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The Loyalty Newswire January 26, 2026

The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer

From the Editor

Winter weather is here in force across the Eastern United States, and we are rescheduling our Wiser Retail Insights Forum™ 2026 to protect the interests of attendees planning travel in the region. We’ll have new dates announced soon.

In the news, we see that Scene+ and Shell Canada announce a new partnership, PAR Technology makes a big acquisition and LoyaltyPlus lands LAO Airlines as a new client. We also have interesting research reports to share and two attractive job opportunities (scroll to the bottom).

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

Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer

Short Takes

Wiser Retail Insights Forum™ 2026 RESCHEDULING

This event was planned this week in Nashville on January 27. Due to the winter storm that has impacted the region, we chose to reschedule this event for the benefit and safety of our attendees.

Please “watch this space” for new dates showcasing findings from our 2025 consumer research study in convenience retail and home improvement retail, the inflection point in a longitudinal study exploring the connection between brand loyalty, customer experience and programmatic loyalty. Research is made possible by Exchange Solutions and Ebbo.

Scene+ and Shell Canada Announce New Partnership

The two big Canadian brands announce a newly launched national loyalty partnership, offering Canadians new ways to earn and redeem rewards on fuel and convenience purchases. Read the official press release here.

As economic pressure and consumer expectations rise, Canadians are increasingly relying on loyalty programs for everyday value. Adding fuel to the Scene+ ecosystem makes it easier to build points through regular, everyday spending. Scene+, one of Canada’s leading loyalty programs with more than 15 million members offers members 1 Scene+ point per litre on all Shell fuel and 1 Scene+ point per $1 on eligible convenience retail and car washes.

PAR Technology to Acquire Bridg, Bringing Loyalty and Non‑Loyalty Data Together for Smarter Retail and Restaurant Activation

PAR Technology Corporation announced that it has agreed to acquire the identity resolution and shopper intelligence platform Bridg, a division of Cardlytics, Inc. The purchase price is $27.5 million, subject to adjustments and is payable in shares of PAR Technology common stock.

Bridg’s proprietary Identity Resolution (IDR) platform converts in‑store transactions into enriched customer profiles, uncovering previously unknown shoppers and integrating them into a brand’s first‑party data set. This enables retailers, restaurants, and CPG companies to activate offers for previously anonymous shoppers and accurately attribute marketing spend.

LoyaltyPlus Welcomes LAO Airlines as a New Airline Partner

LoyaltyPlus announced a new strategic partnership with LAO Airlines, under which LoyaltyPlus will support the airline’s loyalty and customer engagement strategy. The agreement reinforces LoyaltyPlus’ position as a trusted partner delivering results-driven loyalty solutions for airlines and reflects the company’s continued focus on partnering with airlines that value innovation, reliability and strategic alignment.

“We are proud to have been selected by LAO Airlines,” said Len Lubbe, CEO of LoyaltyPlus. “Their decision reflects confidence in our team, our strategic vision and our ability to deliver tangible value in complex and competitive environments.”

Frost & Sullivan names Infobip as a leader in CPaaS Radar report

Leading global communications platform Infobip has been recognized as a growth and innovation leader in Frost Radar™: Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) by Frost & Sullivan.

Infobip enables complex, cross-channel customer journey orchestration from one platform. Its AI-infused stack includes GenAI-powered chatbots, journey automation, and real-time personalization. Sports organizations are only just now catching up to the digital native economy and the Los Angeles Rams are using this tech to better engage fans beyond team merchandise and fan cameras in the stands.

UAL Mileage Plus Announces Leadership Change

United Airlines announced the appointment of Jarad Fisher as the new President of its MileagePlus loyalty program. Fisher, a former Delta Air Lines and Apple executive recognized for his work on the Apple Card launch and Delta’s Amex partnership, is expected to drive major changes and enhance credit card portfolio growth.

