Let's Talk Loyalty

Zeta Global explores how organisations can unlock the full value of loyalty data and turn it into a powerful driver of customer growth, in conversation with Georgia Gkolfinopoulou and Chad S.White. Despite widespread recognition of loyalty programs as key engagement engines, many brands still struggle to translate data into action.

Drawing on insights from a Forrester Consulting study, the discussion highlights persistent challenges including fragmented MarTech stacks, siloed systems, and limited data integration. While most organisations collect first- and zero-party data, many lack the infrastructure and alignment needed to activate it effectively across channels.

Georgia and Chad, outline a clear path forward—centralised customer data, advanced analytics, and true omnichannel orchestration—alongside the growing role of AI, data augmentation, and intent signals. Together, these capabilities are reshaping loyalty from a transactional tool into a long-term customer relationship and growth engine.

Hosted by Bridget Blaise-Shamai

This episode is sponsored by Zeta Global

Show Notes:

1)Zeta Global

2)Georgia Gkolfinopoulou

3)Chad S.White

4)Forrester Consulting study

5) Start with Why - Simon Sinek - Book Recommendation by Georgia

6) The Checklist Manifesto - Book Recommendation by Chad

7) Email Marketing Rules book by Chad S. White

When Sky recognised that loyal customers didn't always feel rewarded for their commitment, it transformed its approach to customer loyalty.

In this classic Let's Talk Loyalty episode, Rob Chandler , Former Head of Customer Loyalty shares the story behind Sky VIP – the industry's first tenure-based programme built on the promise that "the longer you stay, the better it gets."

From exclusive experiences to innovative ways of saying thank you, this episode offers timeless insights into creating loyalty that lasts.

Show Notes:-

1) Rob Chandler

2) Sky VIP

3) #39: Sky VIP UK with Head of Customer Loyalty, Rob Chandler

Laurie Blair, SVP of Global Marketing & Loyalty at Hyatt, joins us today to unpack how Hyatt is redefining loyalty through its purpose of care. From “Empathy + Action = Care” to AI-driven personalization, strategic partnerships, and transparent reward design, Lloyd reveals how World of Hyatt continues to outpace expectations in hospitality loyalty. This episode explores how emotional connection, not just points, is shaping the future of loyalty.

Hosted by Bridget Blaise – Shamai

Show Notes:

1) Laurie Blair

2) Hyatt

3) Unreasonable Hospitality.

As loyalty programmes continue to evolve, some of the most valuable lessons come from brands that focused on simplicity and customer value from the start.

In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, we revisit the story of the ebookers Bonus+ Rewards Programme, launched by online travel agency ebookers in 2016. Designed to be straightforward, generous, and mobile-first, Bonus+ demonstrated how travel brands could use loyalty to create meaningful differentiation in a highly competitive market.

Listen back as the team shares how they built the programme, the key performance indicators that mattered most, and how they adapted their thinking around member needs and expectations during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since this conversation was first recorded, ebookers' parent company, Expedia Group, has continued to consolidate its loyalty strategy across its portfolio of travel brands. Looking back, this episode provides a fascinating snapshot of a period when individual travel brands were developing distinctive loyalty propositions of their own, offering lessons that remain highly relevant for loyalty professionals today.

Whether you're interested in travel loyalty, digital engagement, or the enduring power of keeping loyalty simple, this episode is well worth revisiting.

Show Notes:

1) Nicki Helfet

2) ebookers Bonus+ Rewards Programme

3) Expedia Group

4) #38: ebookers Bonus+ Rewards Programme

In this episode we are delighted to interview Rory Sutherland and Dan Bennett, respectively the President Emeritus and the Senior Partner, Lead of Behavioural Science, for Ogilvy Consulting.

Rory has a fascination with the vagaries of human decision making – he sees the world of advertising, marketing and loyalty as a sort of Galapagos Island for behavioural science. An accidental TikTok star as well as a celebrated speaker and writer, Rory has found his blend of wit and behavioural insight resonates with audiences far beyond the boardroom. It’s this same passion that inspired him to found Ogilvy’s Behavioural Science Practice and to write his Book Alchemy: the Surprising Power of Ideas that don’t quite make sense. His 12-week CPD accredited MAD//Masters course helps marketers make sense of accelerated disruption and use a tried and tested mix of creativity, innovation and behavioural science to their competitive advantage.

Dan is the global lead of behavioural science at Ogilvy Consulting, pioneering the creative application of behavioural science to solve complex challenges. He has managed over 1000 behaviour change projects with a portfolio spanning 100+ major brands. He also curates Nudgestock, the world’s largest behavioural science festival.

