COVID-19 has had an immediate impact on loyalty and reward programs due to the unprecedented period of low travel and entertainment. As people stopped flying, staying in hotels, and eating out, loyalty programs had to respond quickly.

Organizations that can identify, communicate, and act upon a brand purpose that overlaps with the values of the consumer will be better positioned to thrive as we enter a new normal. In other words, loyalty that focuses much more closely on consumer preferences rather than merely shelling out points will win in the long run.

We are joined today by Mary Hines, chief marketing officer for the US Consumer Bank at Citi. On today's episode, Mary discusses the importance of turning loyalty program interactions from something that is occasional to something habitual.