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The Loyalty Newswire
November 14, 2024

  • By: Wise Marketer Staff
  • Posted on November 14, 2024

This week's Customer Loyalty and Digital Marketing News

From the Editor

Enjoy this roundup of global news in Loyalty Marketing, CRM and Digital Customer Marketing.

  • The announcement of new partnerships between technology providers headlines the news this week as well as a continued slate of acquisitions in Convenience and Fuel Retail.
  • We also report metrics on the rapid adoption rates of mobile ordering in QSR and how Mobile Apps can positively impact the Customer Experience.
  • Finally, there is news in the sports and “fandom” sector with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets announcing a new fan loyalty program as well as a new key partnership between LoyaltyMatch and Official Community Partner.

To leverage your reading time:

Global News Roundup

NBA Charlotte Hornets Launch Buzz City Rewards In Partnership With CrowdPlay And Fanatics

The Charlotte Hornets, in partnership with CrowdPlay and Fanatics, announced its first-ever fan loyalty program, Buzz City Rewards. The fan-focused loyalty program is designed to enhance the overall fan experience and reward year-round engagement. Hornets Sports & Entertainment President of Business Operations Shelly Cayette-Weston said “This program not only recognizes and rewards fan loyalty, but it also enhances the overall experience, whether they're at the game or engaging from home. This is yet another way in which we are elevating our fan experience."

Fans can earn points through various interactions, including attending games, spending at concessions and the fan shop, participating in team contests, reading articles, watching videos, and daily check-ins, as well as other activities. These points can be redeemed for exclusive rewards such as tickets, autographed memorabilia, official team merchandise, and unique experiences, giving fans more reasons to stay connected with the Hornets.

LoyaltyMatch and Official Community Partner Redefine Fan Engagement and Loyalty in Music and Entertainment Industries

LoyaltyMatch Inc., a leader in loyalty rewards and engagement platforms, announced a strategic partnership with Official Community, the premier fan engagement and artist-branded e-commerce platform for the music, sports, and entertainment sectors. This collaboration will empower artists, athletes, and entertainment brands to engage fans more deeply, fostering lasting loyalty through tailored rewards and incentives.

From the press release; LoyaltyMatch and Official Community are uniquely positioned to lead the evolution of loyalty and engagement in the entertainment industry. Both companies share a commitment to enhancing fan experiences and generating new revenue streams, and together, they aim to help artists and entertainers deepen their fan connections while rewarding their most loyal supporters.

Casey's Completes Largest Acquisition to Date

Casey’s is a Fortune 500 company operating approximately 2,900 convenience stores. Founded more than 50 years ago, the company has grown to become the third-largest convenience store retailer and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.

Last week, Casey’s announced the closing of the previously announced acquisition of Fikes Wholesale, owner of CEFCO Convenience Stores. The acquisition will bring 148 additional stores to Texas, a strategic market for Casey’s, as well as 50 stores in the southern states of Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. This acquisition brings the total store count to approximately 2,900 stores. Press Release here.

Pace of Acquisitions in US Convenience Retail Sector could Match 2024 Activity

Last week, we reported that Convenience Retailer EnMarket is being acquired by Nouria. The acquisition effectively doubles the size of Nouria and gives it location coverage across most of the US East Coast. The announcement of Casey’s acquisition of CEFCO stores helps bring that chain to over 2,900 stores.

Couche-Tard Executives continue their pursuit of 7-Eleven's Parent Company, commenting in a recent article that their reported $47 billion offer should make it through both the financing process and antitrust regulatory hurdles in the United States needed to close the deal.

The pace of these acquisition announcements means the Top 100 Convenience Store list in the US needs monthly updating as the changes build on these top acquisitions in 2023:

  • Maverik acquired Iowa-based Kum & Go, acquiring over 400 c-stores. Combined, the company has over 800 units across 20 states in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region, making Maverik one of the ten largest convenience retailers by store count.
  • Atlanta-based RaceTrac signed a definitive agreement to acquire Gulf Oil LLC, acquiring the Gulf Oil brand in the United States and Puerto Rico, all Gulf-branded distributor and license agreements comprising approximately 1,100 branded sites.
  • BP agreed to acquire TravelCenters of America, the nationwide operator and franchisor of the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express travel center brands, for roughly $1.3 billion.
  • Casey’s added 63 stores to its count from the EG Group. The agreement includes stores in Tennessee and Kentucky that operate under the Minit Mart and Certified Oil brands.

Wise Marketer Group Announces Launch of Advisory & Research Services Offering in 2025

Wise Marketer Group (WMG) announced that in 2025 it will operate three core lines of business with the formalization of an Advisory and Research services offering. WMG has been providing data-driven advisory solutions to the loyalty and customer experience market for a number of years, but previously within the product structure of its The Wise Marketer™ and Loyalty Academy™ brands.

