Leaders in Customer Loyalty, Powered by Loyalty360

Send us a textWhen you walk into a Newk’s Eatery, you’re greeted by the warmth of an open kitchen, the sound of sizzling steak and shrimp on the grill, and the fresh aroma of house-made salad dressings crafted from scratch. Founded in 2004, Newk’s has carved out its place in the fast casual dining space by staying true to two core principles: hospitality and freshness. Every detail, from the open kitchen to the made-from-scratch recipes, is designed to make guests feel welcome and cared for. In this edition of Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories, we sat down with Chris Cheek, Chief Development Officer at Newk’s Eatery,to talk about how the brand blends heartfelt hospitality with innovative technology to build customer loyalty. From its scratch kitchen to its evolving digital tools and franchise strategy, Newk’s is proving that genuine connection, not just convenience, is the secret ingredient to long-term loyalty. 

Send us a textEvery traveler knows the paradox of modern flight: one moment you’re gliding through security and boarding early; the next, you’re navigating delays, lost bags, or crowded lounges. The difference between frustration and delight often comes down to how a brand manages those moments. In an era where expectations evolve faster than itineraries, emotional loyalty is forged not by luxury, but by reliability and relevance. In this episode of Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Industry Voices, CEO Mark Johnson sat down with Andrew Harrison-Chinn, Chief Marketing Officer at DragonPass, to discuss how the company is reshaping the airport experience and leaning in to what emotional loyalty means for travelers in a post-pandemic, high-expectation era. 

Send us a textIn the latest edition of Loyalty360’s Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories series, Tara Roth-Sterger, Senior Loyalty Program Manager at MANSCAPED, shared insights into the brand’s journey and its customer-first approach. Founded in 2016 by Paul Tran, MANSCAPED has grown from a men’s below-the-waist grooming company into a global leader in men’s personal care, expanding into beard, skincare, and grooming products. Tara discussed the launch of the brand’s new Members Only Rewards program, which integrates seamlessly with its strong subscription model to deliver simplicity, recognition, and exclusive perks. She emphasized MANSCAPED’s focus on building trust, community, and advocacy, highlighting partnerships like the one with the Testicular Cancer Society, while also underscoring how emotional loyalty and personalization are driving the brand’s next phase of customer engagement. 

Send us a textStep into Moe’s Southwest Grill and the first thing you’ll hear is the signature shout: “Welcome to Moe’s!” As part of the GoTo Foods platform company, Moe’s taps into enterprise resources in technology, culinary innovation and guest insights that help the brand translate flavorful energy into long-term loyalty. But what really keeps guests coming back isn’t just the burritos, bowls and queso, it’s the energy, the personality and the way the brand makes loyalty feel fresh and fun. In this edition of Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories, we sat down with Mike Smith, Chief Brand Officer at Moe’s Southwest Grill, to talk about how the brand is blending bold flavors with bold ideas. With more than 7 million members in Moe’s Rewards, Smith shares how the team is reimagining loyalty with flexibility, personalization, and plenty of brand personality. 

Send us a textFor more than a century, Hasbro has been a household name in toys and games, with a portfolio spanning over 1,500 intellectual properties, from childhood classics like Candy Land to iconic titles like Monopoly and Clue. But in today’s entertainment landscape, nostalgia alone isn’t enough. To thrive, the brand has leaned into partnerships, fandom, and digital innovation that bring their intellectual properties to life in new and engaging ways. Lindsey Camell, Head of Partnerships and Location-Based Experiences for North America, is at the center of that effort. Her team oversees partnerships that bring Hasbro’s IP to unexpected places, from McDonald’s Happy Meals to cereal boxes to even family entertainment centers and resorts. With loyalty woven into its DNA through decades-long activations like McDonald’s Monopoly, Hasbro is exploring how gamification, personalization, and cultural relevance can keep its brands connected to consumers for life. 

Send us a textIn this Executive Spotlight, Loyalty360 CEO Mark Johnson speaks with Amanda Mitchell, Head of Loyalty at Petro-Canada, proudly owned by Suncor, Canada’s leading integrated energy company. With nearly 20 years of experience, Mitchell brings a seasoned perspective on how loyalty can transform a commodity-driven industry.  Overseeing Petro-Points, a program with more than 4 million active members across 1,600 retail fuel locations, she shares insights on the unique dynamics of the Canadian loyalty market. Those include the role of digital innovation in creating seamless experiences, and why value and memorability are central to building stronger customer connections.  

Send us a textFor decades, car rental has been viewed as a transactional necessity. Simply a checkpoint on the travel journey rather than a meaningful part of it. Beth Gibson, Vice President, Avis First, sees that as a missed opportunity. With the recent launch of Avis First, she’s leading a bold initiative to shift perceptions and elevate expectations, introducing a first-of-its-kind rental experience built around convenience, care, and concierge-level service.  Available to all travelers through the Avis app, the program also provides added advantages for loyalty members, including faster booking and recognition through the existing Avis Preferred program. This isn’t about perks. It’s about purpose and a relentless focus on what travelers actually value. It isn’t just a new tier; it’s a fundamental shift in the company’s approach to customer engagement. With nearly 18 years at Avis Budget Group, Gibson’s deep operational knowledge, frontline empathy, and relentless commitment to the customer have uniquely positioned her to lead this transformation. 

Send us a textIn a time when restaurant brands are redefining what value and connection mean to their guests, McAlister’s Deli is standing out by blending purpose-driven hospitality with operational precision and digital intelligence. In this edition of Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories, we sat down with Danielle Porto Parra, Chief Brand Officer at McAlister’s Deli, to explore how the brand is weaving emotional branding, personalized loyalty, and a culture of hospitality into every guest experience. From their famed sweet tea to an enterprise-backed tech stack powering personalized offers, McAlister’s Deli is on a mission to nourish connections in every sense of the phrase.  

Send us a textTravel can be magical, or it can be chaotic. As Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, noted at the start of this episode of Industry Voices, “The higher your expectations, the more likely something is to go sideways. And when it does, everyone from the airlines to the Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) finds themselves in the hot seat.”  To explore how brands can turn that chaos into opportunity, Mark sat down with Jamie Perry, President of Paisly, the newly rebranded travel subsidiary formerly known as JetBlue Travel Products. Perry shared insights on the company’s evolution, its partnership with United, and how Paisly is leveraging technology and loyalty data to deliver meaningful, personalized experiences.  

Send us a textIn a rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape, where customer choice and switching costs continue to shift, TELUS is rising above the noise. As Canada’s fastest-growing national telco, TELUS is redefining what it means to maintain loyalty—not just through connectivity, but by embedding value into every facet of the customer experience.  In this edition of Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories, Loyalty360 spoke with Jacob Pullia, who leads the national TELUS Rewards program. Pullia discusses the launch of the unified national program, the strategic partnerships driving deeper engagement, and how TELUS is adapting loyalty to match the needs of a price-sensitive, digitally enabled consumer base.