Weather matched the enthusiasm as loyalty business gets together after covid break
An extremely prestigious roll-call of significant brands from across the world were celebrated this week at a glitzy black tie gala evening in London for the International Loyalty Awards.
Staged in person again after a three year break, the audience of loyalty decision makers applauded those companies that had used the covid pause to re-imagine their customer loyalty offerings or indeed to launch completely new ones.
International Loyalty Awards 2022 Gala Evening
With entertainment from a group of opera singers and comedian Patrick Monahan, the venue at Old Billingsgate on the bank of the River Thames was perfect for a night of celebration, endorsement and networking.
Double category winners were Red Bull Racing with Oracle for The Paddock; everest Bite Club and their ‘gamified customer engagement platform’; Piraeus Bank for ‘Yellow Rewards Program App’; Chipotle with SessionM for ‘Extras’ which won an individual category and the coveted regional award for The Americas; First National Bank with eBucks Marketing, for ‘eBucks Rewards’ which won an individual category and the Central and Eastern Europe Regional award and Vodafone and Mando Direct for a category and the Western Europe Individual award.
Personality of the Year for 2022 is David Ciancio who launched the Kroger Sooper card in the US, which still operates along the same lines today as when he began the project – against the orders of his management – in the early 1990s, albeit today with more sophisticated data analytics.
David said: “The work I have been doing is to help an organisation rediscover its customer roots, and to embark on a customer first transformation, to take them back to the basics of who they are and what the business is for. It is about crystallising promises. We changed the culture of Kroger, and moved it from a $51 billion business to a $110 billion business. To achieve this, everyone working for the company had to speak the customer first language.”
Following below is a list of the winners by category, together with the finalists, who CEO of the International Loyalty Awards Annich McIntosh said ought to be extremely proud of reaching this stage of the competition. “It was an extremely hard fought year, with an incredibly high standard of entry. Every finalist presented great work to make the final cut,” she said.
The Winner’s Edition of Loyalty Magazine with descriptions of all the winning entries together with judges’ comments is available to subscribers in printed form, and can be downloaded from the Loyalty Magazine website later this week.
International Loyalty Awards winners
Category: Loyalty Re-defined
WINNER:
Red Bull Racing with Oracle, for ‘The Paddock’
High Commendation … Countrywide with Customology for ‘InSeason Rewards’
Finalists:
Acel Energie with Promarsa Italia, for ‘EnergyCup’ …
Cheetah Digital’s, ‘Customer Engagement Suite’ …
Coniq, for ‘IQ Connect’ …
Countrywide with Customology’s, ‘InSeason Rewards’ …
GEMS Rewards from GEMS Education, for their ‘Multifaceted Cost Neutral Offering …
Lidl GB with Mando Connect, for ‘Lidl Plus’ …
MAF (Majid Al Futtaim) with BBD Perfect Storm, for ‘Share: Real Loyalty not Deal Loyalty’ …
Martini with Stampix, for ‘Martini discovers new channels’ …
Red Bull Racing with Oracle, for ‘The Paddock’ …
Tesco for ‘Tesco Clubcard’.
Category: Best Use of Gamification to Enhance Loyalty
WINNER:
Central Group and SessionM – ‘The 1’!
Finalists:
Arsenal Football Club, for ‘My Arsenal Rewards’ …
Central Group with SessionM, for ‘The 1’ …
Chipotle with SessionM, for ‘Extras’ …
Joyall, for ‘Play with your favourite brands’ …
Lidl Belgium with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads Minigarden’ …
Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads’ …
Piraeus Bank with Qivos, for ‘Decorating the digital Yellow Christmas tree’ …
Shell with Wunderman Thompson and Mando Connect, for ‘Shell Go+ Spin To Win’ …
Sleep Number with Oracle, for ‘InnerCircle Rewards’ …
and Tim Hortons with Bond Brand Loyalty, for ‘Roll Up To Win’.
Category: Best Customer Experience
WINNER:
everest Bite Club and their ‘gamified customer engagement platform’
High Commendation … Sleep Number with Oracle’s, ‘Inner Circle Rewards’
Finalists:
Albertsons with Brand Loyalty International, for ‘Be More Super (Marvel Micropopz)’ …
Essent with Touch Incentive, for ‘Thuisvoordeel (Home Benefit) Program’ …
everest Bite Club, for ‘A gamified customer engagement platform’ …
PepsiCo with Apex Loyalty, for ‘Pepsi Connect’ …
Sleep Number with Oracle, and ‘InnerCircle Rewards’ …
Standi with Brand Loyalty International, for ‘Your next hand-out doesn’t need hands!’ …
and Vattenfall with Doomvogel, for ‘Verder met Vattenfall (daily choices for fossil free living)’.
