinee from the Loyalty Academy are back with another episode of the "Wiser Loyalty" podcast series. They continue exploring Key Success Factors in Loyalty Marketing (course #112) from the Loyalty Academy curriculum. In this week’s episode, Bill and Aaron, lean into the importance of understanding that all customers shouldn’t be treated the same and the success that can come in doing this through the utilization of program tiers (in various forms). In the Wiser Loyalty series, Bill and Aaron draw a theme each month based on the courses required to earn the Certifie ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2024 -- Skipify, a leading financial technology company redefining the checkout experience, today announced its partnership with Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in global payments technology, through the Visa Digital Commerce Program. Through this effort, Skipify aims to reinvent the way consumers transact, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to simplify and accelerate the payment process. By combining Visa's extensive digital payments expertise with Skipify's next-generation digital wallet, Skipify is poised to deliver unparalleled convenience and securi ..read more

Younger British consumers favour rewards, with more than half viewing them as key support during times of crises Consumers appreciate brands that treat them and their employees fairly Brands need to show how they are helping society, not destabilising it London, UK – The number of British people who expect to be rewarded for their loyalty to brands has increased significantly in the last three years. Young adults aged 18 to 24 are particularly keen on rewards programmes. Over half (51%) believe being rewarded for loyalty is among the top three ways brands can support society during crises ..read more

The future of charity is undeniably intertwined with digital innovation Why is it that corporations make up as a little as 5% of all charitable giving when we know that individuals and foundations represent a massive 87% of all giving, with as much as 40% of millennials enrolled in monthly giving programs. And why is that corporate America is ignoring this obvious engagement opportunity?  By enabling members to earn cashback and then opening real choice, marketers are discovering a powerful opportunity to re-engage with latent members and to acquire new customers. And we know that th ..read more

This Week's News By the time you read this week’s Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer, the solar eclipse will be passing over the earth. Many of you will have the opportunity to see this from the “zones of totality” and from what we have read, this is potentially a life changing experience. We invite our readers to send us notes on their experience if they have this opportunity.  We stop short of saying that this Newswire will be “life-changing,” but we do hope that it makes you feel more informed and prepared for the week ahead. We are continually amazed by how much news there is in ..read more