In this episode, Rory and Dan share their insights on loyalty, behavioural science and cover hot topics from their favourite programmes, to generosity to subscriptions to partnerships and more. We’ll also be learning about their favourite books and highlights and key learnings from the many sectors and programmes they have worked on.

Hosted by Charlie Hills

Show Notes:-

1) Rory Sutherland

2) Dan Bennett

3) Ogilvy Consulting

4) Nudge Stock

5) MAD//Masters

6) Obvious Adams (Book Recommendation)

7) Creativity (Book Recommendation)

8) Alchemy (Book Recommendation)

9) Positioning: The Battle of Your Mind ( Book Recommendation)

10) Reimagining Cinema Loyalty: Polly Jones on Digital, Data & the Future of ODEON (#739)

In this Best of Our Back Catalogue episode, we speak with Kristen Gall about how Rakuten Rewards became one of the world’s largest cashback programs. We explore affiliate marketing, major brand partnerships, global sports sponsorships, and emerging retail trends shaping consumer spending today.

1) Kristen Gall

2) Rakuten

3) Rakuten US

4) Rakuten Group

5) Rakuten Optimism Conference

6) Marketplace 3.0 – by Hiroshi Mikitani (Author)

7) #36: Rakuten Rewards

Today's episode is with Shikha Narula - Managing Director, Head of Consumer Deposit Products, Transformation and Rewards – Bank of America.

Bank of America recently announced BofA Rewards, a no fee program designed to reward clients throughout their financial journey. The program went live on May 27, 2026, and represents an evolution of Preferred Rewards that embodies a comprehensive approach to customer loyalty.

Shikha and we dig in to why this approach is well suited to build strong and lasting relationships with banking customers and how it is strategically positioned into BofA’s overall growth strategy.

Shikha and her team are responsible for developing and delivering client-centric strategies and innovative solutions to meet Bank of America’s clients’ current and emerging financial needs. Prior to joining Bank of America in March 2022, Shikha was the head of US Consumer Lending Products at American Express and previously worked with Citigroup for 16 years.

Hosted by Bill Hanifin - Wiser Loyalty podcast, a series produced in partnership between Let’s Talk Loyalty and The Wise Marketer™.

*Please note the episode was recorded on March 31 2026 prior to the new BofA Rewards launch*

Show Notes :-

1) Shikha Narula

2) Bank of America.

3) BofA Rewards

5) Smart Brevity (Book Recommendation)

6) The Wall Street Journal (Article Recommendation)

This week, we’re revisiting one of our most insightful conversations with Bridget Blaise-Shamai, former President of the AAdvantage Program at American Airlines — and now one of our wonderful Let’s Talk Loyalty hosts.

In this episode, Bridget shares timeless lessons on customer engagement, personalization, loyalty ecosystems, and why relevance is at the heart of every successful loyalty strategy.

From building emotional connection with customers to creating value beyond travel, this conversation remains incredibly relevant for loyalty marketers today.

A must-listen episode for anyone thinking about the future of loyalty, trust, and customer relationships.

Show Notes:

1) Bridget Blaise-Shamai

2) AAdvantage Program

3) American Airlines

4)#32: AAdvantage - Caring for Loyal Customers through Challenging Times.

Our guest today is Reba Hatcher, Chief Commercial Officer, ButcherBox. Launched in 2015, ButcherBox set out to do something deceptively simple: deliver high-quality, humanely raised meat and seafood directly to consumers who were tired of compromising at the grocery store. A decade later, the company is one of the central options of the American grocery shopping experience.

In this conversation we learn the answer to one big question: “what does loyalty look like for a brand whose business is subscription based? Reba talks about the development and launch of “Sizzle Society”, explaining how ButcherBox designed a loyalty program that fits the rhythms of a subscription business. The program has registered impressive results to date - a 2x ROI, near-universal opt-in, and a flagship experience, the Chef’s Table dinner series.

Hosted by Bill Hanifin

Show Notes

1)Reba Hatcher

2) ButcherBox

3) Walk Through Fire (Book Reccomendation)

Smiles by e& is a leading UAE lifestyle and loyalty ecosystem that has evolved far beyond traditional telecom rewards into a full-scale digital engagement platform.

Antonio Ricciardi explains how Smiles transformed from a conventional telecom loyalty programme into one of the UAE’s most connected lifestyle ecosystems.

The platform now extends beyond telco customers, delivering everyday relevance through grocery, strategic partnerships, personalization, and AI. This shift reflects a broader vision of loyalty — moving from standalone rewards to integrated digital commerce ecosystems that shape daily consumer behaviour.

Hosted by Lisa Brightwell

Show Notes:

1) Antonio Ricciardi

2) e&

3) Smiles

4) The Mamba Mentality (Book Recommendation)