The bd-capital team combines best-in-class investors with ex-CEOs to offer the next evolution of the Private Equity Operating Partner model. The firm focuses on high-growth businesses fuelled by changing patterns of consumer behaviour and disruptive technology.

TLC Worldwide has pioneered experience-led marketing and loyalty programs for the world’s best-loved brands for over 30 years. In a world where consumer decisions and loyalty are deeply enhanced by more personalised, generous and immediate rewards – and with every consumer demographic yearning for more experiences in their lives- the TLC platform COSMOS offers a truly unique solution.

David Johnston, former Group CEO of global loyalty business Aimia, also with 20 years’ experience in the FMCG industry, notably with PepsiCo, will become chairman of TLC. Jan-Pieter Lips, co-founder of the Nectar loyalty program and former Executive at fintech Adyen, will also join TLC’s Group Board. TLC Founder, Nick True, will remain on the Group Board as a key advisor, and co-Founder Alec Johnson will continue to lead the business as Group CEO. Leveraging their combined strengths, this exciting new team is set to continue driving TLC’s extraordinary growth trajectory and offering brands the very best consumer rewards solution.

Nick True, Founder of TLC, expressed his great pride in the company’s evolution over the past three decades and looks forward to the next chapter in partnership with bd-capital, emphasizing the significance of their shared cultural values as the foundation for future success.

TLC Worldwide has been at the forefront of connecting clients’ customers with free experiences, offering access to over 45,000 experiences across 40 countries through its global platform COSMOS. From travel and hotels to family outings and wellness activities, TLC’s comprehensive reward network ensures inclusive and generous rewards for all, driving strong ROI, loyalty and supporting brand equity.

Alec Johnson, CEO of TLC, is enthusiastic about the growth opportunities ahead, supported by bd-capital, emphasizing the company’s commitment to delivering best-in-class ROI and advancing its technology and its data proposition. David Johnston echoed this sentiment, emphasising the collective ambition to deliver even more value back to every TLC stakeholder, including clients, reward partners, end-consumers and shareholders.

The partnership between TLC Worldwide and bd-capital signifies an exciting step forward in shaping the buoyant future of the consumer rewards industry.

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Zappit.co is a leading tech player in the promotional marketing industry, delivering insight led shopper marketing & customer care solutions through digital coupons and instant cashback.

Zappit’s digital-first proprietary tech stack underpins their Coupon, Cashback and Customer Care platforms helping Clients to attract NEW customers, GROW footfall, INCREASE rate of sale, REINFORCE loyalty and REPEAT custom.
The journey starts wherever a customer is able to click, scan or text and can drive sales in-store, online or into hospitality venues.

ZAPPIT activations are;

·        Brand-led and drive sales

·        Rich in 1st party data and insight

·       Built with proprietary technology to minimise fraud

·     100% digital, trackable and eco-friendly from start to finish

·        Accessible to everyone – no login, no app, no paper

·        Easy to redeem via your mobile phone

Clients include Unilever, P&G, Colgate, Fever Tree,  AB InBev, Arla, Costa Coffee, Mitchells & Butler

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TLC Worldwide, the global leader in consumer rewards, has announced the launch of COSMOS, the latest iteration of its revolutionary rewards and insights platform that enables campaign creation and reward selection, whilst providing rich consumer insights.

COSMOS is an automated programme development and content management tool. Creating configurable customer branded websites, matching the right reward to the target consumers, and providing white-label consumer redemption and reward distribution. By leveraging the data and insight collected through the 400+ acquisition and retention programmes TLC runs globally each year, companies can create highly targeted and personalised campaigns that resonate with their consumers on a deeper level.

“We are thrilled to introduce COSMOS to our customers,” said Alec Johnson, CEO of TLC Worldwide. “This platform is a game-changer in the consumer acquisition and loyalty sector, offering businesses a level of insight and targeting that has never been possible before. With COSMOS, companies can connect with and reward their consumers in a way that is highly personalised and relevant, driving better engagement, deeper loyalty, and richer consumer LTV.”

