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The Loyalty Newswire - February 11, 2019

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on February 11, 2019

This week, research is pointing us into some unexpected directions, artificial intelligence is the thing everyone is talking about, managing GDPR is a lot harder than it looked last year, and ... an invitation.  Here is what we’re following in loyalty news:

RESEARCH

83% Of Consumers Believe Personalized Ads Are Morally Wrong

Wait – isn’t personalization supposed to be the savior of all marketing?  This is a good, quick read and it presents a case for marketers to be more circumspect rather than blindly chasing the holy grail of personalization.

Brand Keys 2019 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index Identifies Secret to Lasting Loyalty

The venerable brand research consultancy has released its 2019 study listing out the top brands as ranked according to several engagement and affinity markers.  Brand Keys surveyed more than 51,000 people (not a small undertaking) for this year’s study and has identified several emerging trends and up-and-coming brands.

Brand Loyalty in 2019: What Companies Need to Know

Wikibuy surveyed 5,000 people about how they view brand loyalty, including what keeps them loyal to brands and what would make them switch loyalties.  Although a modest-sized sample, the findings do provide some insight into consumer mindsets and motivations.

AI

8 Ways Artificial Intelligence Is Revolutionizing Retail

Within the first 20 minutes at this year’s NRF Big Show in New York, it became clear that if you’re not talking about artificial intelligence and machine learning, then you may as well not be talking at all.  PC Magazine did a splendid job of re-capping some of the more interesting applications of AI there.

McCormick Uses Artificial Intelligence to Develop New Flavors

McCormick boasts that it’s a perfectly positioned for using AI. “We have more than 40 years of documented data, sensory and taste data, in our system,” according to McCormick’s chief science officer Hamed Faridi. They teamed up with IBM to create 3 new flavors that will be hitting store shelves “soon”.

Food Delivery Apps Bet Big on Artificial Intelligence to Boost Delivery in India

AI to deliver personalized discovery experiences for consumers.  AI for time-based demand prediction models to help restaurants plan ahead.  And the (fascinating) list goes on.  As we mentioned above, if you’re not talking about AI right now then you may as well not be talking.

BRANDS

Why Target is focusing its mobile strategy on a single app

Last week Target announced a major restructuring of its loyalty strategy (which we covered here).  This week we take a few minutes to consider their tactics, and their seemingly odd decision to point everything to their app.

Starbucks doubles its loyalty program customers in India in two years

This quick note to let you know that the coffee loyalty juggernaut is a genuine international phenomenon.

DATA

Report: Over 59,000 GDPR data breach notifications, but only 91 fines

For the record, we’ve been wondering how this would play out.  Also for the record, in principle, we at The Wise Marketer are pro-data-responsibility.  But with the sweeping GDPR mandate, how in the world could regulators possibly keep up?

The true impact of loyalty card fraud

Unlike bank accounts and credit cards, many people don’t check their loyalty points balances regularly. The situation presents an opportunity ripe for fraud.  This short piece outlines some of the business reasons why companies need to pay attention to loyalty fraud.  For real, actionable insights and help, please visit our colleagues at the Loyalty Fraud Prevention Association.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Atlasglobal and Loylogic Announce a Strategic Partnership for Akruu

Speaking of colleagues, our friends at LoyLogic have been busy assembling one of the great deals of early 2019. Akruu, Loylogic's state-of-the-art, collection portal, offers Atlasmiles members more diversified ways to collect miles online. 

Points for People Awarded for Best Use of CSR Initiative at 12th Customer Loyalty Awards

“Since its inception, Points for People has empowered 130 million members across (India) to donate loyalty and rewards points towards social causes like Education of the Girl Child, Water and Sanitation, Livelihood, adding Cancer Care to its platform.” Congratulations on a well-deserved win.

EVENTS

The Wise Marketer presents the fourth Loyalty Academy Conference

This year’s theme, “Winning with Customers by Making Changes that Matter” boils down the flood of change occurring in the world of customer loyalty, into a sharp focus on the most important and impactful topics we need to be addressing right now. It’s a unique event within this space (ask anyone who has attended previously) and its designed to build dialogue and bridges between loyalty practitioners and the organizations that support them.  You can find conference and registration information here.

The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.