There are plenty of full news stories listed on our main news page - make sure you don't miss them! Here are some of the latest news highlights...  
 · Social network profiles help explain brand choices
 · Travelex launches prepaid card with Air Miles
 · Sears & Kmart combine chance, charity & rewards
 · E-shopping booms as consumer shop smarter
 · Incentive industry increasingly optimistic in 2010
 · Recession-smart shoppers redefine their loyalty
 · Vesdia signs new reward network partners
 · Shoppers return with a more upbeat economy

 
More: See the main news articles
 

HSBC Bank Middle East has enhanced the rewards available from the Air Miles programme for holders of its Premier Credit Card, which now offers 50% more Air Miles if the cardholder's monthly spending is above AED 4,000 (approximately US$1,000), equating to 1.5 Air Miles for every AED 1 spent. Holders of the bank's Advance Platinum Credit Card earn 1 Air Mile for every AED 1 spent on the card. All HSBC Premier Credit Card customers are to be automatically issued with a new Gold Air Miles Card, enabling them to earn twice as many miles when they use their Gold Air Miles Card together with their HSBC Premier Credit Card at over 2,000 participating outlets in UAE, Qatar and Bahrain.

Web: http://www.airmilesme.com

JetBlue Airways has launched an online mall to allow members of its TrueBlue frequent flyer programme to earn additional points for online shopping. Powered by Points International (owner and operator of the Points.com loyalty points portal), the new online shopping mall allows programme members to earn points for everyday purchases with more than 800 participating retailers including K-Mart, Nordstrom, eBay, the Apple Store and Dell. ShopTrue is an expansion of the airline's existing partnership with Points.com that began in 2008 with the 'Buy TrueBlue Points' service, which allows members to purchase extra points either for themselves or to give to other members.

Web: http://www.jetblue.com

Wyndham Rewards is running a new sweepstake for its members until 15th August, offering travellers in China the chance to win one of more than 80 prizes, including multiple free nights (awarded in the form of Wyndham Rewards points) and a luxury weekend stay for two at a Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale hotel. Members travelling in China can register online for the weekly sweepstake for the chance to win one of five prizes of 20,000 Wyndham Rewards points. Five additional grand prizes of 160,000 Wyndham Rewards points will be awarded at the end of the sweepstake. Finally, the top three guests with the most qualifying stays at the end of the sweepstake will receive a 'Top Stayers' award, which consists of a luxury weekend stay for two at a Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale hotel.

Web: http://www.wyndhamrewards.com.cn

Loyalty programme computing company, LoyaltyMatch, has launched LoyaltyMatch OnDemand Social Loyalty, a real-time social loyalty platform blending traditional tiered-based loyalty programme offerings with social incentives, social interactions and gaming and social word of mouth. The platform provides the ability to know who is 'checking in' while leveraging influencers to encourage current and new customers to engage with the brand, within the context of rewarding members and non-members as they recommend, try, buy and repurchase. The cloud-based platform includes communities and social application integration with Foursquare, Twitter, Gowalla, Yelp, Google Latitude and others, while providing in-programme game based functionality, incentive engine, analytics, and member management.

Web: http://www.loyaltymatch.com

In the UK, the Nectar coalition loyalty programme is extending its online offering through a new partnership with the Yahoo! UK search engine, offering Nectar collectors the chance to earn loyalty points for online searches, if they install the new Nectar Yahoo! toolbar. Members can download and install the toolbar from Nectar.com, then collect up to 50 Nectar points each month (1 point for every 2 searches made). A Nectar logo also appears next to any retailers in the search listings that currently offer Nectar points as part of the 'collect points online' offering, and a simple 'traffic light' system on the toolbar shows whether points can be collected for purchases: green shows that points are currently being collected, red means that no points have been collected, and grey shows that Nectar points are not available through a retailer.

Web: http://www.nectar.com

In the US, MasterCard and Major League Baseball (MLB) have teamed up to launch an online portal called Priceless Perks, offering MasterCard cardholders and MLB fans special offers and exclusive savings on premium game tickets and team merchandise, as well as access to special MLB fan experiences. Priceless Perks provides cardholders with up to 20% off MLB Shop merchandise purchased with a MasterCard, as well as exclusive ticket offers to see their favourite teams play. Fans can also request text messages alerting them about ticket deals and opportunities to get free tickets through the MasterCard Sweet Seats programme. In addition, cardholders can get 20% off subscriptions to MLB.TV. Cardholders can also bid online for exclusive memorabilia from their favourite teams and players.

