Welcome back to the Wise Marketer! That is, if you've been here before! Each week, our team of editors curate a list of the latest customer loyalty, technology, and other relevant marketing news. Our goal is to make it simple for busy professionals to quickly digest important industry news and trending topics. Show your support by joining our mailing list to gain access to exclusive content, events, promotions, and more. Or simply enjoy today's newswire!
- DFI Retail Group's yuu Rewards partners with Shell Hong Kong to expand its network
- Alibaba's 88VIP membership program targets active members with new, exclusive services
- PepsiCo aims to reinforce brand loyalty with new sustainable packaging
- Walmart, followed by H-E-B, rank highest in retail customer loyalty according to InMarket's latest report
- Last call to submit entries to the International Loyalty Awards 2022
- Apple's U.S. launch of Tap to Pay enables business merchants to accept payments via iPhone
- French privacy watchdog CNIL claims current measures aren't sufficient to exclude U.S. intelligence services from accessing website data
- Co-branded frequent flier programs prove their value throughout the pandemic
LOYALTY PROGRAM NEWS
yuu Rewards partners with Shell HK to beef up loyalty network
Highlight: DFI Retail Group's yuu Rewards is beefing up on its incentives for members by offering points every time they fuel up at any of the 41 stations across Hong Kong… Yuu Rewards was rolled out in 2020 to allow consumers to enjoy promotions all in one app, in a bid to enhance competitiveness and retain consumers. According to CEO of yuu Rewards Danni Peirce, yuu now has over 3.9 million members and it is excited to be expanding the network with a world-renowned partner. Meanwhile, Shell Hong Kong's GM of mobility, Emily Leung, said “this partnership delivers an exciting experience in which customers will be able to earn yuu Points and redeem for amazing rewards, making every journey count.”
Alibaba’s Loyalty Program Rewards Its Most-Active Members With Exclusive Services
Highlight: The acronym VIP is self explanatory, while in Chinese the number 8 is believed to be the luckiest of all numerals due to a phonetic coincidence in which it is pronounced, and sounds similar, to the traditional Mandarin character meaning 'well-off' or 'becoming rich in a short time'. And so the chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba is taking no chances with its 88VIP members-only subscription offering, making it in concept, name, and practice an exclusive and rewarding offering. Similar to Amazon Prime in effect, but more comprehensive with its available benefits, the premium 88VIP membership program rewards Alibaba’s most loyal customers across its owned subsidiaries Taobao and Tmall with elevated services like free same-day delivery and 5% off every purchase.
RETAIL NEWS
PepsiCo’s ingredients and packaging innovations may reinforce brand loyalty despite price hikes, says GlobalData
Highlight: “In light of recent economic uncertainty, a third (32%)* of global consumers are feeling that financial pressure. PepsiCo is relying on brand loyalty in spite of price rises, but it will be interesting to see whether consumers decide to opt for more cost-effective alternatives or remain devoted to that PepsiCo taste.” “The company’s packaging and ingredient innovations present a silver lining. During Q4, PepsiCo partnered with Pulplex, creating a prototype for the world’s first 100% recyclable paper bottle – strengthening an already extensive sustainable portfolio.”
Walmart, H-E-B stand out in retail customer loyalty
Highlight: Walmart led all retailers by far in customer loyalty to close out 2021, despite strong showing by other big-box operators and supermarket chains, according to consumer intelligence and marketing specialist InMarket. For the fourth quarter, Walmart garnered a shopper loyalty score of 5.68, well ahead of its closest big-box competitor Meijer at 3.58 and above supermarket loyalty leader H-E-B at 4.63, Austin, Texas-based InMarket said in its Insights Q4 2021 Consumer Loyalty Report, released Monday.
EVENTS
[Last Call] Entries to the International Loyalty Awards 2022 Close Today
Highlight: The Loyalty Magazine Awards has rebranded for 2022 as the International Loyalty Awards in recognition of its global scope and stature as the most influential awards event in the customer loyalty industry. The International Loyalty Awards celebrate the world’s most innovative and memorable loyalty initiatives from across six continents. The awards recognise brands that are building lasting and profitable customer relationships and bring together the global leaders of loyalty, to celebrate innovation, creativity, and sheer brilliance. The Wise Marketer is a media partner for this event and Managing Editor Bill Hanifin will be participating as a judge for the competition. Entries are open and we encourage submissions as quickly as possible, submitted here. The closing date for entries is today, 14 February 2022!
PAYMENTS NEWS
Apple Introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone for Businesses
Highlight: Apple has announced the launch of Tap to Pay in the US, a new capability that will enable millions of merchants and vendors in the North American market to use their iPhones to accept Apple Pay and contactless credit and debit cards from leading payment networks, including American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa… According to reports, no additional hardware or payment terminal is needed to initiate the service, which enables instant, seamless, and secure payment transactions.
DATA & PRIVACY NEWS
French watchdog says Google Analytics poses data privacy risks
Highlight: Google Analytics, the world's most widely used web analytics service developed by Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), risks giving U.S. intelligence services access to French website users' data, France's watchdog CNIL said on Thursday. In a decision targeting an unnamed French website manager, the data privacy regulator -- one of the most vocal and influential in Europe -- said the U.S. tech giant hadn't taken sufficient measures to guarantee data privacy rights under European Union regulation when data was transferred between Europe and the United States. “These (measures) are not sufficient to exclude the accessibility of this data to U.S. intelligence services,” the regulator said in a statement.
TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY NEWS
Airlines Find New Ways to Leverage Loyalty Programs for a Post-Pandemic Era
Highlight: The pandemic caused an economic disaster for the airline industry, which has lost an estimated $200 billion. The sector’s few beneficiaries included its cargo operations and its loyalty programs. Cargo had a stellar year in 2021, with demand up 19 percent compared to the previous year, the International Air Traffic Association said recently. Similarly, the three global U.S. airlines lauded the performance of their loyalty programs on their January earnings calls. Now, United may raise capital by selling part of its loyalty program while bankrupt Aeromexico bought back its loyalty program for $405 million. “One thing that has strongly survived the pandemic is the airlines’ ability to generate cash from co-brand programs,” said Jay Sorensen, president of Milwaukee-based IdeaWorks, a travel brand consultant.
Did you miss the previous newswire? Stay informed: Loyalty Newswire – February 7th, 2022
The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.