“We are extending our unique role as a trusted advisor to the industry,” offered Bill Hanifin, WMG’s CEO, “There is a need by both brands and marketing services providers for unbiased points-of-view coupled with market insights to drive meaningful impact on all aspects of either their business or the loyalty programs that they operate – ranging from market or product positioning; market entry and go-to-market strategy; sales-readiness and support; mergers and acquisition validation; research findings published without a sales halo; and even more.”

Starbucks Celebrates Veterans Day

Veterans Day in the US was November 11, 2024 and Starbucks was showing full support of the veteran community, offering a free tall (12-oz) brewed coffee (hot or iced) for Veterans, military service members and military spouses at all U.S. Starbucks stores. Additionally, Starbucks was donating $200,000 shared evenly to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project.

Since 2013, Starbucks has hired more than 40,000 Veterans and military spouses and continues to provide support to nonprofits serving the military community including the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project. Starbucks was recognized as a as a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Employer and named to Newsweek’s inaugural list of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Veterans.

Flower Child Partnership with Thanx Transforms Loyalty Program Results

Flower Child’s partnership with Thanx has transformed its loyalty program, aligning with their mission to support a healthy, active lifestyle. As part of Fox Restaurant Concepts, Flower Child aimed to engage current customers while connecting with health-conscious diners across the country and the results are stunning.

Since launching with Thanx, Flower Child has seen the following stats:

  • 350% Active Membership Growth
  • 210,000 Enrollments in 90 Days 
  • 1,600+ Sign-Ups per Location Each Month

CMO COUNCIL Enters Into Strategic Partnership with Wise Marketer Group

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council announced a strategic partnership with The Wise Marketer Group that will provide members and audiences with many exciting benefits, including access to expanded content, education programs, and exclusive cost-saving opportunities. The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, established in 2001, is a peer-powered network of more than 16,000 chief marketing executives in 10,000 companies across 120 countries.

CMO Council founder and CEO, Donovan Neale May, says that the partnership with Wise Marketer, given the alignment of both organizations, is going to benefit both members and content consumers alike. “The CMO Council is constantly looking to share, extend and build upon its unmatched marketing intellectual capital and resources and this collaborative partnership will open up a wide new expanse of opportunities for marketers looking to level-up. We are very excited about the new benefits our community will have access to from our expanded partnership.”

Red Robin Reports Improved Results and Credits Revamped Loyalty Program

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. updated its Royalty program in May and executives reported in August that the changes led loyal guests to increase visits. The Colorado based casual dining brand has now reported continued improvement in traffic, again crediting changes to its loyalty program.

G.J. Hart, Red Robin’s president and CEO,  commented on the impact of the loyalty program, saying  “We are signing up more loyalty members. They are visiting more frequently and spending more on each visit” continuing “Loyalty 2.0 is a major factor in how we design our value promotions and marketing strategy as well … We know that when guests sign up for loyalty, they value their ability to immediately earn points and score us consistently higher on value, service and quality.”

Entry to the International Loyalty Awards is OPEN

The 14th Annual International Loyalty Awards are officially underway. This year’s event features an expanded program with fantastic new categories like Global Loyalty Program of the Year, SME Categories, Industry-Specific Categories, and Best Global Strategic Partnership.

ILA has added over 25 new judges to the panel, adding even more depth, expertise, and diversity to the process. The Wise Marketer is a media partner with ILA and both Bill Hanifin and Aaron Dauphinee will be serving as judges. You can find full details on categories and entry criteria here.

PepperJax Grill Customizes Digital Guest Experience with Paytronix Loyalty and Mobile App

PepperJax Grill has a powerful new loyalty program that’s already delivering rewards and experiences that their guests love” said Andrea Mulligan, Chief Customer Officer, Paytronix. “As members engage with the brand, PepperJax Grill can now ensure a fully customized digital experience that resembles the way they prepare meals.”

PepperJax Grill has deployed the full Paytronix platform, highlighted by a new mobile app. With the PepperJax Grill Rewards loyalty program, members can earn rewards at every point where customers engage with the brand.

Zillennials are Divided Between Prices and Brand Loyalty – New Report

A PYMNTS Intelligence report, “What Makes Zillennials Shop,” examines the Zillennial cohort as it drives change with a mix of brand loyalty, deal-seeking and values-driven purchases. Influenced by social proof and peer recommendations, zillennials are emerging as a powerful force in retail.

Zillennials are divided in their shopping preferences, often favoring either low prices or brand loyalty. According to the report, 41% prioritize price over brand when shopping, compared to 38% of the general population. Meanwhile, 21% of zillennials place more importance on brand availability than price, significantly higher than the 16% of the broader population.

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