Written by Claire Lywood - Strategy Director
In 2025, customers are more selective than ever about the brands they engage with, quicker to switch, and clearer about what they expect in return for their loyalty.
Research shows:
- 38% of shoppers now feel loyalty to five or fewer brands (Attentive).
- 50% of consumers will walk away after just one bad experience (TechRadar).
- 80% say the experience a brand provides is as important as the product itself (Salesforce).
This means loyalty is more fragile, and more valuable, than ever. Here are six ways brands can evolve to meet shifting expectations.
1. Make loyalty urgent – customers will leave after one bad interaction
Half of consumers abandon a brand after a single poor experience. Retention can’t be an afterthought; it must be built into every engagement.
2. Put people, not points, at the centre
Customers are looking for more than discounts. Emotional loyalty grew 26% and “ethical” loyalty hit 30% in 2024 (Emarsys). Creating a genuinely differentiated value proposition, e.g. by aligning with values and showing you understand your customers, creates stronger bonds. Think also about innovative brand partnerships and collaborations that speak to audience needs and passions.
3. Stand out in a crowded loyalty app world
Over 80% of customers download and use loyalty apps frequently (EY). To cut through, brands need experiences that are personalised and useful, not just another card on a phone. And lack of friction matters too – consider how to make your loyalty mechanics as easy to engage with as possible.
4. Reward engagement, not just spend
Today’s most effective programmes recognise behaviours such as advocacy, reviews, or sustainable choices. Rewarding these builds communities as well as repeat customers.
5. Scale personalisation, but keep it human
73% of customers demand better personalisation and 81% expect faster service (Salesforce). AI makes personalisation scalable, but empathy and seamless human support are still essential.
6. Keep evolving to stay relevant
Consumers are loyal to fewer brands, so each connection matters more. Refreshing propositions, testing new engagement formats, and adapting to cultural shifts prevents stagnation.
7. Integrate loyalty in broader marketing and content activations
Loyalty can’t sit in a silo. It must speak to the brand at large, with propositions woven into communications, campaigns, and content. The smartest brands bake data capture into experiences, turning every activation into both a touchpoint and an insight source.
From loyalty and engagement to Modern CRM
These trends show that loyalty and engagement are evolving rapidly, and that brands need a more connected approach to stay ahead.
That’s where dentsu’s Modern CRM comes in. It’s our way of helping brands:
- Unify data to understand customers in real time
- Create seamless experiences across every touchpoint
- Turn loyalty from a programme into a growth driver
By moving beyond fragmented engagement towards Modern CRM, brands can transform fleeting interactions into lasting advocacy.
Are you ready to take your loyalty and engagement strategy further? Talk to our Modern CRM team about how to build lasting growth.
