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.
If your customer only comes back when you dangle a carrot, they’re not loyal, they’re bargain hunters.
That’s not loyalty. That’s dependency. And it’s killing your brand from the inside out.
Because real loyalty isn’t bought. It’s earned. And the brands that are winning today? They’re not just earning loyalty, they’re building cults.
Let me explain.
You know who doesn’t use punch cards or cashback codes?
Supreme, the brand that invented modern hype culture. Harley-Davidson, where the logo is more tattooed than most band names. Glossier, whose customers became its best marketers. Taylor Swift, who created the most devoted global fanbase on the planet.
None of these brands offer points. They offer something way more powerful: identity.
And I know this works because I’ve done it myself.
A few years ago, I launched Saul Cult, what started as a joke became a real thing. I told people: “If you give me your actual mailing address (not email), I’ll welcome you into the cult."What I did was send them stickers and a Saul lapel pin. No discounts. No promos. Just something weird, real, and totally unexpected.
People loved it. They shared it. They wore the pin like a badge of honor. It gave them something to talk about and something to belong to. That’s the key, belonging. That’s what makes loyalty real.
And it wasn’t about me. It was about them, the community of like-minded people who “got it.” And when they found each other, it created instant connection. That’s loyalty that no spreadsheet can measure.
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: People don’t want perks. They want purpose.
They want to be part of something bigger. They want to feel like insiders. They want to fly the flag for brands that reflect who they are.
Here’s what the smartest brands are doing right now:
They’re building insider communities, through private Discords, micro-influencer networks, meetups, and beta groups.
They’re elevating their diehards—through early access, exclusive drops, recognition, and custom experiences.
They’re investing in culture, not coupons.
They’re prioritizing connection over conversion.
Want proof?
LEGO Ideas lets fans design new sets, and actually brings the best ones to life.
Peloton turned its instructors into celebrities and its users into die-hard tribes.
Not Fried Chicken Ice Cream built cult status by being so weird, so good, and so damn bold that Whole Foods made it a 2025 trend.
And yes, Saul Cult made people laugh, talk, and connect. And it cost less than a decent CRM platform.
The best brands today aren’t building loyalty programs. They’re building belief systems.
If you’re serious about brand love, stop asking: “How do we get customers to come back?”
Start asking: “How do we make people never want to leave?”
Here’s how to fix your loyalty “program”:
Kill the points
Build a community
Offer status, not stuff
Create cultural alignment
Give people something to rally around
Because when someone says, “This brand gets me,” when they choose to represent you, wear your logo, repost your content, or tattoo your icon… that’s not a conversion.
That’s a commitment.
And you don’t need millions of dollars to make that happen. You just need the courage to stop playing it safe and start giving a damn about what your brand actually means.
So here’s the challenge: What would it take for your customers to say, “I’m not just buying this. I am this”?
And if you’re not building toward that, what exactly are you doing?
Let’s talk: What brand made you feel like you belonged? And what are you doing today to make your customers feel the same?