Here’s a Roundup of this week’s Loyalty and Digital Marketing News
Quick Global News Roundup
- Malaysia leads world in mobile wallet usage, with 63 per cent of Malaysians utilizing mobile
- InterContinental Hotels Group offers new AI-Powered trip planner
- Shell launches new fleet app for small business
- Canadian Moneris Solutions Corporation introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone
- India – UPI transactions set new record
- Ant Group and Mastercard join to launch e-wallets in Shanghai to drive tourism
- 42% of low-income, younger consumers use Debit Cards when Grocery shopping
- Loyalty360 announces Finalists for the 2024 Loyalty360 Awards
- RUBiS Rewards program to be discontinued
- Fostering Engagement, Loyalty and return visits at retail checkout
Flybuys announces closure after nearly 30 years.
Loyalty New Zealand has announced that it will close down the long-standing Flybuys loyalty program on 31 October 2024. Flybuys was launched in 1996 and has been on the list of “longest-tenured” coalition loyalty programs since that time. Membership is reported to have declined from 2.9 million members across 80 percent of New Zealand households to about 1.8 million at this time.
Time and cultural trends seem to have taken a toll on the program. Though there is no official announcement on the LNZ website, there is plenty of commentary and analysis from third parties which you can see here and here.
12th edition of For Love or Money™ available NOW
The 12th edition of this annual report of Australian customer loyalty and loyalty program research is now available. Results show that 50% of loyalty program members have become actively involved in ALL of the programs in which they are members. This is the highest active rate as tracked by the research since 2021 where only 43% of members reported they were active in all of their programs.
Report author and CEO of The Point of Loyalty, Adam Posner, said, “With economic uncertainty and everyday living expenses increasing, it’s not surprising members are more actively engaged with programs they know and trust to earn more savings and rewards.” Download the report here.
Royal Caribbean announces first-ever status match feature
Royal Caribbean Group announced that loyalty members from its three wholly-owned brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea – will attain equivalent tier status on any one of its brands, making this an industry-first status matching program for loyalty members.
Members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club, and Silversea’s Venetian Society will attain equivalent tier status on any one of its brands to enjoy reciprocal benefits no matter which brand they sail with.
Hakuhodo and partners launch Loyalty X to redefine loyalty programs in Asia.
Hakuhodo Inc. has announced that Hakuhodo Group company HAKUHODO KEY3 INC. is partnering with PONT Inc., SmartMedia Technologies, Inc., and other global web3 technology companies to form Loyalty X. The new corporate alliance will provide loyalty programs utilizing web3 technology across Asia.
In anticipation of stricter data privacy around the management of personal data, as well as post-cookie measures required of companies, the announcement says brands need to re-evaluate corporate data utilization strategies. Web3 technology’s features, such as individual ownership of value, enhanced interoperability, and innovative customer experiences, can help develop loyalty programs that truly engage customers.
American Airlines AAdvantage is the (second) oldest FFP today
The AAdvantage program, launched on May 1st, 1981, is noted as the program that kicked off the modern era of loyalty marketing. You’ll have to check out our Loyalty Academy™ course 101 to learn which was the first frequent flyer program and the one that preceded AAdvantage.
As of May 2024, American Airlines’ primary frequent flier program remains the world’s largest, with more than 100 million members. Our friends at Simpleflying provide essential reading for those who want to understand the evolution of this loyalty program over the past 43 years.
Gen Z: Hyper-informed and globally connected
A pointed article in Forbes describes members of the Gen-Z cohort as hyper-informed, globally-connected, and socially conscious. Combining these characteristics with other cultural trends for 2024 and beyond, the author affirms what we already know—that brands are stuck in the middle and face the challenge of navigating a highly charged and polarized political atmosphere.
What should they do? Read here.
SKUx and Visa Enable Digital Payment Consumer Experiences for Merchants and CPG
SKUx, a leader in digital instant payments innovation, announced it has signed an agreement with Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in digital payments. The agreement will accelerate digital transformation for select merchants and consumer packaged goods companies that leverage SKUx’s payment-based offer solutions – supporting a variety of client use cases, from customer acquisition to loyalty to consumer care and recovery, while ensuring a seamless, end-to-end consumer experience.
Could Founder-Led marketing be the next catalyst to drive customer loyalty?
The term “founder-led marketing” leverages personal branding to establish a strong brand identity and build direct relationships with customers. The trend in the B2B SaaS sector has started to challenge traditional corporate marketing strategies. It certainly has the potential to deliver greater impact than influencer strategies that are based on personalities not directly involved with a brand.
This article is worth reading as it walks through the components of a founder-led strategy – one that emphasizes authenticity as the founder becomes the embodiment of their brand’s values and aspirations.