The appointment, confirmed by United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella, signals upcoming “big ideas” for the program, with potential improvements to earning paths and perks.

Loyalty Academy Brasil Highlights Financial & Liability Management

Loyalty Academy Brasil shares this conversation on the topic of financial loyalty, involving traditional and digital banks, credit card companies, acquirers, insurance companies, consulting firms, and much more. Listen and discover how the sector is developing loyalty strategies to engage its customers.

Today’s host is Fábio Santoro, Founder of Loyalty Academy Brasil and Exclusive Education Partner for The Loyalty Academy in Brasil. Fabio is joined by Gustavo Monteiro, CEO of Consórcio Sirius, and representative of the Uau Caixa Program, a strategic partnership between Consórcio Sirius and Caixa Cartões Holding, Raphael Costa, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and representative of the Esfera Program, from Banco Santander and Rodrigo Villela, Head Brazil and representative of Mastercard Services.

Google’s New User Intent Extraction Method

Google published a research paper on how to extract user intent from user interactions that can then be used for autonomous agents. Google’s new user intent extraction research shows the direction they’re taking for the next generation of on-device AI.

The method they discovered uses on-device small models that do not need to send data back to Google, which means that a user’s privacy is protected. The researchers discovered they were able to solve the problem by splitting it into two tasks. Their solution worked so well it was able to beat the base performance of multi-modal large language models (MLLMs) in massive data centers.

How Fresh Roasted Coffee Uses Data to Establish Brand Trust

As trust in marketing declines, retail brands are seeking new ways to establish trust with the customer base. For Fresh Roasted Coffee, a provider of premium, specialty-grade coffee, and tea from all over the world since 2009, authentic reviews from customers proved an effective source of brand love.

Fresh Roasted Coffee stands out because its strongest proof doesn’t come from brand claims — it comes from thousands of detailed customer reviews. Instead of leading with brand statements, they have relied on verified customer reviews that consistently highlight why people trust and return to Fresh Roasted Coffee.

Back by Popular Demand – CLMP™ Certification in Dubai – 10 – 12 February 2026!

The response has been overwhelming! Due to incredible demand from loyalty professionals across the region, QBF Consulting is hosting the next Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ (CLMP™) program in Dubai, so save the dates 10-12 February 2026.

Register now and secure your passport to Lifelong Learning! With Loyalty Academy Lifetime Membership, you are not just learning—you are staying ahead, always. This isn’t just a course—it’s an investment in YOU.

New India CLMP™ Workshop on Feb 12-13, 2026

Certified education partner Strategic Caravan will be hosting the India CLMP™ Loyalty Academy workshop in Delhi February 12-13. Early bird pricing is available through 13th January 2026.

Register here. This is a workshop designed and delivered by practitioners for practitioners, so expect a high level of interactive conversation, exercises, and group work. Give yourself a gift to start the new year and accelerate your career in customer loyalty and digital marketing.

KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026 Explains Next Steps in AI Rollout

The KPMG Global Tech Report 2026 says that 68% of organizations surveyed aim to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026, yet only 24% are there today. At least 88% are investing in building agentic AI into their systems.

Approximately 74% say their AI use cases are delivering business value, but only 24% achieve ROI across multiple use cases. About 90% plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year, yet 53% still lack the talent needed to bring their digital transformation plans to life. Read the report here.

International Loyalty Awards Update

The excitement for the International Loyalty Awards is building and you are invited to join the festivities in Atlanta on April 29-30, 2026. There has been an incredible range of submissions, showcasing loyalty programs and initiatives from across every continent.

2026 promises to be a landmark year for the loyalty community as Loyalty Connect Global expands to bring the world’s loyalty leaders together at major global hubs: Dubai and the United States.

New Loyalty Roles Available

Engage People has an opening for a Client Director, Client Success. Please visit this link to learn more and apply if interested.

Baesman is seeking to add a Strategic Manager, Loyalty. Read the job description and apply here.

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