COSMOS offers businesses a wide range of features, including campaign creation, access to the world’s largest curated experience rewards network, and rich real-time analytics and reporting. With its intuitive user interface and powerful capabilities, COSMOS is the go-to platform for companies looking to acquire and retain their consumers.

“At TLC Worldwide, we are always striving to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and innovation,” added Emma Baine, COO of TLC. “The launch of COSMOS is yet another example of our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that drive results for our customers.”

The benefits to our customers are significant;

• Rapid creation and ‘go-live’ for consumer redemption and reward distribution
• End-to-end experience rewards offerings
• Higher ROI from rewards spend
• Increased consumer loyalty and engagement
• Consumer insights and first-party data capture
• Intuitive UX

The launch of COSMOS comes at a time when companies are increasingly focused on delivering personalised and localised experiences for their consumers. TLC Worldwide is well-positioned to help companies meet this demand, offering a platform that is highly effective and easy to use.

To learn more about COSMOS and the personalised services offered by TLC Worldwide, visit their website at www.tlcworldwide.com

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The IPM Awards 2023 is one of the most eagerly anticipated awards in the promotional marketing industry. The annual awards recognise excellence in promotional marketing campaigns across a range of categories and sectors, showcasing the best creative and strategic thinking in the field.

The IPM Awards 2023 is now accepting entries, and the late entry deadline has been extended to Wednesday 17^th May, 5pm. This is great news for those who may have missed the initial deadline and still want to enter their campaigns. The extended deadline gives entrants more time to fine-tune their submissions and ensure that they have the best chance of impressing the judges.

The IPM Awards features a range of categories that reflect the diverse nature of promotional marketing campaigns, from experiential and shopper marketing to loyalty and brand partnership. There are also awards for industry sectors, including automotive, retail, and Health and well-being, among others.

The judging process is rigorous, with entries being evaluated by a panel of industry experts who are looking for campaigns that are both creative and effective. Judges will consider factors such as strategy, execution, and results when evaluating entries, so entrants should be prepared to provide evidence of their campaigns’ impact.

Winning an IPM Award is a significant achievement in the promotional marketing industry and can help elevate an agency or brand’s reputation. The awards are also an opportunity to gain recognition from peers and showcase the work that has been done throughout the year.

The extended deadline for late entries allows more people to showcase their campaigns and compete for one of the industry’s most prestigious awards. So, whether you’re an agency or a brand, start fine-tuning your submissions and get ready to celebrate the best in promotional marketing.

For more information about the awards and categories, click here

To begin your entry submission, click here

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Opinion From IncentiveSmart

There are some things we can’t help but resent spending our money on. When that ‘Check Engine’ light starts glowing, or when the school uniforms get a little too tight once again, or when the dentist sits back in her chair and says, “I’ll need you to book another appointment”. They are the bare necessities – and, unlike the bear necessities, they definitely aren’t free to scavenge from the forest floor as you hum a merry tune.

The supermarket is another place where spending hard-earned money rarely feels like a joy. Besides the occasional treat snuck into the trolley, there are plenty of bare necessities that make their way down the conveyer belt quite unceremoniously.

This is, of course, why supermarket loyalty schemes prove so successful. Most of us have to go to the supermarket at least once a week and, unless it’s way out of our way, the supermarket with the most beneficial (and, most importantly, memorable) loyalty scheme is likely to be our destination.

That brings us onto to Asda, who recently unveiled a new pounds-based rewards scheme for their customers – a novelty in the supermarket circle, given the emphasis Asda’s main competitors place on points, rather than pounds. And, when it boils down to the age-old debate between money and points, Asda’s new efforts are just as relevant to B2B loyalty as they are to the traditional, B2C loyalty schemes.

So, here it is – our in-depth, up close and personal look at Asda’s new rewards scheme – what we admire, and what experience has taught us we’d rather steer away from.

Asda’s Rewards Scheme: What’s the Deal?

