This Week's News
You’re in a hurry on a time-starved Monday. We understand, so we’ll keep it brisk today. Here is this week’s Newswire from The Wise Marketer. It’s packed with news sourced from around the world, and we hope it makes your day a bit easier to start the week.
Stay. Loyal. Always.
- Brazilian Coalition Dotz launches payment-fueled superapp Parcela
- Brazilian instant payment system Pix experiencing rapid growth
- New CRMC Webinar - Revolutionizing Rewards: The Currency of Customer Loyalty
- Comarch Drives Redesign of Nedbank’s Loyalty Program, Greenbacks
- How J.C. Penney’s loyalty program could be the next step in its $1B turnaround plan
- Plusgrade and Royal Jordanian Airlines Announce Expanded Partnership
- Mi Rewards Loyalty Programme Relaunches with Focus on Exclusive Offers from Local Businesses
- Target Circle offers an example of how Retail Media Networks can mesh with customer loyalty
- Givex continues to deliver value to restaurants across North America
- Prelude and Loyal partner to improve the health and longevity of canines
- UK grocer Morrisons launches new loyalty program feature
- What does the cashless future mean to you?
- Do you know what a Social Gaming Casino is? Here’s the scoop
- How Brands Can Leverage Social Connections to Demonstrate Authenticity
Brazilian Coalition Dotz launches payment-fueled superapp Parcela
Dotz Brazil is the one of the most highly seasoned and successful coalition loyalty programs in the world. The group has gone public in Brazilian markets and in 2021, Alibaba’s fintech arm Ant Group reportedly signed an agreement to buy a 5% stake in Dotz. At that time, total active membership was reported to be about 20 million.
Dotz just announced a new product which blends elements of the program ecosystem, Coalition loyalty, a superapp and fintech. As you can see in the video here, consumers can now make purchases, choose to pay in installments, and earn Dotz points all in the same seamless transaction. This development is a testament to how loyalty can become much more than a promotional program. In this case, Dotz is offering a product that helps consumers manage their budgets and lives more easily. We’ll have more on this new product but have a look at this video for now.
Brazilian instant payment system Pix experiencing rapid growth
Pix is Brazil's instant payment (IP) system, which allows users to send and receive payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) created Pix in 2019 and it became fully operational in 2020. Pix is free for individuals and low cost for businesses. Pix offers a variety of features, including instant transfers, full funds availability, a convenience and simple user experience, and a multi-solution framework for payments and transfers.
So far, results for the new service are impressive with more than 152 million users reported in March 2024, up from 138 million. 15.4 million companies had signed on and were using the service, up from 12.6 million last year. Pix transactions outpaced debit and credit transactions by about 23% as noted by sites such as Reuters. About 60% of Pix transactions were made by consumers less than 40 years old.
New CRMC Webinar - Revolutionizing Rewards: The Currency of Customer Loyalty
The latest in the CRMC/Wise Marketer webinar series is only two weeks away and there is still time to register. On Wednesday May 1 at 1pm ET, Barbara Ann Hagen, Vice President, Sales, and Marketing, ThriftBooks and Bill Schneider, Vice President of Product Marketing, SheerID will be covering the topic Revolutionizing Rewards: The Currency of Customer Loyalty.
ThriftBooks transformed the focus of its ReadingRewards program from discount-driven to a rich, community-focused loyalty initiative, with these key learning points covered in the discussion:
- Understanding the emotions impacting customer loyalty
- The power of marketing to communities for deep emotional connections
- Effective data attributes for personalization
Don’t miss this enjoyable conversation. You can register here.
Comarch Drives Redesign of Nedbank’s Loyalty Program, Greenbacks
Comarch, a global provider of advanced IT systems and services, announced enhancements to the Greenbacks program at South African Nedbank. The update introduces an expanded list of objectives and rewards for Nedbank's customers. The long-term relationship between Comarch and Nedbank was credited for allowing Greenbacks to transform itself into the new 2.0 version.
According to Dharmesh Bhana, Executive, Loyalty and Rewards at Nedbank, “It’s the first time Nedbank rewards clients in one place for a wide range of better money choices. Clients are rewarded for saving, banking safely and conveniently on our App, staying up to date on credit products, paying safely on your Nedbank card. For the first time at Nedbank, in one place, what’s good for your financial health, is good for your rewards.”
How J.C. Penney’s loyalty program could be the next step in its $1B turnaround plan
In mid-April, JCPenney announced the launch of its new JCPenney Rewards and Credit Program, a free loyalty program that offers a simpler, even more compelling experience with the potential to deliver half a billion dollars back into the pockets of America’s diverse working families. Read the press release here.
Last year, JCPenney announced a $1 billion reinvestment plan to further improve customer experience and operational efficiencies. Now, with more than 20 million Rewards Members that consistently shop at JCPenney an average five times per year, JCPenney will ensure all customers feel rewarded through its ongoing commitment to making every dollar and every trip count. The retailer also enhanced its credit card program, with improved earning power.
Plusgrade and Royal Jordanian Airlines Announce Expanded Partnership
Plusgrade, a global leader powering ancillary revenue solutions for the travel industry, announced an expanded partnership with Royal Jordanian Airlines, a leading flagship carrier in the Middle East. Read the official press release here. Plusgrade's loyalty business unit, Points, will now power the Buy, Gift and Elite loyalty solutions for Royal Club members, expediting their progress toward reward goals and increasing flexibility in miles redemption.
