The Loyalty Newswire September 22, 2025

The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer

From the Editor

Happy Monday!

Notable in this week’s Newswire:

Outdoor eRetailer Backcountry announces a loyalty upgrade and DSW enters the retail media network fray.
Three examples of brands blending customer experiences across channels as QSR Shake Shack, convenience retailer Terrible’s, and grocer Weigel’s share news on engagement campaigns centered on their mobile app.
We introduce you to the Merchant Advisory Group, a strong advocate for retailer concerns and give you foundational knowledge of Stablecoins.
And get to know Maria Bailey. She is the foremost advisor on “marketing to moms,” and this week shares her take on how to avoid being tripped up by Influencer Marketing.

Two Big Events are here – this week and next:

The first Wiser Forum in Mexico City on September 25 is reaching capacity, but you still have time to register and hear the results of our “loyalty landscape” in Mexico. Thanks to Comarch for their support.
Next week, The Loyalty Academy brings you a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ Workshop in Austin, Texas, September 30 – October 1. We have support from two leaders in the industry who believe in professional education, Bond Brand Loyalty, and Loyalty Methods.

We are here to help you succeed. Let us know how we can help.

Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer

Short Takes

THIS WEEK: Wise Marketer Group First Wiser Forums™ Event in Mexico City, Sept. 25

This is a one-day event designed for marketing executives seeking a better understanding of the Mexican consumer. The agenda is centered around findings from Wise Marketer’s 2025 Mexico Loyalty Landscape research study, one of the first completed in this important market in over a decade.

Managers, directors, and executive leaders in the loyalty industry, as well as those in data-driven marketing and technology disciplines, will benefit from research-driven insights from studies tapping into the voice of the Mexican consumer, looking at consumer perceptions of the Mexican loyalty landscape.

The event will be held at the Andaz Condesa, and we are proud to have Comarch as the principal event sponsor. Register Here.

Backcountry Rolls out the all-new Summit Club+ Loyalty Program

Backcountry, the leading premium destination for outdoor gear and apparel, announced the launch of its all-new Summit Club+ loyalty program. Summit Club replaces the longstanding Expedition Perks program, which sunset on August 13. The change comes in response to customer feedback asking for rewards they can use right away and perks that feel tailored to how they shop for gear.

Read the press release here. The free tier gives members early access to product drops and a 10% off birthday gift. For $49/year, Summit Club+ unlocks:

10% instant cash back on eligible orders
Free 2-day shipping on purchases over $150
20% off birthday orders
Dedicated Gearhead® expert for personalized shopping support
Exclusive partner perks like $100 off a Mountain Collective pass, $140 off an Outdoorsy camper rental, and $50 off a USA Cycling membership.

Potbelly Corporation to be Acquired by RaceTrac in Approximately $566 Million Transaction

RaceTrac, the convenience retail operator ranking #17 on the CSP Top 202 Convenience Stores 2024 list, is acquiring Potbelly Corporation for $17.12 per share, a 47% premium over the 90-day average, valuing the deal at $566 million. The acquisition offers minority shareholders a clear exit with a +120% gain since this analyst’s call, far outpacing the S&P.

Potbelly has built a strong foundation for growth with more than 445 company and franchise-owned shops currently open in neighborhoods across the United States and a long-term goal of reaching 2,000 shops. Operationally, Potbelly stands to benefit from RaceTrac’s scale, real estate, and resources, accelerating expansion and store-in-store opportunities. Read the press release here.

Terrible’s Delivers Enhanced Mobile Experience

Convenience retailer Terrible’s is taking a “deliberately different” approach to customer engagement with the launch of a new mobile app experience. Featuring the new Shop, Spin, & Win game — which rewards qualified purchases with a spin of the customized, in-app prize wheel — the Terrible’s+ Rewards app brings the fun and excitement of Las Vegas to the palm of customers’ hands.

“At Terrible’s, we don’t follow the traditional playbook. We’re constantly looking for fun and engaging ways to connect with our guests,” said Bryan Breeden, vice president of marketing and advertising at Terrible’s. “The Terrible’s+ Rewards app is a bold leap forward — one that’s designed to engage our most loyal guests with something fresh, exciting and unmistakably Terrible’s.”

NEXT WEEK: Loyalty Academy CLMP™ Workshop – Austin, Texas, September 30 -October 1

Loyalty Academy™ and Wise Marketer Group are hosting an in-person Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ Workshop in Austin, Texas on Sept. 30 – Oct. 1. The event is designed for Managers, directors, and executive leaders in the loyalty industry, as well as those in data-driven marketing and technology disciplines.

The workshop offers fully updated core and elective modules from the Loyalty Academy’s curriculum through presentations, interactive exercises, and a group case study. Participants who pass a final exam will be granted CLMP™ Certification. We are proud to have BOND as the principal event sponsor.

Learn more and register here. Do it Today! Yee Haw! See you in Texas!

Case Study: Weigel’s Leverages MyWeigel’s Mobile App to Drive Engagement

Ongoing engagement is necessary to keep your brand top of mind and drive more visits. In the case of Weigel’s, a Tennessee-based convenience retailer, they built a 100-day “road trip” campaign centered on its mobile app to drive engagement.

During the campaign, Weigel’s generated more than 36,000 new registered members, while app usage grew 38% and monthly active users rose 13%. Gen Z engagement surpassed 100,000 registered members.

