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Agenda & Speakers

Loyalty360 Loyalty University Brand Masterclass Session: Humanizing Loyalty in an AI-Driven World

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM
These sessions are not open to all attendees/are only open to brands with full conference passes and Masterclass sponsors. For any questions, please contact carlystemmer@loyalty360.org. 
 
Every brand is feeling the pressure: rising acquisition costs, members who chase the next best offer, and a flood of AI tools that promise personalization but risk making your program feel less human. Meanwhile, your most loyal customers are telling you exactly what they need. Are you listening?

In this interactive masterclass, we will share Phaedon’s latest research, best practices, and consumer insights for building emotional loyalty that drives retention, grows share of wallet, and turns members into advocates for your brand even when competitors make it easy to leave.

Through structured peer discussions, you'll hear how others are navigating the same challenges and leave with the kind of unfiltered, industry-specific insights that only come from being in the room. Backed by our recent consumer research across five industries, you'll learn how to identify where your loyalty efforts are falling short on emotional connection, close the gaps that matter most to your customers, and measure loyalty in a way that reflects how people actually feel, not just how they transact.

You'll leave with a clear picture of emotional loyalty opportunities and a set of actionable strategies to humanize loyalty in an AI-driven world.

Key Takeaways:
  • Complete a self-assessment of where your brand stands on emotional loyalty today.
  • Understand the six emotional loyalty drivers and how they map to your industry's specific performance gaps.
  • Learn how to distinguish between table stakes, nice-to-haves, and true brand differentiators in your loyalty program.
  • Receive practical guidance that goes beyond transactional metrics to capture how customers actually feel.
  • Explore how AI can amplify, rather than replace, human connection in loyalty strategy.

Speakers

Denise Holt, SVP of Strategy Experience & Research, Phaedon

With over 25 years of marketing experience in loyalty, brand strategy, and consumer insights, Denise leads Phaedon's strategy, experience, and research team. She has spearheaded industry-leading research initiatives, including "Humanizing Loyalty" and "Sparking Consumer Participation Through Shared Values and Beliefs." Her strategic guidance serves clients across travel, hospitality, retail, restaurant, health, and wellness industries. A recognized voice in the loyalty industry, Denise is a regular presence on conference stages and as a featured webinar guest, and leads a team known for pushing the boundaries of loyalty thinking.
 
Prior to Phaedon, Denise ran her own strategy consulting practice, served as director of strategy at Optum, and spent more than a decade in loyalty and brand planning roles at Carlson Marketing. She excels at uncovering insights and actionable strategies that enable organizations to build emotional loyalty with their audiences and drive business growth. 

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