Web: http://www.mlb.com

Cardmobili, a provider of mobile loyalty and member services, has announced its expansion into the North American market. A free application for consumers, Cardmobili, takes advantage of 'cloud computing' infrastructure so that consumers don't need to carry physical loyalty, membership, rewards and other membership cards by simply making them available on the consumer's mobile phone instead. While the idea of storing and using loyalty cards on mobile devices is not a new one, the release of iPhone, iPad and iPod applications such as this is likely to be popular with consumers, provided that wide enough support and cooperation is seen among loyalty programme operators.

Web: http://www.cardmobili.com

In the US, Winn-Dixie has announced that customers who shop at any of its 54 New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette-area stores using the company's new magnetic stripe-based Customer Reward Card (CRC) will earn fuel savings at participating Shell stations through the fuelperks! rewards programme network. For every US$50 in qualifying purchases that customers make using their new CRC at Winn-Dixie, they will receive a US$0.05 per gallon fuel discount, redeemable at more than 125 participating Shell stations in the region. The fuelperks! rewards are also cumulative, so the more shoppers spend, the more they earn. For example, if a customer spends US$100, they earn a US$0.10 per gallon discount, and when they spend US$150, they earn a US$0.15 per gallon discount, and so on.

Web: http://www.winn-dixie.com/fuelperks

Delta Air Lines and GOL have announced an agreement to offer members of Delta's SkyMiles and GOL's SMILES frequent flyer programmes the ability to earn miles on all flights operated by each carrier. Redemption benefits are scheduled to begin during the second half of 2010. SkyMiles currently has 140 programme partners, and claims more than 81 million members worldwide. In 2009, SkyMiles members redeemed more than 230 billion miles for more than 11 million award redemptions and some 8.5% of revenue miles flown on Delta were for award travel. GOL's SMILES programme currently claims some 6.8 million members.

Web: http://www.delta-air.com

The Best Western hotel group is joining the German coalition loyalty programme, Payback. From July 2010 onward, Payback customers are able to collect points at over 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide. Payback members now earn 250 points for every stay, and points can be redeemed for rewards, vouchers, and other awards. Payback's partnership with a global hotel brand is expected to enable the programme to expand its travel, leisure and tourism portfolio, according to Bernhard Brugger, managing director for Payback GmbH. Payback currently claims 24.6 million active cardholders in Germany and Poland, with a redemption rate of more than 90%.

Web: http://www.payback.net

A Facebook application called 'GoRecommend' was recently launched by customer experience management firm Empathica, and has now been responsible for some 50,000 consumer-to-consumer recommendations which have been seen by a network of friends totalling some 8 million. The company's Facebook-based brand recommendation application aims to help brands to mobilise advocates in the social networking environment. After customers complete a retail experience survey, the application prompts those who were happy with their experience to make an online recommendation via their Facebook profile. The application has also had two new features added, allowing brands to give satisfied customers the ability to send 'virtual gifts' to their friends, or promotional coupons that can be used at the brand's real-world outlets.

Web: http://www.empathica.com

Hilton HHonors, the loyalty programme for frequent Hilton hotel guests, has announced a new global promotion offering twice the rewards. From now until 30th September 2010, Hilton HHonors members can register online to earn either Double Points or Double Airline Miles for stays at any of the group's 3,600 participating hotels in 81 countries. Participating brands include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.

Web: http://www.hiltonworldwide.com

Air China's Phoenix Miles frequent flyers can now earn extra frequent flyer rewards when they purchase tickets. An additional 500 kilometres are being awarded to those who purchase domestic flights and an additional 2 kilometres for every 10 RMB are awarded to those who purchase international flight tickets. An Air China free ticket can be purchased for 8,000 kilometres, or even fewer when combined with other promotions. For example, for the Beijing-Shanghai route, the normal mileage award is 1,088 kilometres. Now, passengers can earn an additional 500 kilometre award for each single trip, coming to a total of 1,588 kilometres. Consequently, the mileage from 6 single trip flights or 3 round trip flights now equate to a free ticket. At the same time, Air China has also launched an initiative to trade 1,000 kilometres at a time for RMB 30 air ticket coupons, allowing members to redeem any small outstanding mileage balances.

Web: http://www.airchina.com.cn

JetBlue Airways, in partnership with Carlson Marketing, launched a 'Be True' rewards awareness campaign earlier this month, aimed at boosting membership and raising awareness of the benefits of the TrueBlue frequent flyer programme. During the first week of July 2010, new members of the TrueBlue programme earned 1,000 bonus points for enrolling online, and an additional 2,000 points for booking a flight within 60 days. Be True highlighted the passions of six real TrueBlue members, selected from nearly 100 inspiring candidates that were nominated by the airline's crew members. Each customer's true story of dedication (such as providing clean water wells in Tanzania, training medical students to care for people in austere environments, or teaching improvisation) demonstrated the importance of being true to yourself and your passion. "These passionate stories epitomise the theme of our campaign that 'everyone is true to something, and we're true to you'," said Dave Canty, director of loyalty marketing and partnerships for JetBlue.

