The Loyalty NewswireApril 07, 2025

Global News Roundup from The Wise Marketer

From the Editor

Last summer I had the fortunate opportunity to be in London, UK and to go with a friend to Dishoom. She, of course, raved on about the food and the experience but I actually knew of the Indian restaurant chain from listening to well-known advertising executive, Rory Sutherland.

What I like about Rory is that he basis his perspectives often from human psychology and behavior and I had watched a video of Rory talking about how they adjusted the mechanics of a loyalty offer to drive incremental behavior based on the idea of chance – Dishoom’s mysterious matka.

The game mechanic is simple, at the end of each meal their most regular customers have a key chain, given to them by Dishoom, that allows them to roll a dice. If they pay for their meal before 6pm Monday through Thursday and if they roll a six then you get their meal for free. Driving behavior to off-peak days and off-peak hours, but also improving upon spend because of the ‘perhaps’ I’ll get it all for free mindset.

I mention this because of an article in Marketing Week that I came across this week, which references Dishoom but goes on to offer insights into how uncertain rewards impacts price sensitivity (or willingness to pay). A good reminder of the role of behavioral science in what we do.

Stay. Loyal. Always.

Chief Marketing Officer, Wise Marketer Group

Global News Roundup

Shell Acquires Fuel Rewards Loyalty Program

Equilon Enterprises LLC dba Shell Oil Products US is acquiring the Fuel Rewards loyalty program from PDI Technologies and Excentus Corp. The transaction will allow Shell to continue to develop the U.S. nationally recognized program to deliver future enhancements and value to wholesalers and members, the company said.

Barbara Stoyko, senior vice president, Shell Mobility & Convenience Americas, said “After the transaction is completed, we will continue developing the Fuel Rewards program to meet the changing expectations of our customers and further align it with the needs of our business in a competitive market.”

EastWest and Puregold launch co-branded Credit Card aimed at everyday Filipino shoppers

EastWest Banking Corporation, led by the Gotianun family, has partnered with Lucio Co’s Puregold Price Club Inc. to launch the EastWest Puregold Always Panalo Visa Credit Card—a co-branded credit card designed to reward grocery shoppers, especially those from lower to middle income brackets.

“This card is a collaboration between EastWest and Puregold that delivers practical, real-world benefits,” said EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo. “It turns regular grocery runs into opportunities to earn cash rebates, helping cardholders stretch their budgets while enjoying the ease of cashless payments.”

Casey’s Celebrates Four Decades of Its Pizza Program

Casey’s General Stores Inc. is celebrating 40 years of its pizza program by letting Casey’s Rewards members purchase a Mega Slice in-store for just 40 cents or get 40% off any whole pizza using the promo code “BIRTHDAY.”

The deals are available April 3, four decades after the convenience store retailer first introduced its now-famous pizza. Today, Casey’s is fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.

PAR Technology, announced its 6th annual Punchh Customer Awards

The awards recognize restaurants that have created loyalty programs that actually work in today’s tough economy. Winning highlights include:

Church’s Texas Chicken attracted nearly 620,000 members in just months with digital experiences that go beyond basic points
Bar Louie drove more visits with creative campaigns like their Burger Challenge and App-vent Calendar that focus on experiences, not just transactions
Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill used customer behavior data to deliver targeted offers that make sense for budget-conscious diners

The full press release can be found here.

[Infographic] Grocery Shoppers are Rethinking Healthy Food Choices

According to recent Consumer Digest research from 84.51°, the retail data science, insights, and media company helping Kroger and its partners create customer-centric shopper journeys, shoppers are increasingly prioritizing healthier food choices—yet they still face several challenges in balancing nutrition with value. This shift in consumer behavior is creating valuable opportunities for brands to connect with health-conscious shoppers in meaningful ways.

This infographic shows how shoppers are rethinking their food choices, identifying both the hurdles they face and the strategies they’re using to make healthier decisions. For example: 41% of shoppers describe their current eating habits as healthy, but many are still struggling with challenges such as cravings for unhealthy foods (69%), the cost of healthy foods (49%), and time (45%)—all of which can make sticking to a healthy eating plan difficult.

KPMG Shares Top Insights into How to Improve Customer Experience

This compilation of articles and insights from KPMG will get you on solid ground as you rethink how to improve your customer experience in 2025. Here is a sampling of the resources you can find at this link:

4 strategies to close the technology adoption gap for a successful future in sales
Redefining customer experience: The power of empathy, AI, and employee experience
5 steps to optimize your customer data

HBR Research: How Retailers Respond When Brands Start Selling Direct

A new Harvard Business Review study analyzed the product orders placed by nearly 2,000 multi-brand retailers in the U.K. and France before and after a partner brand launched direct sales channels. On average, retailers decreased their orders by 19% and paid about 21% more after the entry compared to the period before the launch.

But not all retailers responded the same way: the larger and more powerful the retailer, the less likely they were to retaliate against the brand. The researchers offer suggestions for brands looking to maintain relationships with both small and large retailers, noting that partnerships of all sizes can add up to significant portions of brand profits. Read the full story here.

Emplifi Releases New Report on Drivers of Customer Loyalty in Social Channels

The leading customer engagement platform Emplifi just released its latest report, The Social Pulse: State of Consumer-Brand Engagement on Social Media in 2025, revealing what’s driving (and killing) brand loyalty on social media today. The data is a wake-up call for brands navigating the new realities of loyalty and social commerce.

The bottom line: Consumers are demanding more from brands on social media and patience is wearing thin. According to the report:

Social media users most commonly turn to a brand’s Facebook (55%) and Instagram (47%)
70% of consumers will abandon a brand after just two negative experiences
Half of frequent social media users have made a purchase via social in the past 90 days
64% follow brands for deals, while 32% expect brands to respond via DM within an hour

Please Subscribe to our “Wise and Weekly” Newsletter, published each Friday