Back in August, Asda started rolling out its first loyalty programme. While they were late to the game (Tesco launched their Clubcard back in 1995, for instance) the supermarket had maintained a competitive edge through the years with its rollbacks and competitive pricing strategy.

Asda Rewards is centred around a ‘Cashpot’, which grows larger each and every time shoppers scan their app at checkout, or complete ‘challenges’. This is the interesting part – the money in this Cashpot can be redeemed through a voucher, which can be put towards their next Asda’s shop (either in person, or online). Is that not a voucher scheme we ask?

The scheme is made more unique by the challenges ASDA offers to shoppers (for instance, £1.50 can be earned for any 10 items of fruit and vegetables), and by the ‘Star Products’ found throughout the store that can earn a 10% return in their Cashpot. It’s obvious that these challenges are designed to encourage shoppers to spend more time in store, more time looking for things (and trying new things they wouldn’t usually go for), and, ultimately, spend more money.

It’s a great idea, aside from one pretty big detail – historically, points-based rewards have demonstrated far better success rates in the long-term, even though we love having a little extra cash to spend when temptation is right in front of us.

Our Reservations Over Cash-Based Rewards

We get it. Finding an extra £20, getting that better-than-expected tax rebate, or opening a birthday card to find a handful of notes is a good feeling. We all like to know we’ve got a little no-strings-attached cash to spend on something extra, or just take the sting out of an unavoidable expense. This is, of course, the motivator behind Asda’s scheme. Shoppers can spend their accumulated ‘cash’ on a few extra treats among the usual cupboard supplies.

The counterargument, however – and one that we align with at Incentivesmart – is that cash isn’t memorable, and the kind of stuff we usually spend those unexpected extra doses of cash aren’t long lasting, either.

Remember what we said at the beginning of this article, about how there are some things we will always resent spending money on because they’re boring necessities? Add to that list things like toilet roll, dishwasher tablets, toothpaste, lightbulbs, washing up liquid, and socks! Saving a little on these humdrum expenses is all well and good, but it’s not exciting or memorable in the same way that accumulating points is – when you have to take time to think about exchanging them for rewards and experiences that actually mean something.

It’s very likely that Asda is aware of this. Why? Because their in-app challenges cater to that part of us that enjoys working toward a goal, rather than simply accumulating points with each purchase. It gives customers a more active role in the scheme – something which is usually reserved for points-based reward schemes.

Now, the obvious counter-counter argument in favour of cash-based rewards is that Asda operates in a very different ecosystem to most businesses. Supermarkets aren’t like other businesses offering rewards schemes. We go to the supermarket very regularly and, often, our choice of supermarket is also dependent on other factors: which one is closest to where we live? Which one stocks the brands/products we like the most? Which one suits our budget?

Where Do Points Have the Edge?

There are plenty of reasons why points continue to hold an edge over pounds, even in the unique world of supermarkets – and even when you take into account the surface-level appeal of cash over points, which only hold value within a closed loop environment.

Consider the fact that, in a recent survey, Tesco’s points-based Clubcard still ranked #1 among customers. Asda ranked fourth, behind Sainsbury’s and The Co-Operative, both of which also offer points-based schemes. The offer of cash is not, in and of itself, an instant selling point; customers are a lot savvier than that.

We spend a lot of time thinking about rewards schemes, and how to offer the best (and most enticing) programme to your customers, so we have some ideas of our own about why this could be. Here are just a few…

Points make consistency easier for businesses

Giving away tangible rewards or experiences makes better financial sense than giving away cold hard cash. Why? Because, with a carefully planned points-based rewards scheme, you can accrue and offer some genuinely enticing rewards to customers without narrowing your margins on your own products or services.

Consider the fact that Asda’s first ‘Milestone Mission’ for customers is to spend £50 in-store or online. If they hit that milestone, they get £1.50 back, which works out at 3%. Another offer mentioned on Asda’s own site is £1.50 for any 10 fruits or vegetables (so unlocking this milestone will, presumably, cost less than £50), while another will see £5 invested into the Cashpot for every £25 spent on school uniforms.

