Poundland has launched its nationwide loyalty program, Poundland Perks, across 850 stores and online platforms, marking a significant advancement in high-street retail engagement. The app has rapidly gained popularity, topping UK app charts and amassing over 500,000 downloads shortly after its release.

More Points, More Perks – Just in Time for Christmas

The timing couldn’t be better. As we approach the festive season, Poundland is giving customers the chance to accumulate points on every purchase until December 24. By earning 1 point for every penny spent, shoppers can quickly collect perks – with 5,000 points translating to a £1 voucher. This fast-track savings strategy turns every purchase into a reward, positioning Poundland as a savings destination that doesn’t compromise on choice or convenience.

Spin to Winsday

The app introduces ‘Spin to Winsday,’ a gamified feature available every Wednesday, allowing users to win prizes, points, and exclusive perks. Additionally, Poundland Perks offers over 100 deals on popular brands such as Domestos, TRESemmé, Lynx, and Pot Noodle, ensuring substantial savings on everyday essentials.

£20 Million Tech Transformation

“This investment in our digital ecosystem is about giving customers more ways to save. We want to make Poundland a go-to for everyday savings and exceptional experiences alike.”

Tom Hill, Director of Digital at Poundland

This ambitious launch is part of Poundland’s £20 million investment in a digital overhaul, including faster self-checkouts and seamless in-store technology to enhance the customer experience. The new technology enables smooth integration with the app, so customers can easily track rewards and redeem offers with each visit. It’s a clear sign Poundland is serious about creating a streamlined, tech-driven shopping journey.

Perks On The Move

Extending beyond digital engagement, Poundland has introduced the Perks Caravan, a mobile unit touring the UK to promote the loyalty program. Offering free coffees and facilitating on-the-spot app sign-ups, this initiative blends digital convenience with community interaction, enhancing brand engagement nationwide.

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With just over 1 week remaining until the entry deadline for the prestigious IPM Awards 2024, the time to shine is now. This is your opportunity to showcase your outstanding work, celebrate your achievements, and stand a chance to claim one of the highly sought-after IPM trophies.

After the resounding success of last year’s event, which saw a sell-out crowd, it’s evident that the promotional marketing industry is brimming with remarkable campaigns. These campaigns play a pivotal role in driving brand success, fostering customer loyalty and engagement, and, of course, boosting sales.

Whether your expertise lies in promotional incentive campaigns, competitions, immersive experiential initiatives, or collaborative brand partnerships, the IPM Awards categories cater to a diverse range of accomplishments.

Its time to get moving; the deadline is Wednesday, May 8th, at 4:00 PM.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be recognised for your excellence in promotional marketing.

Enter the IPM Awards 2024 today and take your place among industry trailblazers.

For all category information visit https://theipm.org.uk/awards-2024/

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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.

The post Is ‘Pounds, Not Points’ Really the Way to Go? appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

Brands who offer customer incentives can cut cost of acquisition and retention in the year ahead

UK consumers say that incentives will be key to securing their loyalty and custom through the cost-of-living crisis, according to new research from Edenred.
The study, which asked 2,000 consumers about how they were changing their spending behaviour in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, found incentives were more important than a range of factors including reputation or customer service in attracting customer spend and second only to price.
With the majority of consumers (54%) having already made changes to their lifestyle to cope with the cost-of-living crisis, only 15% of consumers say their household budget can accommodate further prices increases and 42% say they would need to borrow more to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.
Against this backdrop, consumers are adopting a range of value-seeking behaviours as they shop, with one-in-four consumers (26%) looking for cashback or incentives when shopping and just under a third (29%) said they were using money-off vouchers or coupons to make their household budget go further. Around a third (32%) are shopping around for the best prices.
Close to four-in-ten consumers (38%) say they are more likely to recommend a brand that offers incentives while a quarter (25%) say they will be more loyal to an existing brand. Incentives will also encourage people to switch (35%) or trial a new brand (30%).
The most attractive incentives that brands can offer are rewards for loyalty (37%) followed by cashback (35%) or vouchers (31%). A significant majority also value the opportunity to share rewards with friends and family (29%) or with a good cause (23%).
Andy Philpott, Marketing Director at Edenred said:
“While these are tough times to compete for a share of consumer spending, our research shows that brands can attract and retain value-seeking customers and avoid a race to the bottom on price by using incentives.
Whether it is by reducing customer churn, rewarding loyalty or winning new customers through refer-a-friend schemes, incentives offer every brand the opportunity to minimise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis without having to resort to price competition.
By offering customers the opportunity to give to causes they believe in or simply the ability to share reward with friends and family, brands can also build preference and differentiation through the choice of incentives on offer.
As the battle for customers intensifies, it will be the sales and marketing teams who can best deploy incentives who are likely to attract and retain customers through the cost-of-living crisis.”
To download the full report, “The battle for new customers in the cost-of-living crisis”, please visit the Edenred website HERE