Web: http://www.carlsonmarketing.com

In the US, Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) - an international medical humanitarian organisation - has begun offering its supporters an affinity debit card, powered by Tempo. Every time the Doctors Without Borders Debit MasterCard is used to make a purchase, the organisation will receive a portion of the standard card transaction fee that will help the organisation in its efforts to provide medical care for millions of people in nearly 70 countries. The cards can be used anywhere that Debit MasterCard cards are accepted, and can also provide cash-back and ATM withdrawal access for cardholders' existing cheque accounts. Other non-profits organisations that are already offering Tempo's affinity debit cards include the Breast Cancer Fund, Greenpeace, In Defense of Animals, the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, Surfrider Foundation and World Emergency Relief.

Web: http://www.tempo.com

Canadian internet users have reported a significant decline in the number of weekly emails received, according to the latest 'Ipsos Interactive Reid Report'. The average number of emails received during the survey's one-week time frame (including 'spam') declined by 35% from 198 in late 2008 to 129 in early 2010. According to study author, Mark Laver, "Considering new communication platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Messenger, the decline in email usage is not very surprising - but what is surprising is the speed of the decline that seems to be happening". In fact, Facebook users send an average of 16 Facebook messages each week, while users of MSN Messenger and Blackberry Messenger are sending even more messages through those platforms. This activity, it seems, may be displacing a large number of emails in the process.

Web: http://www.ipsos.ca

A new consumer loyalty and rewards programme called 'BestLifeRewarded' has been launched by Cookson James Loyalty to reward Canadians for maintaining healthy lifestyles and behaviours. Starting in Q3 2010, the programme will reward consumers for healthy activities such as healthier eating, giving up smoking, being more physically active, taking medications as prescribed (i.e. patient compliance), and tracking their blood pressure. Members of BestLifeRewarded can redeem their earned rewards for health-related items such as gym memberships, healthy cookbooks and blood pressure monitors, to encourage them to further maintain their new, healthy lifestyles.

Web: http://www.cooksonjamesloyalty.com

Aegean Airlines has extended the reach of its loyalty programme by partnering with Air China and the Aeroplan programme in Canada. The FFP cooperation between Aegean and Air China began on 30th June 2010, allowing Air China's PhoenixMiles members to earn Status Mileage on all scheduled flights operated by Aegean, and to redeem award travel for round trips on any scheduled flight operated by Aegean. At the same time, the new Aeroplan partnership allows Aeroplan Members to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles for travel with Aegean Airlines (bringing Aeroplan's total number of airline partners to 34).

Web: http://en.aegeanair.com

In Australia, the FlyBuys loyalty programme has launched its own iPhone application, giving cardholders a new way to monitor their FlyBuys points balance and to choose their rewards. FlyBuys general manager Phil Hawkins expects the free application to be popular among the country's rapidly increasing number of iPhone users, particularly given the significant number of younger shoppers who have joined FlyBuys during the past year. Apart from allowing members to check their points balance, there is also a 'Bonus Boost' button that shows them what special offers are available to them at the time. The application also provides maps showing the location of the nearest participating FlyBuys outlets, as well as a full listing of FlyBuys' 800+ reward options. Hawkins added that the application will allow FlyBuys to send its members targeted messages, alerting them to any relevant special offers. FlyBuys currently claims membership of over 5.5 million households, representing over 10 million cardholders in Australia.

Web: http://www.flybuys.com.au

In Canada, Aeroplan members can now automatically donate 2% of their Aeroplan miles to any of the programme's Beyond Miles charities, which now also include Athletes for Africa (an organisation dedicated to youth and sports). The new partnership was launched with a donation of more than 1.2 million Aeroplan Miles. Athletes for Africa says it will use the miles gained from member donations to offset costs related to travel to bring youth together in sports and to promote global citizenship in Uganda, southern Sudan and the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The charity aims to help strengthen communities, provide education and foster skills development for young people in those regions. And, as part of its ongoing commitment to the environment, Aeroplan will also fully offset all carbon emissions from flights taken by Athletes for Africa using donated miles.

Web: http://www.aeroplan.com

GiftCards.com, a provider of consumer gift cards and corporate incentive & rewards cards, has announced the launch of WRL.com (Wolfe Rewards & Loyalty). WRL.com focuses exclusively on corporate reward and incentive programmes, while GiftCards.com continues to serve the consumer market. WRL.com provides full service prepaid solutions and technology for corporate programmes including consumer loyalty, rebates, employee recognition and retention. "We will work with each client to understand their programme goals, identify additional opportunities based on our past experiences, and tailor a solution for the best and most cost efficient reward," said Jason Wolfe, CEO for WRL.com. The company offers a range of Visa and MasterCard prepaid cards that can be fully branded and personalised.