The collaboration enhances Royal Club offerings and gives members the ability to fast-track their way to premier travel experiences. The "Buy Miles" feature allows members to accelerate their progress toward reward goals through an immediate lump-sum purchase of miles. "Gift Miles" enables members to share the joy of travel and premium experiences by giving rewards to family and friends. The "Elite" feature gives members the ability to attain, maintain or upgrade their status by conveniently purchasing the required tier miles, unlocking a suite of exclusive benefits.
Mi Rewards Loyalty Programme Relaunches with Focus on Exclusive Offers from Local Businesses
The Mi Rewards loyalty programme is set to relaunch in 5 UK towns and cities following a major update, as part of a mission to drive local and loyal shopping. A first of its kind loyalty platform, the updated Mi Rewards sees local offers take center stage. Users earn points for shopping locally, which they can spend on exclusive offers from local businesses.
The loyalty platform is powered by Perth based fintech Miconex alongside loyalty solution firm Stampfeet. A key feature of the Mi Rewards programme is that it works through users’ regular payment cards, awarding points as the cards are used with registered businesses in the town or city. Billed as ‘the frequent shopper loyalty programme,’ the Mi Rewards initiative will also allow users to earn badges as they shop, levelling up to ‘Local Hero’ status.
Target Circle offers an example of how Retail Media Networks can mesh with customer loyalty
The Target Circle program has been evolving to create an impactful shopping experience for Target guests. Target Circle contributes to a sustainable bottom line through retention, higher spend, and enhanced data, with Target Circle members spending 5x more and driving nearly 5x more shopping trips than non-members in 2023, according to internal Target data.
Roundel is Target’s retail media network (RMN) and says Brands who lean into Target Circle offers can see 2-3x ROI, helping brands unlock more sustained tangible results for advertisers. In one campaign with Chobani, Roundel delivered content that resonated with shoppers, driving 184% year-over-year growth in return on ad spend and 161% year-over-year growth in incremental sales, according to 2023 Roundel and Chobani campaign data. Read the story here.
Givex continues to deliver value to restaurants across North America
In this podcast, Networld Media Group Editor Mandy Detwiler chats with Don Smith, director of business development for Givex North America, about the state of the restaurant industry and what's affecting it today. Givex is a best-in-class POS solution and services a number of high-profile brands.
Online ordering has grown since the pandemic, and Smith said it has been a "seesaw battle" for many operators. Ordering sites take a great percentage of online orders, up to 30% for Uber Eats, Skip (a Canadian delivery service) and GrubHub. Listen to the podcast and learn how Givex's clients are working to try to regain some of that margin.
Prelude and Loyal partner to improve the health and longevity of canines
Loyal, the San Francisco-based company dedicated to improving the health and longevity of dogs, and Prelude, the leading animal health-focused electronic data capture (EDC) system for clinical research, have announced a strategic partnership. The partnership was established with the core mission of providing an eClinical technology partner to advance the development of groundbreaking solutions that align with Loyal's commitment to extending the lives of dogs. Read the full press release here.
UK grocer Morrisons launches new loyalty program feature
Supermarket giant Morrisons competes in a highly competitive UK grocery market, bumping up against Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Lidl, and Aldi. To stay on top of the heap, Morrisons is rewarding customers who've shopped with them 'in the last 12 months' by testing a new loyalty program feature "My Points Boosters".
The initiative offers hyper-personalised challenges to customers, leveraging AI to tailor these based on individual shopping habits. Shoppers can choose up to 10 preferred brands from a custom list and earn loyalty points by hitting specific spending targets within a certain period.
What does the cashless future mean to you?
There seems to be an unrelenting shift towards a cashless society. It may be more a matter of “when” we fully transform away from traditional cash transactions to digital payments than “if” it will happen. The impact of this shift will reshape the economic and social landscape of communities worldwide.
The implications of a digital-first economy touches on every aspect of our daily lives, impacting convenience, security, and inclusivity. There are many voicing concerns over privacy, equity, and an unbalanced reliance on technology, yet the trend seems like it has unstoppable momentum. This article explores the implications of a cashless world and offers insights into the reality of an increasingly digital world.
Do you know what a Social Gaming Casino is? Here’s the scoop
Social casino games are free-to-play gambling-like games found on social networking sites. Popular examples include Doubledown Casino, Slotomania, Zynga Poker and myVegas Slots. According to Statista, the global social casino gaming market was worth around $6.2 billion in 2020. The market has experienced tremendous growth over the past three years.
Social casinos deliver a value proposition for visitors that blends community engagement, entertainment, and social interaction. Unlike a conventional online casino, social casinos don’t offer real-money wagering, instead preferring to give their players virtual currencies to play industry-leading slots and table games. To sustain the long-term interest and loyalty of players, social casinos have become creative in their use of rewards and incentives. Most offer generous bonuses, daily rewards, and are exploring loyalty programs to keep users coming back for more. You can learn all about it here.
How Brands Can Leverage Social Connections to Demonstrate Authenticity
Brand marketing has consistently employed the same approaches for decades. But driving product awareness and appeal and encouraging consumer adoption requires new methods post-pandemic. For brands to connect with end users and build meaningful relationships, marketing is increasingly taking place on social media.
“Since the pandemic began, roughly half of adults have been using social media more than they were before the pandemic, with younger generations spending the most time on social platforms,” said Chris Costello, senior director of marketing research at digital advertising platform Kenshoo. Footwear brands of all sizes have explored marketing through social media giants Facebook and Instagram and you can read more here about how DSW is trialing approaches in these channels.
