Traditional loyalty programs have long relied on financial benefits, such as discounts and perks, to keep customers coming back. In that model, rewards are based on purchase volume, frequency, or both.
At The Lacek Group, we take a more holistic approach to loyalty that goes beyond transactions. We focus on the four drivers of loyalty—value, personalization, emotional connections, and seamless experiences—to identify key elements that drive sales while building customer brand devotion. By creating customer-centric experiences that emphasize those four drivers, brands can fuel meaningful brand advocacy that leads to long-term loyalty.
Brands can transcend simple transactional benefits by creating ownable moments, i.e., brand-specific experiences that create lasting positive impressions. Ownable moments help brands differentiate themselves in a noisy and crowded loyalty landscape—and appeal to customers who have high expectations for how their loyalty should be rewarded.
Ownable moments are memorable, brand-defining experiences that aren’t easily replicated by competitors. They can take many forms: campaigns, member-exclusive opportunities, personalized experiences, and others. By reinforcing a brand’s commitment to its customers, ownable moments establish trust and a sense of belonging that validate customers’ need to feel valued and appreciated as individuals rather than as a mass segment.
Ownable moments don’t just deliver short-term gains. More importantly, they build enduring relationships with customers by contributing to brand devotion that transcends price and convenience. When customers feel a personal connection to your brand, they’re more likely to remain loyal purchasers, recommend you to others, and forgive occasional missteps.
Creating and effectively executing an ownable moment will impress customers and ensure the brand is remembered and talked about. The best ownable moments drive people to your brand repeatedly.
Coca-Cola’s Share a Coke campaign uses first names (e.g., Beth and Will) and casual titles (e.g., Sis and Bro) on bottles to encourage emotional connections. Dairy Queen introduced the DQ FREEZER, which features iconic retired flavors of the blended ice cream treat, to tap into nostalgia among its customers.
Consider other examples of brands that have mastered ownable moments as part of their loyalty efforts—leading to impressive results:
When you step into a St. Regis, Sheraton, or another Marriott Bonvoy–participating hotel, you’ll encounter a subtle, inviting brand-specific fragrance. The relaxing signature scents are an intentional part of Marriott International’s strategy to create welcoming experiences across its properties. These branded sensory experiences, while seemingly small, reinforce the Marriott portfolio’s promise of comfort and quality. The branded scents are even available to purchase at Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques so customers can immerse themselves in Marriott luxury at home.
When the popular music streaming platform Spotify launched its Year in Music campaign in 2015—rebranded in 2016 as Spotify Wrapped—it unveiled the magic of merging art and algorithms. The campaign not only reengages customers from the preceding year, it also prompts conversation and community among its members. Now Spotify customers anticipate the annual Wrapped campaign, eager to see how their listening habits and discoveries compare with their friends’ and families’. Many post their results on social channels, creating social buzz and boosting awareness of the brand through a personalized, emotionally resonant, and seamless experience that drives excitement among Spotify users.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is a limited-time, annual event offering customers the opportunity to purchase new products with significant discounts from the luxury department store. Like the retailer’s other sales, it’s designed to drive purchases—but it differs by featuring new products for the upcoming season.
While the sale is available to all Nordstrom customers, members of Nordy Club who have its co-branded credit card get exclusive early access, driving new card acquisition while reinforcing the benefits of being a cardholder. The sale honors the loyalty of cardholders and gives them the feeling of being an insider and part of an exclusive group.
This highly anticipated annual event, which happens just before the start of the fall season, successfully generates buzz and excitement from Nordstrom customers. In fact, it has developed into a social event—with friends and family planning shopping outings and influencers eager to post their favorite finds. The Anniversary Sale is an investment in Nordstrom’s most loyal customers. It secures the brand as a trusted style partner by helping customers build their fall wardrobe with the latest styles at optimal prices.
The Sephora Beauty Insider program is a year-round hub for beauty product fanatics. Sephora’s loyalty ecosystem holds space for members to share and respond to user-generated content. Beauty Insiders offer their beauty expertise by providing tips, asking questions, and joining conversations about various products and trends.
Encouraging a sense of community takes Beauty Insider beyond points and discounts. It leverages and amplifies the social and structural bonds of loyalty, keeping customers engaged in ongoing discussions specific to Sephora’s products. Sephora Beauty Insiders become unofficial brand ambassadors who are excited to share their recent finds with others. Beauty Insiders create authentic moments that carry more weight than typical advertising campaigns.
What’s the secret to finding your brand’s ownable moment? Listen to your customers to determine how your brand’s core values resonate with them. Understanding why customers interact with your brand—beyond the products, points, and discounts—is the key to understanding their needs, desires, and shared passions.
Ownable moments could include exclusive access to events, community-building experiences, gamification initiatives, and other interfaces. It’s especially important to identify your brand’s most relevant touchpoints in your customers’ journey to create memorable moments that can’t be replicated by others.
Consider these five thought starters as you strategize ownable moments for your brand:
What are your customers already saying about your brand? What are the recurring themes, positive associations, or unmet needs you can leverage?
Example: McDonald’s Grimace Shake phenomenon—when a promotional item became a viral sensation—is a perfect example of how social listening can uncover unexpected opportunities.
What makes your brand different from the competition? What are you uniquely positioned to offer?
Example: The North Face’s XPLR Pass, with its focus on outdoor experiences and sustainability, leverages the outdoor gear brand’s core values and appeals to its target audience.
Can you create a signature scent, sound, or visual element that becomes synonymous with your brand?
Example: Bonpoint, a premium baby and children’s clothing retailer, uses scented tissue paper to create a memorable sensory experience for its customers.
Can you create a platform or event that brings your customers together and fosters a sense of belonging?
Example: REI offers guided hikes and workshops to build community among its customer base of outdoor enthusiasts.
Are you envisioning ownable moments that are inclusive across factors, such as language and physical ability, so a wide range of customers can access them?
Example: The Philadelphia Eagles football franchise created an accessible fan experience for people with sensory processing challenges. Medical professionals helped the team design a sensory-friendly room that offers noise-canceling headphones, weighted lap pads, fidget spinners, and other gadgets and tools created for people who struggle with sensory processing.
To thrive in today’s noisy marketplace, brands need to establish and maintain authentic connections with their customers.
Infusing ownable moments—which indelibly link a brand with a positive experience—into customer interactions illustrates a brand’s devotion to its customers. In turn, customers who feel valued and important throughout each interaction are more likely to demonstrate their affinity and devotion to a brand.
Done right, ownable moments are a powerful strategy to build lasting loyalty that will drive consistent revenue. Have you explored how your brand can identify opportunities to create ownable moments that appeal to your customers?
Becky Wagner is vice president, Loyalty and Membership Design, at The Lacek Group. For more than 30 years, The Lacek Group has been perfecting the art and algorithms of brand devotion. We help world-class brands identify their highest-potential customers, engage them across channels throughout their lifecycles, personalize each relationship for optimal long-term results, and measure the true effectiveness of those efforts. The Lacek Group is an Ogilvy One company.