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The TLC International Travel Network is the go-to reward network offering consumers their choice of travel rewards around the world, at the tap of a button. TLC are the marketing agency for global travel promotions.

For 30 years, TLC have been connecting people with experiences that match their passions. The uniqueness of their business model is providing this for a fraction of the cost, making it commercially viable for brands to offer free experiences to their consumers as a reward for sales, engagement and retention. Within the International Travel Network the reason TLC can offer these incredible rewards at a fraction of the cost is due to their unique business model as well as their new partnership with Expedia Partner Solutions, the world’s largest online travel aggregator

TLC Marketing is the most experienced consumer rewards agency in the world and are the global pioneers in creating travel promotions. Operating in over 12 countries, they leverage the best in class technology & partnerships that will help brands reach new heights.

TLC have built their own proprietary platform that allows consumers to redeem travel rewards such as free hotel stays, through to stackable travel credits – redeemable worldwide. The investment in this development allows a seamless booking experience for consumers and is coupled with world-class customer service. Partnering with Expedia Partner Solutions allows the inventory to include 700,000 hotels worldwide in over 15 languages.

Why now?

Desperate to go anywhere, escapism, is the driving force behind our urge to travel as the rest of our lives are being delayed. From the pandemic to the cost of living crisis, 38% of people dream of going somewhere they’ve never been before. Travelling has been romanticised even more as many of us feel that we NEED to have some time away. Having spent the last year dreaming of far away places & hidden gems locally, people are inspired to get exploring again where they can, whether at home or abroad – bringing to life the recent trend term of “Revenge Travel.”

The cost of living crisis means we are being forced to sacrifice quality time together, unfortunately it means consumers are having to give up those big ticket purchases such as holidays and travel.

Therefore the time is now for a brand to offer travel as a reward to their consumers.

Who have TLC worked with?

Globally, TLC have worked with some of the biggest brands on travel promotions including Continental Tyres, Tommy Hilfiger and Hello Bank. All brands offering their customers that once in a lifetime reward for a break away.

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Loyalty and recognition experts Incentivesmart are offering a step by step guide to help improve customer retention. Learn how to measure engagement, satisfaction and discover ways to create loyal customers.

Develop a brand ambassador strategy using this useful guide from the people that know how, here.

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• Google Search for “Signs of burnout” up 150% in 2020 & only increasing this year
• Studies show journaling, breathwork, forest bathing and nature boost wellbeing
• Pack away the paintball and let forest bathing create meaningful team connections

After a tough year of Zoom and gloom, blurred boundaries between work and life, and general exhaustion, two entrepreneurs have set up retreats in Surrey and Hampshire for teams to “Restore, Recharge and Reimagine” – and all in just 36 hours.

Groups of up to 20 colleagues, some of whom have never met due to Covid-19, can come together in person and reconnect. Surrounded by outstanding beauty, staying in luxurious bell tents complete with wood-burning stoves and being served locally sourced food, the 36-hour retreat offers experiences such as storytelling, journaling, vision building, Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) and Conscious Connected Breathwork. These can be adapted to suit each individual client and can include further talks and extended stays from a week to a month for larger teams.

The idea was born out of clients asking for ways to re-energise their tired teams who are all Zoomed out and is co-run by author and storyteller Preethi Nair, who works with teams to help them build stories and communities, alongside Justine Clement of B Corp prize agency The Happy Prize Company and wellbeing agency, The Life Adventure. “There is a real need for connection, and we wanted to create a space where teams could come together and not just connect with each other, but with themselves and also nature.  It might not sound like a typical team getaway, but our programme is grounded in science. Studies have shown that journaling can improve mental health and just two hours in nature can boost happiness and wellbeing. So, just imagine what 36 hours can do. Practicing conscious connected breath releases stress, boosts immunity and improves sleep.  We just want to equip people with tools that they can then go on and use every day in their lives.”