Category: Best Use of Technology – Sponsored by Cheetah Digital
WINNER:
First National Bank and eBucks Marketing’s ‘eBucks Rewards’
High Commendation … Lidl Belgium, with Magneds
Finalists:
Bofrost, for ‘bofrost plus delivery to your door’ …
Customology, for ‘Vector’ …
First National Bank with eBucks Marketing, for ‘eBucks Rewards’ …
GEMS Rewards from GEMS Education, ‘Points Share Conversion Through Blockchain Integration’ …
Honda with Akkado Loyalty, for ‘Honda Joy Club’ …
Lidl Belgium with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads Minigarden’ …
Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads’ …
Payback, for ‘The Payback App’ …
Red Bull Racing with Oracle, for their ‘Fan Experience Platform’ …
Standi with Brand Loyalty International, for ‘Your next hand-out doesn’t need hands!’.
Category: Best Use of Customer Analytics and Data
WINNER:
Domino’s Pizza Indonesia with Capillary Technology, and ‘The Domino’s Effect’!
Finalists:
Domino’s Pizza Indonesia with Capillary Technology, and ‘The Domino’s Effect’ …
Efes with Apex Loyalty, for ‘efesliyiz.biz’ …
Foxtel Group, for ‘Foxtel Rewards’ …
Iberia with IAG Loyalty, for ‘Iberia Plus’ …
Lakeland with Go Inspire Group, for ‘Driving business wide strategy and growth’ …
Shoprite Group of Companies, for ‘Checkers Xtra Saving’ …
Vodafone with Mando Connect, for ‘VeryMe Rewards’ …
VW Group with Merkle, for ‘The Customer Engagement Platform’.
Category: Best Loyalty Industry Innovation
WINNER:
Currency Alliance’s, ‘Scalable Partner Collaboration’
Finalists:
AISM (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association) with Promarsa Italia, for ‘piuAISM’ …
Barry’s with SessionM, for ‘The Academy Loyalty Program’ …
Currency Alliance’s, ‘Scalable Partner Collaboration’ …
Esselunga with Boost Group, for ‘Super Foodies 3’ …
Koç Holding, for ‘KoçAilem’ …
Loylogic, for ‘Pointspay’ …
QV Skincare (Ego Pharmaceuticals) with Stamp Loyalty Solutions, for ‘QV Rewards’ …
The Salling Group and ‘Salling Group Customers Skip the Queue with the Digital Refund’ …
Snipp Interactive’s, ‘Gambit Rewards’ …
Tesco, for ‘Tesco Clubcard’.
Category: Best Eco-Loyalty Initiative – Sponsored by Stream Loyalty
WINNER:
Greenchoice with Touch Incentive and ‘Samen Greenchoice’!
Finalists:
Aldi Belgium and Luxemburg with Boost Group, for ‘Be emoji Fresh’ …
Carrefour France with UNGA, for ‘Mange Comme Un Champion’ …
Co-op Switzerland with Boost Group, for ‘Abenteuer Bergwelt (Adventure Mountain World) in cooperation with WWF International’ …
Eneco with m-wise, for ‘Enecoins makes renewable energy rewarding’ …
Esselungo with Boost Group, for ‘Super Foodies 3’ …
Greenchoice with Touch Incentive, for ‘Samen Greenchoice’ …
Lidl Spain with UNGA, for ‘Mi Mini Lidl’ …
Sorgenia with Advice Group, for Greeners’ …
Two from Woolworths with UNGA, for ‘Discovery Gardens’ … and ‘Woolworths Bricks’.
Category: Best Use of Communications – including Social Media
WINNER:
Expedia Group’s, ‘Expedia The Check-In’
Finalists:
Acel Energie with Promarsa Italia’s, ‘Energy Cup’ …
Arsenal Football Club, for ‘My Arsenal Rewards’ …
Big City Promotions, for ‘Digitizing trade marketing in India’ …
Expedia Group, for ‘Expedia The Check-In’ …
Lakelandwith Go Inspire Group, for ‘Increasing ROI and retention with hyper-personalisation’ …
‘Let’s Talk Loyalty’ …
Piraeus Bank’s, ‘Yellow Rewards Program App’ …
Category: Best Loyalty Marketing Campaign of the Year – Sponsored by Session M, a Mastercard company
WINNER:
Nectar & Avios with IAG Loyalty, and ‘Collect Stories’
Finalists:
Aldi Belgium and Luxemburg with Boost Group, for ‘Be emoji Fresh’ …
British Airways American Express Cards with IAG Loyalty, for ‘Check out the World’ …
Co-op Switzerland with Boost Group, for ‘Abenteuer Bergwelt (Adventure Mountain World) in cooperation with WWF International’ …
Erajaya with Capillary Technology, for ‘ERA Club’ …
Ikea Retail Services’, ‘Open for Business’ …
Nectar & Avios with IAG Loyalty’s, ‘Collect Stories’ …
Piraeus Bank’s, ‘yellow Rewards Program App’ …
Renault with Touch Incentive, for ‘My Renault Winter Campaign’ …
Tesco, for ‘Tesco Clubcard’ …
Woolworths with UNGA, for ‘Woolworths Bricks’.
