2019, what a year it has been!

230 programmes, 46 countries, 6 continents, 4 billion stamps collected, 173 million (instant) rewards redeemed. We would love you to be part of next year’s journey!

January | China loves free cookware

With the start of a fresh new year, we loved to see 5,000 shoppers attending the single-store launch event at Spar Huaguan in China. This was the first-ever free cookware program in China where 6 products from the Fontignac cookware collection could be redeemed. At the same time, we’ve launched our first loyalty program at Auchan in Russia, where shoppers could collect Noelini farm animal plush toys for free. Next to Auchan Russia, we launched our first program at Coop CNO in Italy, offering great dining moments with our vivo | Villery & Boch dinnerware range. Spar Hungary celebrated the 90^th anniversary of Mickey Mouse and Hungarian shoppers could save for a complete Disney home range including cushions, blankets, towels, and more. The magic of Disney is incredible as the Disney breakfast concept launched simultaneously at Billa CZ.

February | Retailers go fresh!

While new year’s resolutions often start in January, last February the retail landscape emphasized freshness. Lidl Belgium launched its first Stikeez promotion in the country, encouraging children to make healthy food choices. At the same time, Coles Australia partnered with the Healthy Kids Association to launch the Stikeez Fruit & Veggies promotion. By bringing the fruit and vegetables to life with names and characters Coles aimed to encourage kids to eat more fruit and veg. The Stikeez hype continued as more programmes were launched in the following months. In Brazil, shoppers could save for RoyalVKB storage boxes at Muffato to store their fruit and vegetables while in South-Africa, shoppers were collecting Royal VKB knives for free at Choppies. Moreover, to combat food waste and encourage healthy eating, Carrefour China started its first 100% digital loyalty program with a Jamie Oliver storage and cookware range. In addition, shoppers were able to collect stamps digitally through the WeChat social media platform, consisting of more than 9 million members.

March | Tupperware parties in France

The party has started in 1254 stores of Carrefour France where their customers could save for Tupperware storage. As temperature increased, glassware took over the loyalty market since OMV Slovenia gave shoppers the chance to collect Disney glassware, Fontignac glassware was saved for at Pao de Açúcar in Brazil while at Automercado in Costa Rica shoppers could digitally collect Vivo’s double wall glasses. The app became the most downloaded app in Costa Rica's history! In Romania, little shoppers got rewarded at Mega Image with 96 different collectable PopStix and they loved it! Check out the video to see how kids go crazy for PopStix.

April | Jamie Oliver conquers China

On April Fool’s Day, CR Vanguard Group started its first free digital-only program in China, offering its customers 7 products from the Jamie Oliver Knife collection. To boost the program’s impact several workshops were held which sold out after 30 minutes! At the end of the month, a Zwilling programme at Spar Hungary was launched, enabling shoppers to collect 12 different items of chef-worthy ovenware. Simultaneously AEON Tokai Nagano region in Japan launched its 8^th program with BrandLoyalty, where shoppers saved for Joseph Joseph designed products. In November the displays developed got the grand prize of the Japan Promotional Marketing Institute in the POS competition: the POP Creative Award 2019! In Italy, the Marvel Flash Heroes promotion was launched and shoppers at Eurospin received one of the 5 free heroes only during 5 specific weekends. Also, this program got rewarded, this time as 'Best Licensing Programme' at the Promotion Awards in Italy.

May | Play begins at Pick n Pay

May was all about rewarding mini shoppers. In South-Africa, the national cricket team came to life for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. During this period, shoppers could collect 60 unique cards at Pick n Pay. The program was supported by an app, showing all of the cricket team in 3D. Concurrently, Condis Spain launched the 4^th SuperAnimal program, offering 108 dino cards. All cards could be collected in an album and in the Super Dinos app. Carrefour Spain created magical Movie Moments by offering 108 Movie Moments cards and additional completers like mugs, plush and t-shirts. Also, Albertson’s United Supermarkets created excitement in-stores by launching a campaign featuring the nostalgic Toy Story characters. Read more about the Toy Story Micropopz program at United Supermarkets in our case study.

June | Proud to be honoured

Disney Movie Moments promotion at Plus has been presented with a prestigious Loyalty Magazine award in the category "Best use of Communications - including Social Media" at the Loyalty Magazine Awards in London.