Web: http://www.wrl.com

In Canada, the Air Miles Rewards Programme has signed a partnership deal to run an energy conservation campaign with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), which is responsible for ensuring a reliable, cost-effective and sustainable supply of electricity for Ontario. The OPA's 'Power Pledge' campaign promotes simple conservation actions that reduce electricity usage, save money, and help protect the environment. This year, Air Milees reward miles are being offered to Ontario residents as an incentive to sign-up for the OPA's Power Pledge campaign. Currently, Air Miles Canada claims more than 10 million active collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households.

Web: http://www.airmiles.ca

Carlson Marketing's Instant Rewards programme has launched mobile gift certificates known as 'mCerts' to give loyalty marketers the ability to send digital gift certificates via mobile devices, providing on-the-spot reward redemptions for their loyalty programme members. mCerts can potentially reach 97% of all mobile device users by using text messaging, mobile catalogues and scannable barcodes. The mCert is an extension of the programme's existing email certificate (the 'eCert') that provides real-time rewards and offers for loyalty programme members. mCerts could provide a valuable instant redemption channel for retailers, restaurants, travel companies, financial service providers and companies in many other sectors. According to Carlson Marketing, the unification of online and mobile communication provides marketers with the ability to reach their most loyal customers with discounts, loyalty point credits, and monetary rewards instantly, regardless of channel.

Web: http://www.carlsonmarketing.com

Mall Networks, a provider of loyalty shopping solutions, and the loyalty journal Colloquy have signed a strategic partnership deal to help advance loyalty marketing best practices thorughout a range of industries including financial services, card issuers, airlines and hospitality, and media organisations. Mall Networks, as a Platinum member of the Colloquy Network, will develop joint research with Colloquy, co-author articles and co-sponsor educational conferences and recognition programmes that help loyalty marketers increase the value propositions they offer to customers.

Web: http://www.mallnetworks.com

Garage workshop chain Pit-Stop has joined Payback, Germany's largest loyalty programme. From July 2010, Payback customers can collect 1 point for each Euro 1 spent at the over 400 branches of Pit-Stop throughout Germany. Special promotions for services such as servicing and tyre changes are also planned for the autumn months. Payback sends out 85 million direct mailings and 272 million e-mail newsletters a year. It has some 24.6 million active cardholders in Germany and Poland. Payback is the largest communications platform in Germany. The project with Pit-Stop means that Payback will have some 9,000 partner outlets. Each year in Germany and Poland, Payback cards are used for sales amounting to around Euro 19 billion.

Web: http://www.payback.net

Customer engagement is fast becoming a critical strategy and metric for leading brand marketers, but many CMOs are at odds over how to do it correctly and how to measure its impact, according to a new study released today by Forbes Insights and George P. Johnson. The report suggests that engagement is now a key dynamic that should be considered when designing big-idea campaigns; without engagement, the message is quickly lost, its power diminished. The study reveals that nearly all survey participants (97%) view engagement as very (67%) or somewhat (30%) important, but more than a quarter have no specific strategy toward customer engagement, and more than a third feel their companies do only a fair or poor job engaging their audiences. The study is available here.

Web: http://www.forbes.com/forbesinsights

To coincide with the UK's emergency budget, Nectar has launched an integrated marketing campaign which went live on Tuesday 22nd June. The campaign aims to reassure consumers that good times can still be had by being savvy and using Nectar points to help family finances stretch that bit further with a Nectar card. The campaign launched with print advertising that echoes the famous wartime poster 'Keep Calm and Carry On'. The ads include the announcement that Nectar has given back £1.5 billion in rewards, ranging from money off grocery bills, to meals out, weekends away and flights. Comparisons are made to the World Cup, where £1.5 billion would be enough to fly one in three Londoners to South Africa to watch the World Cup, buy enough vuvuzelas for the entire populations of England, the USA, Algeria and Slovenia (with some left over) or, closer to home, the opportunity to be in the Premier League with the purchase of Manchester United Football Club. The Nectar scheme now has nearly 17 million household accounts, who can earn points with 14 well known brands and over 450 online partners.

Web: http://www.nectar.com

Sabre Travel Network, a provider of solutions for the travel industry, has globally launched Sabre Red, designed to help travel agencies drive customer loyalty and increase revenues, improve efficiency and reduced costs. The system spans the entire spectrum of an agency's business from shopping and booking travel, to serving customers throughout their trip, to using business intelligence for insight and continuous improvement.

Web: http://www.sabre-holdings.com.