The rules are inconsistent. It could be argued, of course, that this inconsistency is what keeps the scheme fresh, and what keeps customers checking in on their Asda Rewards app. If it was the same old deal every time they went in store, it wouldn’t be so memorable, right?

But how long can the novelty sustain itself? The benefits of a scheme that is based on a very simple, memorable, and clear system (for instance, 1 point for every £1 spent, and £1 for every 100 points accrued) remain clear as day – and, judging by Tesco’s popularity with customers, the lack of novelty is not a fatal flaw. Why? Because the rewards themselves change – not the rules of the game.

Points keep customers within your closed loop, without restricting them to a limited range of rewards

One of the biggest reasons why cash rewards are a bad idea for businesses is because, after the reward has been handed over, you get no more insight into what customers are spending that cash on, or where they are spending it.

Asda know this, and they have circumvented the issue with their Cashpot, which can only be redeemed or ‘emptied’ in Asda’s stores or through its website, so it’s pretty much straddling the fence between cash and points. It looks like money and acts like money, but only within Asda’s own big-little ecosystem. Is that really cash because as we know cash can be spent anywhere!!

Money can be spent thoughtlessly; points are better accrued

Asda’s Milestone Missions do give shoppers something to work towards they’re accruing the cash just the same. Points require imagination – they give shoppers a definitive goal to work towards, and a real, motivating reason to keep accruing those points, and not to just spend them for the sake of it each time they start to build-up. And, provided you can focus on offering a really strong, versatile and exciting selection of rewards for customers to spend their points on, allow them to mark favourites so they can identify what appeals to them, you can capture their imaginations for the long-haul.

Points are best for getting customers emotionally involved in the scheme

Building loyalty isn’t just about giving customers a reason to come back to you each time they need the product you offer, or the service you provide. It’s also about cultivating a long-term, steadfast emotional connection that will keep your customers loyal even when your competitors are offering a better on-the-spot deal.

An emotional connection is the difference between casual loyalty, and the evangelistic behaviour that can enable businesses to really thrive – the customers who will recommend you to friends and co-workers, and who will represent the bedrock on which your business’s success is built.

Cash is, as we mentioned above, unmemorable, and pretty workaday. Unless it’s a massive lump sum inheritance or prize money, you’re probably not going to remember it a couple of weeks, a few months, or a year down the line.

Points create a story in our heads. The process of picking out a reward you want and very gradually working toward it is different and, provided the rewards are relevant enough to really inspire your customers to earn them, very memorable indeed.

Points are better value

The final cherry on the cake is that commercially, points provide better value than cash. We’ve provided a simple points vs cash model to demonstrate this:

So, What’s our verdict?

Asda’s rewards scheme is likely to prove a success. They already have a significant (and, in all likelihood, loyal) customer base, and a solid reputation for offering competitive, in-store deals and prices that kept customers coming through the doors long before it launched this scheme. So, for many people, this will represent something of a cherry on the cake, rather than a game-changing, supermarket-switching prospect.

That’s not to say Asda won’t attract brand new customers, but that they will enjoy the main benefit of a successful loyalty scheme: customer retention.

More interesting to us is the fact that Asda’s rewards scheme seems to take advantage of the very best of both worlds. Cash is, at face value, a very compelling offer. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – ask any group of people whether they want to be rewarded with cash or stuff, and the overwhelming majority will probably say cash. But, once spent, that cash is forgotten – the purchase is lost to the sands of time – and the customer’s attention needs to be grabbed all over again. You give away more money, and the cycle continues.

The cash Asda gives to its customers through its Milestone Missions and Star Products acts a lot like points. It goes into a ‘Cashpot’ and customers can see that value accruing, which caters to our desire for money over stuff, but it can’t be redeemed as cash-in-hand or spent anywhere other than within Asda’s bricks-and-mortar or online stores. It keeps people within Asda’s closed loop, much like points.