How Shake Shack drove a 6X lift in app conversions

Using Web to App Connect and optimizing with AI-powered Search and Performance Max, Shake Shack reimagined its app strategy, making its app a powerful loyalty engine.

The team created a more cohesive journey from the web to the app. As a result, app conversions were 6X higher than those on the mobile web. Read the story here.

DSW Launches Retailer Media Network

DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, has launched a retailer media network called Front Row Connection, giving footwear and accessories brands additional opportunities to promote products on DSW.com. The self-service platform offers “high-impact placements,” including sponsored product ads and banner ads designed to boost visibility on the digital shelf, according to a media release. The goal is to help brands highlight new arrivals and best sellers while making product discovery easier for shoppers.

Front Row Connection is operated by the Epsilon Retail Media platform, which applies AI-driven identity resolution in the ad server to connect brands with shoppers. It also provides “unified omnichannel attribution,” giving brands visibility into performance metrics and the ability to measure outcomes across digital and in-store channels.

DSW Joins Uber Eats for Nationwide On-Demand Delivery

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) and Designer Brands Inc. (NYSE: DBI), the parent company of DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse), announced a new partnership that brings DSW’s vast selection of footwear and accessories to the Uber Eats platform.

With nearly 500 DSW stores now available on Uber Eats across the contiguous United States, customers can browse and order top styles for on-demand or scheduled delivery—all at the tap of a button. Read the press release here.

Get to Know the Merchant Advisory Group

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) is a global organization dedicated to driving positive change and innovation in the payments industry through merchant collaboration, education, and advocacy.

Representing over 175 of the world’s leading merchants across many industries, including airlines, retail, restaurants, insurance, amusement parks, grocery, and software, the MAG facilitates strategic engagement across North America, Europe, and Asia. This article from John Drechny, CEO of Merchant Advisory Group on The Power of Networking is a worthy read that offers perspective in AI driven times.

How to Avoid the Authenticity Crisis in Influencer Marketing

Maria Bailey is CEO of BSM Media and author of Marketing to Moms. We first met Maria when she was at AutoNation, leading their customer loyalty efforts. A recognized authority on “marketing to moms,” Maria has helped countless brands and CPG’s fine tune their marketing strategy.

In this article, Maria notes that influencer marketing is hitting an authenticity wall. Eighty-eight percent of consumers expect authenticity, yet half believe influencers are inauthentic, and 35 percent think influencers are dishonest about both sponsored content and their own image (HypeAuditor, 2023; Lynch, 2018; Morning Consult, 2019). For brands marketing to moms, that trust gap can undo years of brand building. Here is her initial, research based, take on how to avoid the authenticity crisis in influencer marketing.

What are Stablecoins?

Stablecoins are getting lots of buzz —but they’re not just in the headlines, they’re powering payments behind the scenes: moving money across the world in seconds, helping businesses settle transactions quickly and letting people send money to a friend as easily as a text.

With customer loyalty so closely tied to the payments sector, it is important that loyalty marketers are familiar with stablecoins as they represent a fiat currency not unlike the role that loyalty currency can play at times. In this article, Visa delivers a solid primer on stablecoins, a type of blockchain based token designed to maintain a stable value, typically by being pegged to a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or the euro and backed by reserves of cash or cash-like assets.

5 AI marketing questions the boardroom isn’t asking but should be!

Julia Vander Ploeg, an experienced board member and former digital and marketing executive for major brands including McDonald’s and Volvo, outlines the board’s crucial role in AI and why pressing the right questions to marketing leadership is the key to winning.

She posits that board members have a fundamental oversight responsibility, especially when it comes to AI. The board needs to understand how AI shapes strategy, unearths new opportunities, and, critically, needs to manage its inherent risks, from privacy concerns to cybersecurity threats. To do this effectively, the board itself needs a foundational understanding of AI. Here are 5 key questions to ask your board.

KPMG Economic Compass Provides Critical Insights into the US Economic Forecast

The latest edition of KPMG’s Economic Compass takes a closer look at why the outlook for inflation is so uncertain, despite a chill in the labor market. Special attention is paid to “data dependence,” or the Fed’s decision rule for monetary policy.

A high level of uncertainty has clouded the Fed’s outlook for the economy, which has left it relying on shifts in the data to make policy decisions. That leaves the Fed more reactive than proactive in its decisions, as the data are lagged.

Co-Brand & Travel Rewards 2025 is in NYC, 28-29 October 2025

Loyalty revenues have grown significantly important to airlines, hotels and travel companies and the biggest part of that comes from co-brands. Travel continues to grow – with domestic weaknesses in some markets – but there are other headwinds emerging. Whether it’s the tax man, regulators or increasing competition from non-card payments there is plenty to learn and prepare for.

The Co-Brand and Travel Rewards event, presented by AI Connect, is a one stop shop, whether you are a loyalty program, an issuer or one of the other players in a complex ecosystem, to connect with top presenters and industry peers. Register here.

Jobs in Loyalty

There are many talented people looking for full-time and contract positions in loyalty marketing. Fortunately, there are opportunities available from both brands and providers. We list a sampling of what we are aware of here.

Please click through the links if provided or contact us here to learn more and apply for these positions.

Epsilon – Platform Solutions Director (UK)
Loyalty Juggernaut – Director of Strategic Initiatives, Loyalty Strategist, Regional Sales Lead. Follow the link https://lji.bamboohr.com/careers/123 OR send in your CV to opportunity@lji.io.
Loyalty Methods – Project Manager and other positions available.

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