The best loyalty program marketing of 2024

Loyalty and rewards programs are some of the best ways to connect with brand fans. And they have become more competitive as consumers look for more value. Some brands have taken to adding perks related to other companies and categories to drive and retain members. Related news: Why loyalty program partnerships are on the rise Below, five brands with loyalty program marketing that turned heads this year. Gatorade At the start of the year, Gatorade launched Gatorade iD, a loyalty membership program aimed at Gen Z. The free program gives members free shipping and discounts, access to limited-edition product drops, and more customization options for products such as towels and water bottles. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gatorade (@gatorade) “We’ve tested out a few different spaces in terms of what we can reward consumers with,” Anuj Bhasin, chief brand officer of Gatorade, previously told Ad Age. “And we’ve seen those ideas and those items move really, really fast and drive a lot of potential for the brand.” Read Ad Age’s Best of 2024 stories here Marriott Bonvoy In order to drive more sign ups from Gen Z, Marriott tapped into the Taylor Swift fandom early this year when it announced it would be sponsoring the Eras Tour. The hotel’s loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy, which is free to sign up for, allowed members to use rewards points to buy access to the coveted concerts and gave non-members a chance to win a pair of tickets through a sweepstakes, which was still ongoing for the tour’s final stop in Vancouver. @marriottbonvoy Don’t miss out on the opportunity to win a sweepstakes ticket package to the final show of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour in Vancouver. Join Marriott Bonvoy for free and enter before November 4. No purchase necessary. Marriott Bonvoy members 18+ in 50 US/DC. Ends 11:59 PM ET on 11/4/24. Rules: https://marrbnvy.com/62066qQG6M ♬ original sound - Marriott Bonvoy Related news: The 10 most influential music artists for brand deals Bonvoy has also highlighted other special events for members. The program has worked with Mercedes F1 drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton and recently posted that Bonvoy members will be able to use their points to bid on experiences around Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next year. @marriottbonvoy Down. Set. BID! 🏈 Your chance to use Marriott Bonvoy points to score unrivaled Super Bowl LIX experiences is here. Party in true New Orleans style at the biggest game of the year with pregame field access, access to NFL Honors, suite tickets, and more. Link in bio. #MarriottBonvoyMoments #OfficialHotelOfTheNFL #NFL @Courtyard by Marriott ♬ original sound - Marriott Bonvoy McDonald’s The Golden Arches’ marketing has leaned into driving app downloads and rewards sign-ups. In July, McDonald’s released a garlic sauce—only available in its app—for Jujutsu Kaisen fans. It also had a small campaign with the video game Genshin Impact that gave players in-game rewards. Customers had to sign up for McDonald’s rewards and email notifications and then order a McDonald’s apple pie or McCrispy meal to be sent a redeemable code for a glider in the game. View this post on Instagram A post shared by McDonald’s (@mcdonalds) For a recent collaboration with NFT project Doodles, customers could unlock digital McDonald’s merch for their Doodle, but only if they had signed up for McDonald’s rewards and emails. View this post on Instagram A post shared by McDonald’s (@mcdonalds) Verizon Mobile carriers have been ramping up customer perks and discounts in a bid to reduce churn in a competitive category, especially before a new ruling from the Federal Trade Commission will take effect next that requires companies to simplify subscription and membership cancellations. To compete, Verizon rolled out its Access Concert Series in October featuring live concerts exclusively for Verizon customers, building off its Access Rewards program, which offers customers special privileges at events, such as sideline access for NFL games and red-carpet movie premieres. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Verizon (@verizon) Walmart+ The retail giant added another perk to its Walmart+ membership earlier this year — it partnered with Burger King to give Walmart+ members 25% off Burger King digital orders and a free Whopper every three months if they link their rewards accounts. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Walmart (@walmart) Walmart+, the brand’s answer to Amazon Prime, costs $98 a year and includes other perks, such as savings on fuel, free shipping, grocery delivery and telehealth veterinary care. Read Ad Age’s Best of 2024 stories here

The best loyalty program marketing of 2024

Featured Stories