Camp locations are in Godstone Valley, Surrey and Home Covert at The Grange in Hampshire.  For further information about the retreats or to discuss bespoking the itinerary or duration contact Justine Clement at justinec@thelifeadventure.co or  visit the website here.

 The camp is also available for use as a prize. For details on this please see here.

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Award-winning travel incentive and prize fulfilment agency Cloud Nine Incentives has expanded its operation into the EU, with the opening of a location in the Dutch city of Amsterdam.

Director, Sophie Chambers, commented ‘Back in 2020 to ensure that we could maintain our service levels post Brexit, we started the process of opening another location.  This time in the Netherlands and I’m delighted to tell you that Cloud Nine is now operational, and also working out of the convenient and innovative city of Amsterdam.’

‘Our HQ and most of the team remain in Buckinghamshire with no operational changes, however a number of our clients who operate pan-European FMCG activity from the UK, or who have clients based in the EU have already benefitted from having a trusted partner with a European base.’

‘The additional location simply helps us to offer our clients and partners additional flexibility and reduced costs when working across Europe, in terms of services, billing and shipping.’

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Shell UK has launched Spin to Win, a brand-new reward campaign to give customers across the UK a much-needed boost of fun when visiting a Shell service station during the dreary winter months.

Spin to Win is an instant-win promotional campaign, designed and delivered by Mando-Connect in collaboration with fellow WPP agency Wunderman Thompson who concepted and developed the creative idea. The campaign aims to drive new sign-ups to the award-winning Shell Go+ rewards programme, whilst delighting existing members with Shell’s own take on the much-loved spin the wheel mechanic.

Live now, the 10-week campaign will run until 10^th March, with over 1,000 participating Shell service stations injected with gameshow pizazz and unmissable Spin to Win creative, developed by Wunderman Thompson and HRG. Members are encouraged to spend more than £20 to play the Spin to Win scratch card game – with every spin being a win!

Millions of prizes are up for grabs each day – from family staycations with Forest Holidays, fitness trackers from Fitbit and vouchers from Waitrose, John Lewis and Halfords, to free movie rentals with CHILI, free fuel for a year from Shell, and much more.

Mando-Connect (the brand partnerships and reward specialist arm of Mando) delivered the promotional strategy and prize pool utilizing their strong relationships with well-known brand partners to build a suite of premium and highly desirable prizes – speaking to the fact that *86% of Shell customers look to own good quality products and 87% stating the importance of family time.

(*Source: YouGov Profiles. As part of strategy and insights phase)

Spin to Win has also been brought to life in digital channels through a dedicated microsite created by promotional solution experts Codestring. Customers will be directed to shell.co.uk/spintowin where they have the chance to spin the wheel to instantly reveal an amazing prize.

Charlie Hills, Managing Director and Head of Strategy at Mando-Connect remarked, “It’s been an absolute delight working with one of our dream clients in Shell. The quickly assembled WPP cross-agency team working with Wunderman-Thompson has delivered something that we are all super proud to stand behind, pulling on Mando’s expertise in promotional risk and strategy, as well as our partnership rewards know-how to deliver a stand-out promotion, particularly given the current climate. I can’t wait to see this rolled out across every Shell service station!”

Linda Gomersall, Payment and Loyalty Operations manager at Shell commented that “We are excited to share our new Spin To Win campaign with our customers.  2020 has been such a difficult year, so we thought we would to go into 2021 brightening up our customers’ visits with a fun game to play and some exciting prizes to win.”

Paul Snoxell, UK Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson said, “It’s fair to say that right now our most exciting trips out of the house are to destinations such as the supermarket or a petrol station. So, let’s make it fun. The idea draws on the iconic game show mechanic we all know and love, but with Spin to Win, you can’t lose. Hopefully, in some way, this helps beat those January blues and puts a smile on faces.”

About Mando-Connect

Mando-Connect is a multi-award winning Smart Brand Partnerships and Rewards Agency, devoted to producing brilliant data-fuelled partnerships that drive results across the UK, Europe and the globe. We specialise in loyalty and promotions.

For more information, see www.mando-connect.co.uk and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram.

About Wunderman Thompson

At Wunderman Thompson, we exist to inspire growth for ambitious brands. Part creative agency, part consultancy and part technology company, our experts provide end-to-end capabilities at a global scale to deliver inspiration across the entire brand and customer experience.

For more information_, please visit us at www.wundermanthompson.com/uk and follow our social channels via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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