Agenda

Bryce Boothby is the director of global technology for McDonald’s, which has a loyal fanbase that stretches across the globe. Serving over 69 million customers a day in over 100 countries across nearly 38,000 locations takes a highly synergized approach. One of the challenges that McDonald’s faced was creating a loyalty program that would provide a consistent customer experience executed across the same technology stack while remaining flexible at the local level to adapt to global markets, whether company-owned, franchises or licensed locations.  

The MyMcDonalds loyalty program was quickly adopted by 33 million users in its first nine months. Technology was one reason for the successful launch, but employee engagement was key in getting customers excited. The crew training and onboarding program gave employees the tools and incentives to advocate the program and encourage customer engagement.

The company is leveraging the data collected from MyMcDonald’s loyalty program to provide more relevant and personalized experiences and build emotional connections with its customers.
 
Key takeaways from this presentation include:
 

• How McDonald’s approached building and launching the loyalty program.
• What steps to take to understand consumer insights and build a deployment plan to engage employees
• Creating a global loyalty program that is at once consistent across all channels and customizable at store level to meet unique market bases and the legal and fiscal requirements as well 

Anyone interested in learning about the process of launching a loyalty program is invited to attend the session. It will be especially beneficial for those looking to scale their technology team globally and who want to understand how to structure their team for success at scale.
This presentation will be helpful for anyone within CRM who runs their brand’s loyalty program or is involved in the engineering of loyalty program capabilities.

Session Preview with Bryce Boothby, McDonald's: 


 

Claudia Infante is the Senior Vice-President of Revenue Strategy, at Margaritaville, a brand with a fiercely loyal customer base. There is an emotional tie to Margaritaville that goes much deeper than the brand. Before the resorts, the restaurants, before the merchandise, there was a song. Today, Margaritaville is a global lifestyle brand, encompassing everything from places to stay, places to eat and homes to buy, to consumer goods, and even frozen foods.

To give back to their loyal following, Margaritaville introduced Margaritaville Perks, a no points, no tiers, no stress rewards system. Margaritaville Perks was beta tested by a select group of consumers and twenty-five thousand consumers signed up for the program before it went live. Membership doubled in the first week of the program launching.

Because the Margaritaville brand encompasses an expansive loyalty experience, the data collected from Margaritaville Perks drives personalization on a much broader level. It allows the company to predict consumer behaviors and proactively identify consumer preferences to meet and exceed expectations.  
The brand is using this personalization data to foster deeper consumer relationships and engagement with the goal to earn the consumers’ emotional loyalty. It is the objective of Margaritaville Perks to turn its members into brand ambassadors and advocates.

Key Takeaways:
 

• What is involved in planning and executing a loyalty strategy
• Using data to drive the strategy of the loyalty program
  • How best to gather and consolidate data
  • How best to organize and disperse data
• KPIs – Results and expectations from the loyalty program
• Driving success of the loyalty program through proper Team Member training and collaboration

 
Anyone in retail, consumer goods and services is invited to attend the session. It will be especially beneficial to those in the hospitality or entertainment industry looking to launch a loyalty program.
Everyone will walk away with information they can use to develop a successful customer loyalty program.

Session Preview with Claudia Infante, Margaritaville: 



 

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Incentive and Reward Design
Rewards and incentives are typically a major component of any customer loyalty program. With the prevalence of offers, consumers can include rewards and incentive options in their decision-making process. If your rewards or loyalty membership perks are both unique and effective, we want to hear from you. Share your descriptions, results, and why you think your incentives stand out from the crowd.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21.  

Category Description - Technology and Trends
Successful customer loyalty and engagement strategies rely on technology to better understand, connect with, and serve customers. This category recognizes brands that have leveraged new technologies and techniques (ex: machine learning, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, internet of things, identification management) to develop a fresh approach to their loyalty strategy. The winner will have developed a project that previously would have been either significantly more difficult or impossible without the presence of this new technology or platform.
 