Category: Best Loyalty Programme of the Year – Food & Non-Food Retail
WINNER:
Lidl Plus – Lidl GB and Mando Connect
Finalists:
Co-op Switzerland and Boost Group, for ‘Abenteuer Bergwelt (Adventure Mountain World) in cooperation with WWF International’ …
Esselunga with Boost Group, for ‘Super Foodies 3’ …
Footlocker with Oracle, for FLX Rewards – Born to FLX’ …
Lidl GB with Mando Connect, for ‘Lidl Plus’ …
McDonald’s with SessionM, for ‘MyMcdonald’s Rewards’ …
‘Payback’ …
Pret A Manger with Eagle Eye Solutions, for ‘Pret Coffee Subscription’ …
The Salling Group with Cheetah Digital, for ‘The Salling Group’s Loyalty Program’ …
Shoprite Group of Companies, for ‘Checkers Xtra Saving’ …
Soul Origin with Customology, for ‘Soul Mates’.
Category: Best Loyalty Programme of the Year – Travel and Experiences
WINNER:
‘The Home of Champions’ from Red Bull Racing with Oracle
Finalists:
Adore Beauty, for ‘Adore Society’ …
Audi with Merkle, for ‘Audi Presents’ …
Everest Bite Club, for ‘A gamified customer engagement platform’ …
Hertz with Brierley, for ‘Elite from Day One’ …
LNER with Merkle, for ‘LNER Perks’ …
Pilot Company with Session M, for ‘myRewards Plus’ …
Red Bull Racing and Oracle, for ‘The Home of Champions’ …
and Virgin Red with Eagle Eye Solutions, for ‘Virgin Trains Ticketing’.
Category: Best Use of Mobile and Social
Winners: Joint winners are
… Lidl Belgium with Magneds for ‘The Fresh Heads Minigarden’ which launched the programme …. and Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, that has since gone on to enhance it!
Finalists:
Bulmers with Eagle Eye Solutions, for ‘A chatbot with a purpose’ …
Emirates National Oil Company with Comarch, for ‘Yes Rewards’ …
Honda with Akkado Loyalty, for ‘Honda Joy Club’ …
Lidl Belgium with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads Minigarden’ …
Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads’ …
and MOL Group with Annex Cloud, for ‘INA Loyalty Program’.
Category: Employee Loyalty Champions
WINNER:
Koç Holding for ‘KoçAilem’!
Finalists:
Dierbergs Markets with Oracle, for ‘Dierbergs Rewards’ …
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchinson’s, ‘Champions Club Program’ …
Koç Holding, for ‘KoçAilem’ …
Payback.
Category: Best Financial Services Loyalty Programme or Initiative sponsored by LoyLogic
WINNER:
Piraeus Bank’s ‘Yellow Rewards Program App’!
Finalists:
Al Futtaim Retail Group with the ENTERTAINER business, for ‘Blue Rewards’ …
Bilt with SessionM, for ‘Bilt Rewards’ …
British Airways American Express Cards with IAG Loyalty, for ‘Check out the World …
First Abu Dhabi Bank, for ‘FAB Rewards’ …
First National Bank with eBucks Marketing, for ‘eBucks Rewards’ …
Metlife, for ‘Metlife Benimle’ …
and Piraeus Bank, for their ‘Yellow Rewards program App’.
