Loyalty Programs Are Failing. Cults Are Winning.

Let’s stop pretending a points program is going to make anyone love your brand.

Most so-called “loyalty” programs aren’t loyalty programs at all, they’re thinly veiled discount traps. Marketers bribe people with rebates, cash-back, and useless points in exchange for repeat purchases, social shares, and reviews.

It’s a transactional mess. A race to the bottom. And it commodifies your brand in the worst possible way.