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 retrenched on its program update, floated during December, as franchisee pressure forced the elimination of the “Buy3, Get 1 Free” sub offer.

We also share a list of business buzzwords that people voted “most hated.” You’ll be surprised at some of the words on the list and might have to dig deep into your thesaurus before your next big meeting.

Tune in for one or both of the webinars we offer this week and next:

March 5 – Wise Marketer Research tackles The Loyalty Illusion: What American Consumers Reveal About the Gap Between Being a Member and Being Committed
March 10 – Fan engagement in professional sports is the topic in a discussion featuring NASCAR and Churchill Downs/Twin Spires, sponsored by Capillary.

If you are searching for a new opportunity, check availability below. If you have a job to post, send us your information.

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

Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer

Short Takes

GAP Launces ENCORE, a New Loyalty Program for Lovers of Fashion and Entertainment

Gap Inc. (NYSE: GAP) announced the launch of Encore, a new membership program that creates new ways for customers to connect with its iconic brands—Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta. Gap Inc.’s rebranded loyalty program is among one of the largest programs in U.S. apparel retail, with a house file of nearly 40 million active members across its brands.

Encore will continue to offer clear, intentional savings that complement everyday value. Points, rewards, and benefits remain simple and easy to use, while higher tiers unlock enhanced value over time, rewarding both engagement and long-term relationships. But Encore members will also begin to receive early access to select products and exclusive drops, and access to brand moments and partner offerings across fashion, entertainment and culture. Full press release here.

Love’s unveils major loyalty program upgrade

Love’s Travel Stops announced a significantly enhanced Love’s Rewards loyalty program, expanding value for all drivers on fuel and in-store purchases across its nationwide network of 608 travel stops and 62 country stores. To celebrate the launch of the updated program, all members, regardless of when they joined, will get 100 bonus points on their first in-store scan with Love’s Rewards.

“Love’s Rewards is a reimagining of how loyalty is rewarded on the road,” said Patrick McLean, chief marketing officer at Love’s. “Drivers today expect more than a place to stop – they expect value and consistency wherever the road takes them. Our goal is to be the first stop drivers think of and the one they choose every time. Love’s Rewards now sets the standard for loyalty in the travel stop category.”

The Loyalty Illusion: New Research from Wise Marketer [Webinar]

WMG’s latest Wiser Research U.S. consumer study — insights from 2,000+ shoppers active in loyalty and rewards programs across Home Improvement and Convenience & Fuel retail – discovered a Loyalty Illusion where 98% of consumers express loyalty to brands but only 1 in every 3 actually mean it.

Join Bill Hanifin on March 5, 1pm ET as he sits down with Aaron Dauphinee in this webinar to unpack what American consumers reveal about the gap between being a member and being committed. Together, they’ll explore why membership numbers can be misleading, what’s driving customer defection, and the strategies separating programs people ignore from programs people love.

CAVA Surprises Loyalty Members with Secret Membership Tier

When Cava rolled out its new rewards program four months ago, the $9.7 billion Mediterranean fast-casual chain kept repeating a word in the announcement: surprise. With the launch of its revamped loyalty program Cava introduced three different tiers—Sea, Sand, and Sun, allowing customers to earn points on purchases and unlock different annual status levels.

Now, users on the r/Cava subreddit are chattering about a secret invite-only tier, “Oasis”. One Reddit user explained Oasis was a secret invite-only tier. Another said they earned the status after eating at Cava once or twice a week, writing, “I’m assuming my spending habits are why I was invited.”

CITGO Upgrades Its Loyalty Program with New Mobile Pay Feature

Responding to evolving consumer preferences for digital, flexible, and loyalty-driven payment solutions, CITGO® Petroleum Corporation is launching its latest mobile payment method: CITGO PlusPAY™.

With CITGO PlusPAY, customers can manage the entire payment process right from their phone: linking their bank account within the Club CITGO app, completing payments directly debited from their bank account, receiving loyalty rewards and viewing transactions. The all-in-one mobile payment experience delivers convenience and extra savings at their fingertips.

DoorDash Ads Launches Interest & Retailer Targeting for CPG Brands

DoorDash Ads announced a series of new capabilities for CPG advertisers, including a new Interest Targeting solution powered by DoorDash’s unique restaurant ordering data, the expansion of Retailer Targeting in Sponsored Products, and self-serve category share reporting.

Together, these features offer deeper insights across the consumer journey and greater control over how advertisers can plan, activate, and optimize on DoorDash. “Retail media is evolving quickly, and advertisers need solutions that deliver meaningful signals and measurable impact,” said Katie Daleo, GM of CPG Ads at DoorDash.

