Loyalty needs Mad Men

I saw what was missing.

With only a few weeks of the series left, it prompted me to watch again the classic moments. In doing so, I saw the similarities beween the happenings of Serling Cooper and the current loyalty industry.

From the first episode, the agency deals with America's cultural changes; female empowerment in the workplace, acceptance of colour and the breakup of traditional family roles - to name a few.  All changes we now see as obvious but within the series, ones the agency were late in spotting.

Jump to modern day; customers now shop for products and information in multiple places, they are more empowered by technolgy and expect to be more engaged as a result, they have broken down roles more than ever before - they are generations of powerful individuals.

Many companies, marketing departments and agencies see these as subtle changes, when really they are revolutionary.  Watch Mad Men, look at Sterling Cooper and wonder how they couldn't have known. In another 10-years which companies will we look at and ask the same question?

I see what can be done.

That said, in the series, Sterling Cooper is among the first to have a female copy writer (when Don employs her), and the first to have a more open recruitment policy (when Roger places his ad). So we need more companies to be like Don and Roger to see the writing on the wall and start giving customers what will soon be the norm.

Create loyalty that fits across all channels and builds from search to share.  Use technology to provide rewards that engage in new exciting ways.  Speak to the individual, not the faceless member.

For example, the Bond 2015 Loyalty Report showed a disconnect between customers wanting mobile connection and customers actually using the technology to connect.  The report suggests a customer issue but the points above led me to believe it's because loyalty providers are applying age old approaches to new age customers.  Give customers all they want, everywhere, when they want - and they will use mobile touchpoints.

So, hunt out new ways to create loyalty, be open to change and most of all go Mad Men (and women).

Drop me a note if you want to find out more about how it can be done.