Welcome back to the Wise Marketer! 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!
- Squarespace users can now create loyalty and rewards programs using Offerwhere's platform
- Lululemon announces plan to launch two-tiered membership program later this year
- In partnership with Bread Financial, Caesars Entertainment enhances Caesars Rewards Visa card
- After a two-year hiatus, in-person Loyalty Marketing events return to India
- Apple accused of breaking EU law by unfairly limiting third-party access to NFC payment technology on iPhones
- Softpay partners with Amadis to provide merchants with more flexibility, future proofing capabilities, and lower costs
- Australian research study, For Love or MoneyTM 2022, reveals 70% of loyalty program members take full advantage of rewards and benefits
- CNET's rebrand highlights future investments while promoting the brand's expansion beyond tech
- Through its telehealth provider, MeMD, Walmart Health announces rollout of virtual diabetes program
LOYALTY
Offerwhere launches loyalty program product for Squarespace
Highlight: Squarespace users have longed wanted a way to reward their customers for purchasing on their Squarespace website by giving loyalty points. Offerwhere extends Squarespace with its flexible yet affordable platform. With Offerwhere for Commerce, customers who shop on a Squarespace website can now collect loyalty points when they pay for a product or service. When they have enough loyalty points, customers can exchange their loyalty points with a discount code that they can use on the Squarespace website.
Lululemon to Launch Loyalty Program Offering Workout Classes, Other Perks
Highlight: Canadian apparel retailer Lululemon plans to seek growth in the next few years through the establishment of a membership plan, the company announced in a letter this week (April 20) about various initiatives. “Building on strong guest interest in, and the learnings from its pilot membership program, as well as the company’s vision to create a new path for connected fitness, lululemon will launch a new, two-tiered membership program later this year,” the letter states. “The intent of the program is to build stronger engagement with its brand, community, and products, to create the most immersive fitness marketplace in the industry.”
Caesars Entertainment Expands Caesars Rewards® Visa® Program; Members Can Now Earn Their Way To Higher Tier Status With Every Purchase
Highlight: For the first time, new and existing Caesars Rewards members will earn not just Reward Credits but also have the opportunity to raise their Tier Status with every purchase made using their Caesars Rewards Visa card. "Caesars Rewards is the largest loyalty program in the industry, and we continue to challenge ourselves to find new ways to reward our members and help get them the best offers and rewards in the business," said Josh Jones, Chief Marketing Officer of Caesars Entertainment. "We are thrilled that, with the help of our partner Bread Financial, our Caesars Rewards members now have even more opportunities to unlock the experiences and service that only Caesars Rewards can provide."
EVENTS
Loyalty Marketing in-person events returning to India!
Highlight: The 15th Edition of The Customer FEST Show is scheduled physically in-person on 11th – 12th May 2022 at JW Marriott, Mumbai. This is a 2-day event which will have 2 parallel tracks and a gala awards ceremony on day 1 in the evening. Close to 100+ speakers would contribute over 2 days of keynotes, curated panels, leadership conversations and deep dives.
Highlight: The Loyalty Academy will be holding its Inaugural Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ workshop in Mumbai on 28-30 June 2022 at the Taj Lands’ End. Sponsored by Epsilon and hosted by Strategic Caravan, the workshop will enable delegates to earn their full credentials as a CLMP™! Details available here.
PAYMENTS
EU to Accuse Apple of Unfairly Blocking Third-Party Access to NFC Payment Technology on iPhone
Highlight: According to the report, Apple will be accused of "unfairly blocking groups such as PayPal and leading banks from accessing its mobile wallet system" by the European Union and could face heavy penalties if the accusation moves forward. In specific, the EU is taking issue with Apple's restriction of NFC technology on the iPhone, which Apple does not allow third-party app developers to access. By limiting access to the NFC chip, services such as PayPal, Venmo, banks, and other financial providers, are unable to provide a similar experience to that of Apple Pay for iPhone users... The new development from the EU comes as Apple faces increasing pressure to open its iPhone to third-party app stores and possibly make iMessage a cross-platform messaging service.
Softpay.io Partners with Amadis for Tap-to-Pay Rollout
Highlight: Amadis, a leading payment software and consulting provider, today announced a partnership agreement with Softpay.io to provide its Universal EMV Level 2 Framework & pre-certified Kernels for integration into Softpay’s new Tap-to-Pay service. Softpay’s revolutionary Tap-to-Pay service can be downloaded into any Android device and turn into a full payment card acceptance terminal. Softpay’s solution provides merchants with greater flexibility and future proofing capabilities, while lowering costs and creating new revenue opportunities... “Softpay’s Tap-to-Pay service provides innovative new experiences to retail, transportation and the QSR industries, and our Amadis One software framework helps them bring products to market faster,” said Emmanuel Haydont, CEO and co-founder, Amadis. “Amadis One commoditizes complex payment processes, freeing up resources for merchants to innovate, accelerating time to market and reducing costs, while enhancing the customer experience.”
RESEARCH
Australian Customer Loyalty Research Finds Members Make the Most of Their Rewards and Benefits
Highlight: Results from the 10th edition of the annual Australian customer loyalty and loyalty program research study, For Love or Money 2022TM, reveals 70% of Australian loyalty program members are taking advantage of most rewards and benefits their programs offer. This is a significant increase since it was first researched in 2016 when only 54% indicated they were taking advantage of most of their rewards and benefits. Commissioned in the first quarter of 2022 by customer loyalty consultancy – The Point of Loyalty, For Love or MoneyTM 2022 also reveals how brands who invest in loyalty programs also benefit. Report author and CEO of The Point of Loyalty, Adam Posner said “With increasing inflation and economic uncertainty, it’s not surprising members are more engaged with programs they know and trust to earn more savings and rewards.”
RETAIL
CNET Rebrands and Invests for the Future
Highlight: CNET, the world’s leading technology media brand for more than 25 years, today announced a rebrand that features a new identity and site design, among other design evolutions and content features that accelerate the brand in its continued expansion beyond tech... “The needs of our audience will always be our north star,” says Lindsey Turrentine, EVP Content Strategy at CNET. “This brand evolution is the culmination of years of work toward what we’ve always aspired to do: help our audiences navigate a rapidly changing world in ways that specifically make their lives better no matter where they connect with CNET.”
Walmart Health rolls out virtual diabetes program as retail giant moves deeper into treating chronic conditions
Highlight: Walmart's telehealth provider, MeMD, is rolling out the virtual diabetes program as a standalone service or as part of a comprehensive medical and behavioral telehealth program for enterprise customers and health plans. The retail giant collaborated with the American Diabetes Association on the virtual program, which was developed to help employees and members close gaps in diabetes management through early intervention, Walmart Health executives said. “Our aim is to empower patients with the most up-to-date diabetes education and clinical care so they can take control of their health. Our program focuses on a patient’s physical and mental health, which also helps employers maintain healthier workforces and drive down overall healthcare costs," said John Wigneswaran, M.D., Walmart’s chief medical officer, in a statement.
Did you miss the previous newswire? Stay informed: Loyalty Newswire – April 25th, 2022
The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.
