MediaLift

  by, Ray Chelstowski Loyalty programs have become a vital marketing tool for almost every industry. In this digital age they now not only provide an incentive for customers to come back and spend more money. Instead they have made it easier for them to spend more as they deal with the conditions created by COVID-19. This year many brands have rushed to create or upgrade their mobile app and loyalty program model. The focus is to capitalize on these digital opportunities, and to beat the competition in meeting this shift in preferences. Brands like Popeyes, Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Chipotle, Starbucks, have all recently either launched new loyalty programs or enhanced or revamped their existing offerings. Every one of them has publicly stated that the goal is simple. They want to boost sales and capture data so that they can continue to provide a more customizable personal experience for customers. The demand is there from customers, as evidenced by 1-800-Fl...

  Kognitiv is proud to have again played a part in the success of this annual event. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has become a retail phenomenon. When other retailers look at the summer months as a slow period with racks of clearance items and no new merchandise, Nordstrom has changed the game by creating something popular, unique, and un-replicated. The sale is not a promotion or clearance. Instead, new fall merchandise is stocked just for this event. Over 100 brands were added to this year’s Anniversary assortment. “Anniversary is an event of scarcity. That creates excitement,” said Jamie Nordstrom, president of stores. “Most of our focus is how to make the Anniversary Sale even more fun, how to create more engagement,” said Jamie. “Our customers love it because it’s fun. We’ve got to make sure we don’t lose sight of that aspect. You’ve got to get there first to get the best selection. It’s like concert tickets — you’ve got to get them before they’re sold out.” The Annivers...

by, Ray Chelstowski Over the last year and a half, the way we approach our daily lives has certainly changed. Some of these newly acquired habits will pass as life returns to normal, some won’t. What seems to be clear is that the way we operate digitally has forever changed how we work, play, bank, and shop. Digital consumption and e-commerce enjoyed accelerated growth during Covid, with smartphones having become the central hub of just about everything we do. With the return to brick and mortar less predictable the ability to effectively communicate to consumers via mobile is going to require better data and more personalization. Until recently, the third-party cookie was the primary tool that brands used to track website visits and collect data that helped them target ads to the right audience. But now with third-party cookie phaseouts by Apple, Google and Mozilla, brands are scrambling to understand how they can acquire the data necessary to continue to effectively target and measur...

  By: Ray Chelstowski For the most part, QSR’s did more than just survive the pandemic. If they didn’t deliver YOY growth during Covid they saw their annual revenues hold.   Much of this can be tied to their ability to maximize   drive through options which in turn made QSR’s the preferred the dining out destination. Now as other dining options have begun to open many brands are turning to loyalty as a tool they can use to re-engage customers and maintain revenue.   Most QSR brands loyalty programs are tied to mobile apps. Brands in effect buy space on their customer’s phones and can monetize that space with everything from advertising to saving on delivery. “Ads don’t scale as quickly as the needs do,” said Mark Finnegan, chief marketing and information officer for WaBa Grill. But loyalty programs, whose reach grows with the number of customers, can. Finnegan said that WaBa analyzes purchase habits, redemptions and more to target loyalty members with offers that...