August | Sainsbury's unlocks the power in kids

On the 21^st of August, we launched our first programme with Sainsbury’s. This brand-new campaign called Disney Heroes encouraged kids to become the best version of themselves. The campaign integrates the Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel worlds in one concept. Read more about the campaign in our case study.

While grown-up shoppers became master chefs during the Royal VKB knives promotion at Leclerc in France, mini shoppers from Mercator Slovenia started their cooking adventure by filling their album with 144 Disney Magic Kitchen stickers while learning new cooking recipes, solving riddles and learn fun facts about food. To enlarge the experience, we’ve created, together with IceMobile, the ‘Mali Sef’ app, allowing kids to play cooking games and collect digitally.

With the release of the Disney Lion King live-action movie, Dis-Chem launched a PopStix range consisting of characters of Disney’s most memorable films and animation series. Builders were encouraged to share their construction designs on social media using the hashtag #DisChemPopStix and #PopStixChallenge to not only showcase their creations but to also stand in line to win spot prizes.

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August | Hakunamatata at Hema China

Chinese consumers never felt so ‘Hakuna Matata’ as during the limited-edition Royal VKB range, consisting of healthy-to-go items which are Lion King themed. Hema has reflected its game-changer mentality in its loyalty offering, taking collecting to the next level with one-of-a-kind ‘mission-based' gamification elements which are a first in food retail. At Billa and Merkur Austria as well as at Cactus Luxembourg consumers were motivated to stop food waste by the retailers’ Tupperware program, both with a different range.

September | Welcoming record numbers of guests

On the 24^th and 25^thof September, record numbers of guests flocked to Amsterdam for the 8^th edition of our Retail Loyalty Congress. There were over hundreds of retailers and brand partners attending the two-day congress, which explored topics such as health, new retail, evolving consumers and loyalty. We used these topics in order to challenge our partners and ourselves to step out of the sea of sameness, with this years' congress theme 'Dare to Differentiate'.

We look back on an unforgettable edition of the Retail Loyalty Congress, with two amazing days full of world-class speakers, masterclasses, and good conversations in Hotel Okura. Right from the start, the atmosphere in Amsterdam has been nothing else but warm and overwhelmingly positive. For those who attended the Retail Loyalty Congress 2019, thank you all for your contribution. We enjoyed every second of it and hope you did too.

October | Saving for the perfect Thanksgiving gift

After launching the first digital-based program in North America in 2017, shoppers could now save for vivo | Villeroy & Boch bakeware and ovenware at Lowes. By using the My Kaboodle app, they could earn and redeem rewards. For every $10 spent at Lowes, shoppers received a stamp which they used to collect products from the selected vivo | Villeroy & Boch range for free. In the meantime, winter started early in France this year as from October until December kids could collect 72 Frozen II cards and save for discounted pillows shaped in their favorite Frozen characters. At the same time, shoppers at Pokupochka in Russia could save for Smurfs Plush with only an additional payment of €0.30. Back in France, the shoppers saved for Fontignac cutlery with a starting price of only €1.

November | Ending the saga

As ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ premiered in December, we launched our 5^th Star Wars program with E.Leclerc in France. For 5 weeks, over 1,300 stores and drive-in stores offered more than 90 million stickers and over 669,599 collector albums.

Meanwhile, Kaufland International rolled out a customized concept called ‘Mastering the Force’ in 8 countries. There were 48 cards to complete the card collection, and 48 special cards with cool holographic features. The collector’s album and K-Master app are not just to store the cards, they include a manual that teaches children to become a powerful Jedi. Discover more about the program and the perfect connection between offline and online in our case study.

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November | The magic world of ice

More than 15 retailers across the globe are riding the hype of the sequel to Disney's blockbuster animation Frozen, which was released in cinemas worldwide in November. There is a huge range of products to collect for which feature numerous characters from the movie, there was something for every fan. From mugs at Lidl in Finland, pillows, and cards at Carrefour in France, to plush toys at Rewe in Germany.

December | Christmas in Australasia with Spiegelau!

Azbuka Vkusa celebrated the holidays with a Zwilling programme consisting of the 5-star range while Extra Brazil has launched its fourth RoyalVKB campaign, offering its customers a chance to complete their collection. On the other side of the world we’ve cheered up shoppers at Coles Australia, where they could save for Spiegelau glasses to give the perfect toast during the festive season. At the same time, New World in New Zealand launched a programme with Spiegelau glassware, making the brand beloved in Australasia!

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Take a deeper look into our programs and concepts by reading our case studies.

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