The Loyalty Newswire from The Wise Marketer
This edition covers: Albertsons, Alviere, American Express, askpolly, Atmos™ Rewards, Braze, CLMP™, Collette, ebbo, Ellipsis & Company, Fatburger, Fireblocks, Hilton, Imprint, Kochava, Liferay, Meta, Mickey’s, OpenAI, Patron Points, Perigold, QBF Consulting, Quad, Reddit, Retail MediaX, Salesforce, Visa, Waymo
FROM THE EDITOR
Points are getting easier to spend and harder to ignore this week, as hotel, grocery and airline programs push rewards deeper into everyday transactions.
- Hilton becomes the first major hotel brand to let Hilton Honors members apply Points to their bill through a fully digital checkout. Pay with Points was built in direct response to member feedback, and it turns points into a payment option at the moment it matters most.
- Albertsons delivers a double announcement. The new Albertsons forU™ American Express® Card, launched with Imprint, earns rewards on groceries at more than 2,200 stores plus gas, dining and utilities. Alongside it, the $39-a-year Albertsons for U+ subscription bundles free same-day delivery, Flash pickup and points that don’t expire.
- Atmos™ Rewards extends into everyday banking with a feature-packed debit card powered by Alviere, arriving in January 2027. With more than half of new status members coming from Gen Z, a debit option opens the program to travelers who may not want another credit card.
- Salesforce agrees to acquire Braze for approximately $5.66 billion, pairing real-time customer engagement with Marketing Cloud and Data 360.
- CLMP™ momentum continues, with refreshed on-demand courses and a QBF Consulting workshop in Dubai on 16-18 November.
Dig in for the full stories below, including new programs from Collette, Fatburger, Mickey’s, Perigold and Waymo, plus Short Takes on Visa’s talks to buy Fireblocks and more.
Bill Hanifin, Managing Editor — The Wise Marketer
SHORT TAKES
- [AU] Market leader Ellipsis & Company seeking Manager, Loyalty Consulting
- [Global] OpenAI Says AI Found One Of The Biggest Web Weaknesses Ever
- [Global] OPINION: Do Meta’s Smart Glasses Belong at Events?
- [Global] Kochava adds enterprise controls to StationOne to help marketers rein in AI costs
- [US] Visa in talks to buy Fireblocks for about $2.5B
- [US] Does Reddit belong in your PR strategy?
- [US] Liferay releases 2026 Website Localization Report
BRAND HIGHLIGHTS
Hilton Becomes First Major Hotel Brand to Offer Digital Solution to Pay with Points
Hilton launched Pay with Points, becoming the first major hotel brand to give members the opportunity to use loyalty Points toward their bill through a fully digital check out experience. Pay with Points was created in direct response to Hilton Honors member feedback.
Enabled by Hilton’s customized technology platform, Pay with Points is the latest example of how the company is bringing differentiated digital experiences to members faster and at scale, giving them greater flexibility and control throughout their journey.
Albertsons Companies® Introduces New Albertsons forU™ American Express® Card
Albertsons® Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI), American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Imprint today announced the launch of the Albertsons forU™ American Express® Card, giving customers more ways to earn rewards on their everyday purchases. Available now, the new credit card lets customers earn rewards on groceries at more than 2,200 Albertsons Cos. stores, as well as on gas, dining, utilities and more, with access to American Express Network benefits.
Albertsons Introduces Albertsons for U+™ Subscription Loyalty Program
In addition to the launch of the new Albertsons forU™ American Express® Card, the grocer announced Albertsons for U+, a new, $39/year subscription program designed to help customers save time and money on grocery delivery and pickup.
Among the benefits, U+ members receive unlimited free same-day delivery on orders over $30, a $2 upgrade to Flash delivery with groceries arriving in as soon as 30 minutes (a $9.95 per-order value), free Flash pickup in as soon as 30 minutes (a $3.95 value), and loyalty points that don’t expire.
Atmos™ Rewards expands with premium experiences and a new debit card offering
Atmos Rewards is introducing innovations giving members customizable ways to earn points, status and extra perks based on their unique travel styles. New Atmos Rewards card and bank products will create more ways to earn and engage, including a feature-packed debit card that extends the program into everyday banking.
New lifestyle partners will give Atmos Rewards members access to aspirational experiences and offers while supporting Alaska Air Group's global expansion strategy and premium product offering
Collette Launches Tiered Loyalty Program for Travel Advisors
Collette is starting a loyalty program for travel advisors that ranks each advisor by the qualifying traveler revenue they book with the tour company and gives more benefits at each step up, with earnings and benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
The Travel Advisor Loyalty Program has four tiers—Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Advisors move to a higher one each time their Collette revenue crosses the next threshold. The program is open only in North America.
Fatburger Launches First-Ever Loyalty Program, Fatburger Rewards
Fatburger, the Hollywood-favorite brand known for its made-to-order burgers and owned by OHG Brands, has officially launched its first-ever loyalty program, Fatburger Rewards.
“At Fatburger, we believe a great burger is worth coming back for, and now, it’s worth getting rewarded for too,” said Jessica DePrizio, Senior Director of Marketing for Fatburger.
Mickey's Relaunches Its Loyalty Program on the Patron Points Platform
Mickey's, the Ohio-based convenience store chain known for its friendly moose mascot and 42 neighborhood locations, announced the relaunch of its customer loyalty program on the Patron Points platform.
