Here’s what we’re following in loyalty news: Scene rewards members now have access to NBA experiences, Tim Horton's announces point-based program, Merkle launches Loyalty Solutions division, Shell and Dunkin announce "Sip Dunkin, Save at Shell" partnership, Grand Reserves Rewards expands catalog for wine lovers, Chiptole Q4 Earnings Call highlights loyalty program, Digital payments platform Sezzle accumulates one million members, Ant Financial (Alipay) funds Cornavirus aid via blockchain app, Uber's former CEO unveils 3D-printed hotel start-up, 'Ghost kitchens' utilizing empty retail spaces, and Delta contemplates a major change as it continues to break the mold.
LOYALTY PROGRAM NEWS:
The NBA Taps SCENE as Official Entertainment Loyalty Partner in Canada
Quotable: “This multi-year partnership marks the first entertainment loyalty partner for the league in Canada and expands the scope of SCENE's rewards program portfolio beyond entertainment and lifestyle and into sports, providing cross-marketing opportunities between the two brands. SCENE's more than 10 million members will have access to the most robust NBA sweepstakes ever offered in Canada, including premium prizing and once-in-a-lifetime experiences at marquee NBA events around the world.”
Tim Hortons® Announces Exciting New Features on Fast-Growing Loyalty Program
Quotable: “The new Tims Rewards provides even more benefits for registered members. Members who have a digital card or link their physical card through the app or online will be able to unlock exclusive benefits, starting with a special promotion to earn 2x the points from February 26 to March 18, 2020 ...”
Merkle Launches Promotion and Loyalty Solutions Division, Expanding Its Foothold in Loyalty Marketing
Quotable: “With the launch of this new division, Merkle has expanded its engagement capabilities and can now incorporate Human Loyalty® solutions to deepen consumer relationships and drive business results. This spectrum of solutions, including digital promotions, gamification, engagement hubs, and loyalty programs, deepens brand-consumer relationships to elicit emotion, generate data, and reward consumer behavior.”
Shell and Dunkin’ Announce Partnership and Loyalty Promotion Through Fuel Rewards ® Program
Quotable: “The “Sip Dunkin’, Save at Shell” partnership allows Fuel Rewards® members with Gold Status and DD Perks® Rewards Program members to save 10 cents per gallon every time they purchase five beverages at a Dunkin’ location.”
Wine Lovers Embrace Breakthrough Loyalty Program's Generous Reward Opportunities
Quotable: “Grand Reserve Rewards is working with a number of diverse wine industry organizations, relationships that promise to continue to enhance the program and present exciting new opportunities to members. These include Priority Wine Pass, which offers wine tasting deals in Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, Washington, and other world-class wine regions ...”
Chipotle Highlights Loyalty on (CMG) Q4 2019 Earnings Call Transcript
Quotable: “Personalization and engagement are the cornerstones of our revolving loyalty strategy. We are encouraged by the early signs of transaction increases across all frequency bands. We expect this lever to become a bigger driver in the future as we gain more experience gathering customer insight while continuing to expand our digital ecosystem.”
PAYMENTS NEWS:
Sezzle reaches 1 million customers for 'buy now, pay later'
Quotable: “The company allows users to extend online payments into four, interest-free payments over six weeks. The company reached 500,000 customers just in August 2019 and recently announced reaching 10,000 merchant partners ... “Today is a day for celebration, not only for our company, but for our merchants, who now have a direct path to accessing a vibrant community of over one million savvy shoppers who know how to unlock the value of their purchasing power,” Charlie Youakim, co-founder and CEO at Sezzle, said in a company release.”
Coronavirus: Ant Financial funds financial aid via blockchain app, government promotes mobile payments
Quotable: “On Thursday, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued directions on how to control the Coronavirus at work. One of the recommendations was to encourage card and mobile payments. At the same time, Ant Financial the owner of Alipay has a blockchain-based mutual aid platform Xiang Hu Bao which provides health payouts for 100 types of critical illnesses. Ant Financial has added the Coronavirus, and will cover this illness out of its own funds, according to the South China Morning Post.”
HOSPITALITY NEWS:
Uber’s former CEO Travis Kalanick finances 3D-printed hotel start-up
Quotable: “Habitas aimed to be a Club Med for millennials offering all-inclusive holidays. With rooms costing USD200-USD400 a night, Habitas is pitched between traditional hostels and five-star hotels, aimed at millennial tourists looking for a social holiday rather than a “fancy lobby”.”
RETAIL NEWS:
‘Ghost kitchens’ are popping up in malls amid retail's decline
Quotable: “Brick-and-mortar retail’s decline has hollowed out malls across the U.S. and put store chains like Toys ‘R’ Us and Sears (SHLD) out of business. But it’s not all doom and gloom: The downward trend has spurred a phenomenon, dubbed “ghost kitchens,” in which new kitchens find a home empty mall spaces. Built by property developers, these kitchens exist only to make food for delivery and could provide a boost to companies like Uber with its UberEats service and Grubhub.”
AIRLINE NEWS:
Delta Is Contemplating a Truly Significant Change That Could Leave United and American Gasping
Quotable: “What does it mean, though, when you set yourself up as a consumer brand? You have to look carefully at every single contact you have with your customer. Delta, for example, thought very hard and decided to go against the trend and insert more seatback TVs in its planes, rather than rip them all out -- as United and American are doing.”
The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.
