Marigold’s Roger Williams on the Biggest Marketing Trap & Loyalty’s Golden Moment

[Sponsored Episode] Verena Gründel speaks with Roger Williams, Head of the Loyalty Center of Excellence at Marigold, about the power and pitfalls of loyalty programs. Roger shares how brands harm themselves with excessive discounts, how to create golden moments that drive profit, and why onboarding is the most overlooked step in loyalty strategy. He also reveals the three key pillars of successful loyalty programs - and why redemption matters more than earning.

Roger Williams started his career at Air Jamaica and built up a first loyalty program with no budget. What began as a challenge turned into a passionToday, he advises major brands on loyalty strategy and builds award-winning programs at Marigold.

Roger is convinced: Discounts are a short-term solution with long-term consequences that even can destroy brands. Roger warns that overuse has created a "viral state of over-dependence," damaging not just profit margins but also brand equity - and it even enhances inflation.

The alternative? Loyalty done right. Roger defines three critical elements of a successful loyalty program:

1. A clear value proposition
2. Simple rules for accrual and redemption
3. A robust onboarding strategy, including 21 interactions in the first 60 days.

Also in this episode: Verena Gründel asks Roger:

• What makes a good onboarding journey?

• What are the biggest mistakes of loyalty programs?

• What makes a loyalty program truly profitable?

• What is the role of gamification in modern loyalty programs?

• Why does redemption matter more than point accumulation?

• Which KPIs are best to measure loyalty success?

If you want to build real customer loyalty, this episode is your blueprint. From onboarding frameworks like to advanced segmentation, Roger shares strategies that make loyalty measurable, profitable, and fun.

Tune in now – and don’t forget to meet Roger in person at DMEXCO on September 17–18, 2025 in Cologne. Don’t miss his masterclass:

https://community.dmexco.com/event/dmexco-2025/planning/UGxhbm5pbmdfMjc1MDY1MA==

See you there!