AI Is Coming for Loyalty’s Biggest Lie

How should loyalty marketing professionals interpret the Citrini Research report? The viral “2028 Global Intelligence Crisis” essay from Citrini Research and Alap Shah is explicitly framed as a scenario, not a forecast. That distinction matters, as the authors are not claiming certainty as much as they are testing a plausible downside case in which AI […]

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Meet Yeti Boo, the AI Bigfoot Helping KANE Footwear Rethink Influencer Marketing

The creator behind Yeti Boo didn’t set out to build an AI content studio. He just wanted to see whether a shaggy, AI-generated hyper-realistic Bigfoot with a laid-back, outdoorsy personality could work as a TikTok bit. After a few days and 130,000 followers, it was clear the joke had (rather hairy) legs — and brands […]

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Beyond the One-Off: How Brands Are Playing the Long Game in Virtual Worlds

Imagine disappearing inside a world of your own creation — a world you love, complete with all kinds of unique connections and creatures and then … picking up Wendy’s fries or a new soccer kit from Puma.  Brand integrations on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite have become wildly successful, particularly with Gen Z. According to […]

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The Knot Says ‘I Do’ to ChatGPT Ads Pilot

Wedding planning platform The Knot Worldwide is among the handful of brands piloting ads in OpenAI’s ChatGPT agentic AI chat platform. Jenny Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer at The Knot, is pleased to have “a seat at the table” in shaping this product and getting a first look at how consumers will interact with ads within […]

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#750: Best of the Back Catalogue – Raymond Rewards and Beyond

We’re rewinding to some of the best from our back catalogue! If you missed it long back, this is the perfect time to catch the episode. Sanjeev Nichani, a seasoned loyalty marketing professional, has shaped some of India’s most impactful loyalty programmes—from Loyalty Rewardz, serving over 100 million banking customers, to AIMIA, and previously Raymond Rewards, the men’s retail fashion programme spanning 1,000+ stores. He shares timeless insights on launching loyalty programmes in franchise businesses, engaging members through digital channels, […]

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Michaels Unveils Revamped Rewards Program

Reimagined rewards program introduces better perks, richer benefits, and more ways for loyal shoppers to earn on everyday purchases Michael’s, known as North America’s leading destination for creating and celebrating, announced it is making an investment in customer loyalty with enhancements to Michael’s Rewards. As of March 1st, the retailer transitioned all loyalty members and […]

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The Loyalty Newswire March 02, 2026

The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer From the Editor Gap, operator of one of the largest retail loyalty programs in the US, launched Encore, a fresh take on customer loyalty and in support of its “Fashiontainment” branding. Love’s Travel Stops announced its own program update and Cava, Citgo, and DoorDash add significant announcements. Subway […]

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Michaels Unveils Revamped Rewards Program: More Savings, More Perks, and Exclusive Member-Only Benefits

Reimagined rewards program introduces better perks, richer benefits, and more ways for loyal shoppers to earn on everyday purchases Michaels is expanding its loyalty program with the introduction of a new 9% rewards tier for its most loyal customers. The updated program now features three redefined tiers — Red (3%), Gold (6%), and Platinum (9%) […]

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Five Structural Repairs for Marketing Organizations to Pass the AI Audit

Marketers keep framing AI as the next revolution, but AI isn’t rewriting the rules. It’s auditing whether you ever followed them. For the past 20 years, marketing has evolved through waves of disruption, from digital fragmentation and data saturation to platform dominance and performance pressure. Each wave has expanded capability faster than structural weaknesses have […]

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“The Salmon Problem” – Building AI For High Stakes Decision Making

Arpan Bhattacharya is CEO of The Intelligent Search Company, a startup building AI for adversarial environments. He describes what it takes to build “noise cancellation for decision-making.” When shopping online, context is everything. You either know exactly what to look for, or you find yourself browsing endlessly or typing vague queries into a search bar, […]

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