The transition moves Mickey's off its previous provider and gives its "Herd" a stronger, more personalized rewards experience across every store. "Switching loyalty providers is never something you take lightly, especially when your guests are used to earning every day," said Dan Coles, President and CEO at Mickey's.
Perigold, online luxury home furnishings retailer, division of Wayfair, Launches Perigold Insider
Perigold, the destination for luxury home, announced the launch of Perigold Insider, a loyalty program offering 10% back in rewards on eligible purchases.
The launch comes amid continued strength in luxury spending and as Perigold builds significant momentum, growing more than 35% in the second quarter of 2026.
Waymo launches transit rewards program in San Francisco Bay Area
Waymo announced its transit rewards program, a first-of-its-kind initiative rewarding riders with Waymo Cash when they connect their Waymo rides with public transit and use their Visa card. The program starts with employee access before gradually rolling out to the public in the coming weeks.
Waymo is offering $2.85 in ride credits to passengers combining its autonomous ride-hailing service with public transport. The initiative covers 27 transit agencies accepting contactless Visa payments in the Bay Area.
INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Alviere Powers New Atmos Rewards Debit Card, coming January 2027
As part of the announcement above, where Alaska Air Group announced the new phase of the Atmos™ Rewards program, it was revealed that the new debit card will be powered by Alviere.
Atmos™ Rewards active membership is growing at roughly 4X, with average member age below 40. More than half of new status members are Gen Z, underscoring the program’s appeal with the next generation of travelers.
Salesforce Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Braze
Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Braze (NASDAQ: BRZE), a leading customer engagement platform, for approximately $5.66 billion in enterprise value. Under the terms of the agreement, holders of Braze Class A common stock will receive $47.50 in cash per share.
Patrick Stokes, President, Applications and Marketing, Salesforce, said “Every interaction is an opportunity to wow your customers. Most of that wow comes from knowing your customer and responding at just the right moment. Braze was built to turn live customer behavior into personalized engagement at scale. Bringing that capability together with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, CRM, and Data 360 will deliver that wow moment in every customer interaction.”
Loyalty Management Spending Hits $17.38 Billion as Platform Costs Surge
Global spending on retail loyalty management tools reached an estimated 17.38 billion dollars this year, up from 5.5 billion dollars in 2020, even as operational expenses rose by more than 200 percent.
While frequent shoppers spend 12 to 18 percent more than average store visitors, analysis from Korn Ferry highlights mounting fatigue as retailers face steep technology costs that complicate returns on complex app-based reward systems.
Loyalty program software for UK brands: 10 platforms compared
Picking loyalty software used to mean choosing a points widget. For UK brands that sell online, in shops and through stockists, the choice now turns on less visible details: how the invoice grows with orders, customers or sites, and whether points follow the customer to the till and into a phone wallet.
The 10 loyalty program software platforms appearing in this article are compared on those practical points, with prices taken from each vendor’s website.
Retail MediaX Lands in New York on November 12
Retail media is moving fast, and the questions are getting bigger. After two sell-out years in Europe, the first U.S. edition of Retail MediaX is coming soon to provide answers to those tough questions.
This event brings the people working through those challenges together for one focused day. Hear from leaders at Google, DoorDash, Kroger Precision Marketing, Mars, LVMH, Estée Lauder, Danone and more. The event is free to attend for brands, retailers and CPG.
TRENDS
75% of Americans think a simpler relationship with technology is a lifestyle upgrade
Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, and The Harris Poll released " Return of Touch: The Human Advantage," a new study examining how digital fatigue is prompting Americans to rebalance their digital lives—and how that shift is reshaping the way marketers can reach consumers.
The latest survey of more than 2,000 Americans details how Gen Z and other generations want more tactile, real-life experiences and human craft from the brands they encounter.
Goodbye, Pushy Salesperson: askpolly Data Signals the Era of Product-Led Sales In-Store
Shoppers are no longer being sold to in stores, they are being sold by the store itself. A new askpolly study of 223,000+ shopper engagements reported on social media from a randomized, controlled sample finds demos, kiosks and smart store layout are doing the selling, and shoppers barely mention sales staff at all.
When askpolly tested "Expert advice from knowledgeable staff" as a message, it generated no conversation at all. Product demonstrations, by contrast, were a clear winner: once off-topic news coverage was removed, every US shopper conversation about in-store demos was positive, led by excitement over Nintendo Switch 2 demo kiosks and memories of Meijer's in-store play area.
LOYALTY ACADEMY ANNOUNCES UPDATED CLMP™ COURSES
The Loyalty Academy has refreshed its CLMP™ courses, with online, in-person and mobile learning options, so you can earn the credential on your own schedule and at your own pace. The on-demand CLMP™ Program delivers 14 rebuilt courses in a mobile-first format, built by practitioners and backed by academic rigor, not borrowed ideas. Ten years in, the industry’s first loyalty certification still sets the standard. Start your learning journey today at loyaltyacademy.org/clmp-on-demand/
CLMP™ TRAINING SPOTLIGHT — DUBAI
New CLMP™ Workshop Announced in Dubai on 16-18 November
QBF Consulting, a certified training partner with The Loyalty Academy, is bringing the Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ (CLMP™) workshop to Dubai on November 16-18. The credential program equips practitioners to design and lead customer loyalty strategies across B2C and B2B markets. The three-day, in-person session delivers the full CLMP™ curriculum.
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