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Loyalty Program Design
At its core, the most successful loyalty program is more than the sum of its features. While many programs feature similar granular mechanisms, it is how these features work in tandem that gives a program its identity and enables measurable, iterative growth. Finalists for this category will have demonstrated that their program does the little things to ensure that every piece of the loyalty puzzle works together to create a seamless, userfriendly, and effective initiative.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Customer Loyalty Strategy
Through a combination of technology, training, socialization, and implementation, finalists in the Customer Loyalty Strategy category are truly dedicated to keeping customer loyalty top of mind. This category recognizes brands that have implemented an effective long-term customer loyalty strategy with measurable impacts. The Customer Loyalty Strategy may or may not include a traditional customer loyalty/rewards program.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Customer Insights and Metrics
The Customer Insights and Metrics category focuses on the brand’s accessibility, measurement, and management of customer data - internally and externally - and how marketers are managing that data to create longterm customer loyalty. Strong entries in this category will demonstrate a brand putting the customer first by leveraging metrics, including customer data (first-party/zero-party data), voice of the customer, customer feedback, CRM, and market research, with the proven end result of increased customer loyalty.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Customer Loyalty Innovation and Transformation
Brands with successful customer loyalty and experience strategies understand that should never be a “set it and forget it” approach. Marketers always need to anticipate their journey and actively consider “what’s next.” As many brands look to improve, update, or revamp their loyalty strategies, other brands are embracing formal customer loyalty strategies for the first time, understanding the strategy’s value as a way to identify, engage, and reward their best customers. Finalists in this category have successfully demonstrated that their loyalty launches (or re-launches) have resulted in a measurable increase in customer loyalty, engagement, and/or satisfaction while also proving themselves as a valuable brand differentiator. Please note, program launches, revamps, or re-launches must have occurred in 2021 or 2022. 

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Social Impact and CSR
Today’s leading brands are focused on the world around us in addition to their core offering. Consumers are placing more value on how brands enhance humanity across an array of possibilities, including sustainability, community impacts, charitable giving, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. This award recognizes brands that are making tangible and authentic impacts based on their commitment to their mission statement, core values, and customers.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Creative Campaign
To stand out from the crowd, customer loyalty demands creativity. Considering the number of programs bombarding consumers today, only the most distinctive campaigns succeed in breaking through the static to stand on their own as unique entries in the hearts, minds, and inboxes of consumers. This category rewards brands thinking outside the box to engage these consumers in new and innovative ways through short-term campaigns.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - Program Partnerships
Today’s successful customer loyalty programs are not launched in a vacuum, and a growing number of brands are embracing the idea of partnering with one another to fully engage their respective consumers. This type of partnership was not always common, but as brands move into a new realm of co-opetition, they realize that outside-of-the-box thinking and unique partnerships can prove mutually beneficial and drive measurable program results for both partners. This award goes to the company that best leveraged these outside brand partnerships to successfully drive loyalty.

The finalists competing in the 2022 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced, 10-12 minute presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony on September 21. 

Category Description - B2B Customer Loyalty
While not as common or top of mind as many traditional B2C loyalty initiatives, B2B programs are important for marketers to consider. Customers of these B2B programs may not be motivated by the same incentives as a B2C program member. Additionally, there likely are several other hurdles in a B2B purchase as compared to B2C, which requires these brands to think outside of the box when building a successful program. This category will showcase B2B brands that are taking a unique approach to building positive customer experiences and customer loyalty.

Sabrina Lillew is the Vice President of Loyalty Programs and Partnerships at Accor, a worldwide hospitality company that owns, manages and franchises hotels, resorts and vacation properties in 5300 locations in over 110 countries.

As a company that oversees 54 brands in industries as varied as the countries they represent, Accor needed a cohesive loyalty program to unite all customers under all brands in all locations. Enter ALL, the new lifestyle loyalty program that brings all Accor rewards, services and experiences into one fully integrated global platform, giving the most loyal members access to “ALL of Accor.”

One of the challenges that Accor faced was combining the existing FRHI recognition programs with the Accor program that would provide a consistent customer experience executed across the same technology while remaining flexible at the brand level. In addition, the company was faced with the challenge of transitioning from a transactional to a lifestyle program.

