Loyalty depends on what you deliver next
Brands can’t coast on yesterday’s perks. “I think loyalty certainly has changed a lot, and I don’t think it’s necessarily about what you’ve done for that customer in the past,” noted Jason Acker, VP of media, digital, and consumer data, Diageo North America. “It’s what is the next thing you’re going to provide for that consumer.”
For Coca-Cola, that “next thing” is built on credibility. “Simply put, it’s a trusted relationship,” shared Robin Triplett, VP of integrated marketing experiences at Coca-Cola North America.
(L-R) Diageo’s Jason Acker, DoorDash’s Andy WellsMutual value beats one-way discounts
“Loyalty for me is pretty simple. It’s mutual value,” stated Melissa Berger, chief solutions officer at Digitas. When the exchange tilts, she warned, “Then it’s just a discount. It’s not loyalty. It’s not driving a further relationship.”
That sentiment echoed across categories. Elaine Rodrigo, chief insights and analytics officer at Reckitt, stressed that enduring loyalty starts with shared values. “First and foremost, the product has to be superior and deliver on what it promises,” she said, pointing to two of Reckitt’s brands, Lysol and Dettol. “After that comes the relationship you build with people individually, so you have this shared value system.”
For Allegra Krishnan, chief loyalty and engagement officer at McDonald’s, loyalty lives at the intersection of transactional and emotional rewards. “A program is our way of thanking customers for their loyalty to us in exchange for data,” she explained.
Digitas’ Melissa BergerData should simplify and power experiences
At Ulta Beauty, data is the brand’s “secret sauce.” With 45 million active loyalty members responsible for 95 cents of every sales dollar, the retailer sits on what CMO Kelly Mahoney called “a mountain of first-party data.” That reservoir lets Ulta bring together each guest’s beauty goals, suggest the perfect shade match, and nurture “lifelong loyalty and brand love.”