What can we take from this? That collectability (aka points!!) will always offer the greatest possible benefit to businesses. They keep the loop closed and motivate the customer to keep returning and, in so doing, accruing points. You definitely don’t need to dress them up as cash to trick people to think that’s enticing, and you don’t need to invest crazy amounts of money into the rewards you offer. Instead, you need them to be relevant, memorable, and always interesting to your returning customers.

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We are delighted to let you know that, on March 15^th 2023, IPM member Mando is launching a new white paper with YouGov “Understanding Loyalty in Europe”. The first of its kind, this study explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European countries. It also introduces a new loyalty metric the Loyalty Gauge^TM – which ranks the countries for loyalty engagement and features in-market and programme case studies from 10 expert contributors. The paper will be available to download from www.mando-connect.co.uk and if you have any questions please get in touch with Charlie.Hills@mando-connect.co.uk.

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Opinion from David Pearson CEO at SPARK

A recent study by Emarsys, into customer loyalty in the UK, revealed that over half of UK respondents had left a brand they’d previously been loyal to in order to save money. Clearly, inflation is having an impact.

So what does this teach us about customer loyalty going into 2023?

The Emarsys’ second annual Customer Loyalty Index, which includes a survey of 2,000 UK consumers, reports that seven in 10 of those surveyed said they would be more loyal to brands that offer incentives and rewards.

However, as Mark Choueke, retail expert and author of the index, commented: “To drive meaningful customer loyalty, customer-centricity is no longer enough. Brands and marketers must now aim for customer obsession. Marketers have to really get to know each customer and internalise their habits and preferences ……..”.

Easier said than done? Perhaps not.

Behavioural science is an area that is increasingly used by brands to connect with customers, determine their needs, and foster loyalty, and it really makes sense. Psychologists have demonstrated that 80% of the decisions we make are influenced by factors we are unaware of. So, ASKING consumers why they do something will only yield 20% of the truth. To discover non-conscious attitudes requires specialist research techniques with a scientific base.

Discovering what your consumers are not telling you is crucial to engaging with them, and will help you determine which rewards or offers are relatable to their personal needs.

If you want to increase brand effectiveness and customer retention throughout 2023, talk to SPARK about our innovative psychology tools and how our insights can ignite your marketing strategies.

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By Andy Philpott, Sales and Marketing Director at Edenred.

The first half of 2022 has seen brutal increases in the cost of living, not seen in a generation.

Behind a headline rate of inflation which hit a 30 year high by the beginning of April, are formidable increases in petrol, tax, the cost of mortgages, rent and, of course utilities.

Now, for instance, it costs twice as much to put the heating on and 60% more to boil a kettle as it did two years ago. And that’s before further price increases in energy hit later this year.

For marketers tasked with acquiring new customers, the squeeze on consumer finances at a time of supressed wage growth means 2022 will make what is always a challenging job even tougher.

The great customer resignation

It’s not just a question of there being less money to go around but also the issue of keeping up with widespread changes in consumers behaviour which are already underway.

Recent research from Ipsos in the US found that in the face of rising bills, 80% of consumers will change their shopping habits.

This means a reduction in consumption, more shopping around, value-seeking in every purchase and being more selective in what money is spent on.

As the overall share of the spending pie is dominated by the essentials – food, heating, broadband and other utilities – discretionary spend on food, going out and electrical goods will become less frequent.

Altogether the scene is set in 2022 for a ‘great customer resignation’ with one study, suggesting UK brands will lose as many as one in three of their customers.

Opportunity from volatility

For every brand, this highly volatile landscape will present a challenge to customer acquisition.

However, this period of situation of increasing churn and greater scrutiny on purchases means there are significant opportunities to grow for those who can identify the moments where consumers will be prepared to choose your brand if they are given the right incentive, nudge or reward. Here, based on our own experience of working with brands on customer acquisition are five actions to consider:

1        Reward loyal customers

According to Forrester, when a brand shows a consumer that they are appreciated, 76% will continue doing business with a them.

This isn’t just about a reward for loyalty when it comes to an annual renewal but reward at different points of the customer lifecycle. This could be for staying with you beyond a trial period or for repeat purchases.