Discover the New Frontier of Fan Engagement with NASCAR & Twin Spires [Webinar]

Fan Engagement is a hot topic. And while many major league sports organizations are only just now catching up to the digital economy, NASCAR and Twin Spires have been leading the way and exhibiting success in their respective markets for years. Register here for this event on March 10, 1pm ET.

This webinar, sponsored by Capillary Technologies, features Donald Baal, owner of Fan Rewards at NASCAR, Darin Zoccali, Director of Loyalty & Retention at TwinSpires | Churchill Downs Incorporated, and Dena Escobedo, SVP Customer Success at Capillary in a conversation that will open your eyes to the future of fan engagement.

BInfinite Loyalty Relaunches with Support from Xamble Group, 7-Eleven and Commerce Asia

BInfinite (Malaysia, formerly BCard), a lifestyle loyalty program established in 2010 under BLoyalty Sdn Bhd, has officially relaunched with a renewed strategy to toward becoming a digital loyalty platform that unifies rewards, business and technology ecosystem designed to support businesses of all sizes.

The refreshed strategy follows recent investment and strategic alignment with Xamble, 7-Eleven and Commerce.Asia to expand BInfinite’s merchant offerings, technology stack, and growing members base. BInfinite’s shareholders have collectively invested to accelerate digital innovation, expand merchant capabilities, and power a smarter, more connected loyalty ecosystem across Malaysia.

Reddit Fined $20M by UK Information Commissioner’s Office for Unlawful Use of Children’s Data

The UK watchdog group found the social media platform illegally used children’s personal information and put them at risk of exposure to inappropriate and harmful content. The ICO alleged Reddit did not have proper age verification systems, which led to the unlawful use of children’s data by the company.

“Children under 13 had their personal information collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to, or control,” UK’s Information Commissioner John Edwards said. “That left them potentially exposed to content they should not have seen.”

Subway Drops Free Sub Offer, Appeasing Franchisees while Angering Loyal Customers

Subway is eliminating its popular “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” footlong sub promotion from its Sub Club loyalty program, effective April 1, 2026, just months after the program’s relaunch. The change, driven by franchisee pressure, replaces the stamp system with a points-based program, following complaints that the free sub deal was too generous.

We reported on the introduction of this new loyalty program feature together with initial feedback from franchisees here. If you took advantage of our Loyalty Academy course on Loyalty Financial Planning, you can learn how to avoid ill-advised loyalty program features that cause customer angst.

Member Loyalty Group Retains William Mills Agency for Public Relations, Marketing Services

William Mills Agency, the nation’s leading fintech public relations and marketing firm, has been selected by Member Loyalty Group (MLG), a provider of member experience analytics and strategic support exclusively for credit unions, to provide public relations and marketing services in support of the company’s ongoing growth and market presence.

Member Loyalty Group works with more than 200 credit unions nationwide, helping them turn member feedback into actionable insights that drive loyalty, growth and stronger financial performance.

WPP abandons holding company model in major strategic overhaul

WPP CEO Cindy Rose has unveiled a $676 million annual cost-cutting plan to get the business back on track, reorganizing it around four AI-backed divisions: WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production, and WPP Enterprise Solutions.

On a call with journalists ahead of the network’s annual investor presentation, Rose declared WPP was “no longer a holding company.”

The Unilever CEO Has a New Marketing Doctrine, and It Is Completely Wrong

“The times of big corporate big brand messages are gone,” Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez told investors at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference last week. That’s a strange message from the CEO of a company that just reported investing 16% of revenue on brand and marketing in 2025. On revenues of $60 billion, that is roughly $9 billion.

As author Mark Ritson points out here, brand growth comes primarily from reaching buyers who don’t currently buy you—the light and nonbuyers—not from deepening engagement with fans who already love you. He says “creators are brilliant at the latter. They are considerably less good at the former.” Read the entire take here in this debate on the future of advertising.

Attention Consultants: Here are the Buzzwords Businesspeople Like Least

The WSL asked some thought leaders (WSJ readers) about the corporate jargon they “hate the most.” The list was long and unfortunately, you will see that most of use the majority of words on the list on nearly a daily basis.

Among the terms they lashed out at, with explanations of they are so offensive are Bandwidth, Change Agent, Circle Back, Decision Tree, Decisioning, Deep Dive, Growth Mindset, Hardstop, Lean In, Leverage, and Pivot. Read the entire list 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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