Category: Best Social CSR Initiative Linked to Loyalty
WINNER:
British Airways Executive Club with IAG Loyalty, for ‘Avios Thank You Appeal’
High Commendation … Greenchoice with Touch Incentive, for ‘Samen Greenchoice’
Finalists:
AISM (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association) with Promarsa Italia, for ‘piuAISM’ …
British Airways Executive Club with IAG Loyalty, for ‘Avios Thank You Appeal’ …
Checkers with UNGA, for ‘Little Garden’ …
Conad with Eulogy/tcc, for ‘Space Stories’ …
Co op Italy with Promotica, for ‘Color Your Table’ …
Elf Cosmetics with Oracle, for ‘Beauty Squad’ …
GEMS Rewards and GEMS Education, for ‘Helping to make school fees cost-neutral’ …
Greenchoice with Touch Incentive, for ‘Samen Greenchoice’ …
MAF with BBD Perfect Storm, for ‘XShare’ …
The Salling Group for ‘The Salling Group Food Waste Fighter’ …
Sporters Italia with Advice Group, for ‘Sporters’ …
and TOMS with Oracle, for ‘TOMS Rewards’.
Category: Best B2B Loyalty Programme
WINNER:
Piraeus Bank’s ‘yellow Rewards Programme’!
Finalists:
BigCity Promotions, for ‘Digitizing trade marketing in India’ …
BMW UK with Mando Connect, for ‘BMW Inside Edge’ …
Brakes with Appreciate Group, for ‘Help for Hospitality’ …
Countrywide with Customology, for ‘InSeason Rewards’ …
Dentsply Sirona with Stream Loyalty, for ‘DS Points Plus’ …
Ikea Retail Services, for ‘Ikea Business Network: Creating a better life at work’ …
Lenovo with Motivforce, for ‘Lenovo Elevate’ …
PepsiCo with Apex Loyalty, for ‘Pepsi Connect’ …
Piraeus Bank’s, ‘yellow Rewards Programme’ …
and XL Axiata with Comarch, for ‘Device Club’.
Category: Best Coupon or Voucher Based Loyalty Programme – Virtual or Paper
WINNER:
Lidl GB with Mando Connect, for ‘Lidl Plus’!
High Commendation … ‘Game Mania XP’! with M-Wise!
Finalists:
Albertson’s with Brand Loyalty International, for ‘Be More Super (Marvel Micropopz) …
Everest Bite Club, for ‘A gamified customer engagement platform’ …
Foxtel Group with Komo Audience Engagement Platform, for ‘Bake with Foxtel’ …
Game Mania with M-Wise, for ‘Game Mania XP’ …
Lidl GB with Mando Connect, for ‘Lidl Plus’ …
Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads’ …
Shell with Wunderman Thompson and Mando Connect, for ‘Shell Go+ Spin to Win’ …
Standi with Brand Loyalty International, for ‘Your next hand-out doesn’t need hands!’ …
and Woolworths with UNGA, for ‘Aussie Heroes’.
Category: Best Short Term Loyalty Initiative
WINNER:
Tim Hortons with Bond Brand Loyalty, for ‘Roll Up To Win’
Finalists:
Aldi Belgium and Luxemburg with Boost Group, for ‘Be emoji Fresh’ …
The Bathroom Showroom with Stream Loyalty, for ‘Spin to Win Showroom Rewards’ …
Esselunga with Boost Group, for ‘Super Foodies 3’ …
Lidl Belgium with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads Minigarden’ …
Lidl Slovakia with Magneds, for ‘The Fresh Heads’ …
New World with UNGA, for ‘New World Little Garden’ …
Shell with Wunderman Thompson & Mando Connect, for ‘Shell Go+ Spin To Win’ …
Shell US with Wunderman Thompson, for ‘More for Members’ …
Tim Hortons with Bond Brand Loyalty, for ‘Roll Up To Win’ …
Woolworths with UNGA, for ‘Aussie Heroes’.
Category: Best Long Term Loyalty Programme Sponsored by Comarch
WINNER:
Vodafone UK with Mando Connect and ‘VeryMe Rewards’!
Finalists:
Efes with Apex Loyalty, for ‘efesliyiz.biz’ …
GEMS Education, for ‘GEMS Rewards’ …
IBM with Motivforce, for ‘Know your IBM’ …
Lakeland with Go Inspire Group, for ‘myLakeland hyper-personalisation’ …
Sleep Number with Oracle, for ‘InnerCircle Rewards’ …
Nescafe with Loylogic, for ‘NESCAFE Dolce Gusto PREMIO’ …
Tendam with Motivait, for ‘Tendam’ …
Vodafone UK with Mando Connect, for ‘VeryMe Rewards’.
Category: Best Loyalty Launch or Initiative of 2020/2021 – (including pandemic heroes) Sponsored by Cheetah Digital
WINNER:
The Tractor Supply Company with Bond Brand Loyalty, and ‘Neighbour’s Club’
High Commendation … Ikea Business Network with Ikea Retail Services.