It should also extend to ‘regrets’ where customers get compensation for mistakes or shortfalls in what you deliver.

Putting these incentives place show you value them and so create a barrier to exit which will make them think twice about leaving.

2        Incentivise customer referrals

Referrals are the most cost-effective way of generating leads and new business in the marketing playbook.

Rewarding customers on a one off or tiered basis for referrals can cut your marketing costs because the leads tend to be better qualified and more likely to convert. They also foster loyalty in your existing clients.

Whatever the nature of your business, if you don’t have a referral strategy or scheme in place, now is the time to get one and reach customers without having to go head-to-head with them in the open market.

3        Create a stand-out incentives for new customers

As people make purchases less frequently, it becomes even more important to win new customers as they come to the market.

Whether you operate in a category of discretionary spend – like furniture, hospitality or entertainment – or a must-buy product like a utility, one way of differentiating yourself is through rewards or incentives you offer new customers as the opportunity to win them becomes few and far between.

This could be the nature of the reward itself – we are seeing significant growth in sustainable reward options – enriching the experience of receiving or redeeming the reward or adding elements of gamification.

4        Design a payment strategy which will reduce churn

The way people pay for a service has an impact on customer churn. One study suggests that between 20-40% of customers who leave a supplier do so because of payment failure.

This means that marketers who can encourage customers to switch to a payment method which is less likely to fail will be able to hold on to them for longer.

You can also look at payments in other ways. In the current environment, offering monthly payments may be more attractive to consumers who want to spread their spending commitments and reduce churn. Equally, faced by inflation, incentivising customers to lock in a rate for a longer contract length or for recurring orders at guaranteed price will mean you are less vulnerable to losing their business.

5        Invest in a rapid-response marketing capability

As competition gets more intense, brands will need to be able to quickly match or improve the offers, incentives and packages on offer from the competition.

This means honing the agility of the marketing team so it can gather intelligence, formulate profitable offers and deploy them to market quickly to disrupt or better the activity of competitors.  You will also need to work with partners who can quickly up to support and fulfil promotions at short notice, with high reliability and give you the key performance indicators you need to manage budgets in realtime.

There are, of course, many more opportunities that marketers can take to secure growth which will depend on the marketing channels they use and the different steps in the customer acquisition journey.

The key takeaway is that in a value seeking environment – one where up to 50% of consumers say they will seek out discounts and promotions to make fixed household budgets go further – incentives and reward are a key tool for every marketer.

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Mando-Connect and Ogilvy hosted one of the first face-to-face loyalty events since 2019 to celebrate the launch of Mando-Connects latest whitepaper: ‘What the British want from Loyalty Programmes 3.0’. It was a hugely successful afternoon with a joint presentation from the Mando-Connects head of strategy, Charlie Hills, and YouGov’s data team, led by Nick Fishbourne. On top of this, we also heard a fascinating talk on applied behavioural science in loyalty from Ogilvy’s Maddie Croucher and an insightful panel discussion hosted by Isobel Finlayson with representatives from Vodafone (Camilla Cooper), Lidl Plus (Tina Hansom) and Marriott Bonvoy (Katie Cox).

The event certainly highlighted some challenges ahead for those working in the loyalty industry. There is, however, a lot to be positive about. Peter Kerr (director of the IPM) introduced the event by recognising the increased scope for loyalty in new sectors ”with emerging digital and multi-media channels, loyalty opportunities are becoming increasingly accessible to every sector’‘. We’ve also seen how with data and a better understanding of how your customers think and feel, you can adapt your programme to engage your users and give them the rewards they really want. On this topic the overall findings and recommendations were very clear:

• Firstly, focus on offering really great rewards – it’s Number 1 for driving Brits to join a programme. And it’s Number 1 for maintaining engagement. 
• Secondly, bake a strong sustainability ethos into your programmes. 71% of us think loyalty programmes should help us to live more sustainably, so understanding how loyalty can contribute to creating a more sustainable future is key. 