The massive undertaking was headed up by Lillew and a team of dedicated loyalty professionals to implement a program to reach guests at the heart of emotional loyalty. Today, the ALL customer loyalty program reaches 4100 hotels across 40 brands in 110 countries with 68 million loyalty members.

Key takeaways from this presentation include:

• How to create a unifying program that ties together a variety of brands and their customer bases under one umbrella
• The differences between recognition-based rewards program and transactional
• Developing an experienced-based rewards system using strategic partnerships
• The secret to earning zero-point data from willing customer engagement

Personalization is a topic near and dear to most members of Loyalty360, with over 80% of brands looking to add resources that focus on personalization.

For many, personalization is also a very challenging topic, as 73% of brands feel the personalization efforts of their competitors are more sophisticated than their own.

Brands are focusing more on personalizing messages, segmenting customers, and understanding how to keep customers engaged; however, challenges remain. Marketers realize that customers are demanding more personalized content, communications, and offers, while being compared against a growing list of brands within and outside their competitive set.

The need for a shared understanding of what personalization means to the brand is imperative for organizational success. This session will focus on how brands can successfully enhance the efficacy of their customer loyalty efforts.

Join us for a great panel session from leading marketers as they discuss insights and best practices on segmentation, personalization, and cadence management.

• Define: Understand the importance of creating a defined, understood, and shared definition of personalization

 

• Honest Technology Assessments: How brands are evaluating their current technology stack and what technologies can be integrated to create a targeted plan to improve personalization efforts

 

• Effective Roadmap: Leveraging established definitions of personalization and technology to create a roadmap that can be used inside or alongside the brand’s customer loyalty program

 

• Organization Support: How brands are building and maintaining support within their organizations at all levels to support successful personalization efforts and overall customer loyalty strategies

Since it launched in 2007, the Scene+ program has been radically transformed… from a movies-focused program to an entertainment program to a lifestyle-focused customer engagement platform, with members in more than 50% of Canadian households and growing fast. Originally a partnership between Cineplex and Scotiabank, Scene has welcomed Empire as a third owner and now includes a wide range of program benefits and partners.
 
Each stage of Scene’s transformation has been preceded by a conscious change in thinking about the program’s brand, vision, structure, and potential. And as it has evolved, Scene is changing the loyalty landscape in Canada for members, its owners, and partners.
 
During this session, Matthew Seagrim, SVP for Scene+, will dive into the brand and program's journey and transformation, with a focus on aligning stakeholders, building successful partnerships, and driving emotional connections with your best customers.
 
Key Takeaways:

• By changing how you think about your loyalty program or customer engagement strategy, you can dramatically change the business and its destiny
• By building the emotional core of your program's brand, you can differentiate the program in the eyes of your members and partners
• Transformation requires strategic alignment and execution across every part of your business... the challenges are significant, but so are the rewards

 

The travel and hospitality industries were impacted in many ways during COVID. Some brands were more impacted than others, with impacts driven by various forces.

Most hotels have several internal and external stakeholders, and those stakeholders have varying degrees of engagement with, and understanding of, the brands customer loyalty efforts. For hotels, COVID presented challenges where certain groups (frequent travelers, for example) changed their behaviors. In contrast, new travelers, such as first-responders, may be “unknown” and not a part of or active in the brand’s loyalty program.

The opportunity for Best Western is to understand the changing market dynamics - how external stakeholders engage with the program, diagnose any misalignment within the program, create simplicity for the owners/operators, and ensure all customers understand the program's value.

During this session, Best Western’s Jay Hubbs, Vice President of Advertising, Marketing, Innovation and Analytics will discuss:

• Market dynamics that impacted the travel and hospitality verticals and Best Western, specifically, during COVID
• Understanding the incentive of the program for respective stakeholders, while understanding challenges and addressing issues in a proactive manner
• Understanding the uniqueness of the BWR program versus others in the market
• The impacts of new metrics within the industry and at Best Western – how the brand has focused on education around these new set of metrics that help substantiate the opportunities for the program
• Designing effective solutions (technology, program benefits/awareness, partnerships) and using training  increase stakeholder buy-in to set the program up for success going forward