Finalists:
Bakers Delight with Cheetah Digital, for ‘Dough Getters’ …
Fleet Farm with Brierley, for ‘Fleet Rewards Program’ …
Ikea Business Network with Ikea Retail Services, for ‘Creating a better life at work’ …
Koç Holding, for ‘KoçAilem’ …
Pret A Manger with Eagle Eye Solutions, for ‘Pret Coffee Subscription’ …
Red Bull Racing with Oracle, for ‘The Paddock’ …
Sky Television New Zealand with Quantum Jump, for ‘Sky Rewards’ …
Shoprite Group of Companies, for ‘Checkers Xtra Saving’ …
Tractor Supply Company with Bond Brand Loyalty, for ‘Neighbour’s Club’ …
Virgin Red with Eagle Eye Solutions, for ‘Virgin Red’.
Regional Loyalty Champions of the Year – Sponsored by Oracle
(There is no direct route for entry into the regional awards and entrants across all categories are automatically considered for the regional awards. Each award has been won by the organisation or brand that showed how they have operated the most innovative and exciting loyalty programme within their region.)
Regional Champion of the Year – Western Europe
WINNER:
Vodafone UK with Mando Connect, for ‘VeryMe Rewards’
High Commendation … Piraeus Bank
Regional Champion of the Year – Central and Eastern Europe including Turkey
WINNER:
everest Bite Club!
Regional Champion of the Year – Middle East and Africa
WINNER:
First National Bank with eBucks Marketing, for ‘eBucks Rewards’
High Commendation … GEMS
Regional Loyalty Champions of the Year – Asia including Australia, New Zealand, the Indian sub-continent and all areas East
WINNER:
Honda with Akkado Loyalty and ‘Honda Joy Club’
High Commendations … Domino’s Pizza Indonesia with Capillary Technology
and BigCity Promotions
Regional Loyalty Champions of the Year – The Americas (including Alaska, Canada, North Central and South America and the surrounding islands and territories)
WINNER:
Chipotle with Session M, for ‘Extras’.
30 Under 40 List of Loyalty Royalty Sponsored by SessionM – a Mastercard company
From GEMS Education, Head of Loyalty and Strategic Partnerships … Ershad Ahmed
From Everest Group of Companies, Group Loyalty Manager, Goody’s … Stefi Anarousou
From Vodafone and VeryMe Rewards … Product Owner – Loyalty … Katherine Antrobus
From Bond Brand Loyalty, Executive VP, Design & Experience Management, Morana Bakula …
From Tenerity … Chief Digital Officer … Rachel Bicking …
From London North Eastern Railway (LNER) …
Customer Loyalty Marketing … Lucy Crosland …
From Mando-Connect … Senior Partnership & Insight Manager … James Davies …
From Dunnhumby … Head of Booker … Samir Domah …
From Vodafone VeryMe for Mando Connect … Senior Account Director … Isobel Finlayson …
From Qiibee … CEO … Gabriele Giancola …
From Mastercard … Director of Partnerships EMEA, Loyalty Platforms & Solutions … Ewa Gugalka …
From Lidl UK … Digital Executive Consultant … Tina Hansom …
From DAZN … Head of Loyalty … Nicki Helfet …
From Mastercard … Marketing Manager … Boris Helleman…
From Rexall Pharmacy Group … VP of Loyalty, CRM and Analytics … Carolyn Hynds …
From First Abu Dhabi Bank, UAE … AVP, Loyalty & Partnerships … Manisha Khiani …
From Stream Loyalty … Loyalty Account Director … Alice Kitchener …
From BMW Group UK … Digital Retail Marketing & Projects Manager … Dan Knight …
From HMI Performance Incentives … Director Strategic Solutions … Brian McHugh …
From Barry’s … VP of Strategy and Business Development … Steve Padis …
From Hilton … Interim Director – Loyalty, Europe, Middle East & Africa … Oliver Ross …
Ffrom Status Match … Founder and CEO … Mark Ross Smith …
From Bond Brand Loyalty … Executive VP Analytics & Technology … Francis Silva …
From Oracle CrowdTwist … Consumer Engagement & Loyalty Advisor … Bruno Sousa …
From MOL Group … Head of Group eCommerce … András Szõcs…
From Stamp Loyalty Solutions … Head of Marketing … Michaela Ward …
From Tesco … Head of Loyalty Strategy … Emily Wells …
From dunnhumby … Head of Market, Ireland … Katy Winter …
From BrandLoyalty … Head of Commercial Analytics and Planning … Willy Wolf.