The event and research shows that the impact of loyalty programmes has never been stronger.  They cut through the noise of a crowded advertising and marketing landscape and help brands to engage in a completely unique way. Just by having a programme, users will find your brand more appealing. The challenge for us then is to keep innovating in the right direction and ultimately to try and keep pace with changing user needs as they happen.

For the full whitepaper, please head to the Mando-Connect website 

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Costa Coffee, the nation’s favourite coffee shop brand* has unveiled Costa Club, a new loyalty proposition with value at its heart. Originally launched in March 2010, the brand’s long-established loyalty scheme, the Costa Coffee Club is one of the largest in the UK with over six million members.

M&C Saatchi worked closely with Costa Coffee to develop the new proposition, which replaces the previous Costa Coffee Club Scheme. Costa Club offers a simplified, frictionless and easy-to-understand digital-first experience.

As the nation’s favourite coffee shop brand, Costa Coffee’s aim was to update its scheme to make it the most loved loyalty app amongst its audience of six million app users. M&C Saatchi worked closely with Costa Coffee to create the proposition with input from a specially selected group of 17,000 consumers, curating its benefits to ensure they would reflect what customers love most about the brand.

Costa Club sees the coffee experts move away from a points-based loyalty scheme. Members can receive a free drink of their choice after purchasing eight coffees, and as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Costa Coffee is offering a free drink to anyone who uses a reusable cup to purchase just four drinks until 31st March 2022. Members can also choose any cake from the sweet counter for free on their birthday, as well as enjoying a host of other exclusive rewards and treats.

Costa Coffee’s ultimate ambition for Costa Club is for it to act as a platform to boost brand love and preference in the coming years, as well as being a driver of growth and market share.

Annabel Mackie, Managing Partner at M&C Saatchi, said: “It’s been hugely rewarding to work with Costa on their new loyalty proposition. Costa Coffee is the nation’s favourite coffee shop, so it was imperative that we develop something with the potential to become the nation’s favourite loyalty programme. Based on extensive customer research, we’ve created a simpler, easier-to-use scheme with generous, tangible benefits, and we can’t wait to see how it drives even more brand love amongst members.”

To coincide with this reinvigorated loyalty programme, Costa Coffee has worked with Pablo London to create a new brand identity and strategic positioning for the Costa Club to help propel it into its next chapter.

The new positioning celebrates the feeling you get when you get something for free. To bring this to life, Pablo worked with Barcelona-based design studio Cabeza Patata to create a quirky range of characters to capture the spirit of the new positioning and communicate the feeling of ‘freeness’.

The characters also represent the diverse and eclectic consumer base that the nation’s favourite coffee shop reaches, with Pablo working with the Diversity Standards Collective to harness cultural insights and relevance of the characters.

This campaign marks another successful advertising launch for Pablo and the UK&I team as it continues with its working relationship beyond the original partnership of the Costa Coffee Global account.

Pablo were appointed in 2019, after a pitch to work on the brand’s Global account. Since then, the agency has gone on to create the hugely successful UK 2020 Christmas campaign as well as several seasonal campaigns, including the celebratory 50th Birthday campaign for both Global and UK markets, as well the current bold UK Summer campaign.

Tim Snape, Executive Creative Director at Pablo, said “I’m really proud that we’ve built such a strong family together and am pleased and excited that we’re extending the relationship.  There’s so much innovation and product development going on it’s like being in a coffee flavoured Willy Wonka factory every day. Our new work for the Costa Club reflects the fun side of Costa Coffee we’re exploring more and more, giving anyone, anywhere a taste of the unmistakable feeling of freeness.”

Jon Fisher, Head of Digital UK at Costa Coffee, said: “M&C Saatchi and Pablo have been amazing partners in creating and reimagining what loyalty means for Costa Coffee. They’ve helped us to deliver a simple and more generous proposition, which will continue to build on the love that our customers have for the Costa Coffee brand. We are excited for the evolution of the programme as we continue to listen and learn more from our customers.”

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