AGENDA

AI-powered personalization has become essential for maximizing real-time customer engagement. Bealls Inc. is leveraging AI-driven offer personalization to tackle one of retail’s biggest challenges: converting anonymous browsers into high-value buyers—all while deepening relationships with existing customers and driving profitable growth. Join this session to learn how Bealls Inc. uses AI-powered personalization to maximize conversion rates and average order value (AOV) without sacrificing profit margins. Discover how Bealls Inc. accelerates the customer journey by delivering the right promotional treatments to both new and returning customers—driving desired outcomes while avoiding costly margin erosion. Plus, hear how Bealls Inc. achieved these results with an implementation process that is light-touch, scalable, and resource-efficient, proving that personalization doesn’t have to be a long or expensive journey. Through real-world examples and actionable insights, Bealls Inc. will share how their approach to personalized offers has not only driven higher conversions but also built more meaningful and profitable customer relationships. Whether your focus is on acquisition, retention, or both, this session will leave you inspired with practical strategies to optimize your personalization efforts and achieve measurable results.

Retailers today face increasing pressure to maximize customer engagement while managing budget constraints and limited teams. Michael Brown, General Manager at BevMo!, will explore how retailers can rethink their approach by optimizing existing customer relationships, reducing dependence on paid ads, and implementing AI-driven strategies that work within current team structures. This session will showcase real-world tactics for driving growth efficiently, using easy-to-execute experiments and AI-powered insights that fuel smarter decision-making.

What happens when you combine mission-driven values, unmatched comfort, and authentic customer connections? Bombas—the brand turning casual shoppers into lifelong fans. In a world of high customer expectations, Bombas stands out by connecting with customers during pivotal moments that shape the relationship. By using real-time data, purpose-driven messaging and personalized experiences, they're rewriting what modern brand loyalty looks like. Find out how Bombas turns first-time buyers into passionate brand advocates.

For generations, Carter’s has been the trusted name in children's apparel, a staple in nurseries across America. But as times change, so must we. Today's parents are different. They're digital natives, seeking brands that reflect their values and connect with them on a personal level. That's why we're embracing a new era for Carter's – one that is more than just cute. It’s messy, funny, rewarding, and real. We're not your grandma's shower gift anymore. We're evolving, pushing boundaries, and designing clothes and experiences that resonate with today's families. Our strength lies not only in the iconic Carter's brand but also in our powerful family of brands: OshKosh B'gosh, with its heritage of durability and playful style, and Skip Hop, offering innovative products for modern parenting. Central to this evolution is Carter's Rewards, our reimagined loyalty program.  We've moved beyond transactional coupons and into personalized experiences, perks, and exclusive access - in ways that change and grow as fast as kids do.

Iconic brands don’t just sell products—they create cultural moments, shape identities, and foster deep emotional connections with their customers. In this keynote, Heidi Cullen from GAP Inc. shares their journey in evolving customer loyalty beyond transactions, embracing pop culture as a strategic driver of engagement, and reinforcing their commitment to customers across generations. From heritage brands like GAP and Banana Republic to trailblazers like Old Navy and dynamic relative newcomers like Athleta, we’ll explore how GAP Inc. has leveraged innovation, storytelling, and participation in cultural conversations to build lasting brand affinity. Additionally, we’ll highlight how the apparel industry’s best credit card value proposition helps strengthen customer loyalty by offering unparalleled rewards. As GAP Inc. continues to innovate in loyalty, there’s an openness to partnerships that drive mutual growth and customer-centric value. Join us to discover how customer loyalty is being reimagined in an era where brands are not just part of the conversation but shaping it.

According to the Harvard Business Review, loyalty programs can accelerate customer profitability only if they are part of a larger loyalty strategy. Committing this oversight is partly why three-quarters of loyalty programs fail in their first two years. So what does it take to launch a sustainable loyalty program? The most successful brands follow a protracted path. Just ask Great Clips, the world’s largest and fastest growing salon brand that has undertaken a 12-month “path to loyalty.” With an ultimate goal to drive incremental salon visits, they chose to first lay the groundwork for a strategic loyalty launch. Thinking big on zero-party data, customer behavior, and personalized experiences, Great Clips will share what steps they’ve taken to both prepare and test and learn in order to create more effective marketing efforts that will enable a faster, more effective program implementation – and long-term loyalty success.

Learn how Hilton is setting a new standard for loyalty programs, demonstrating how technology-driven solutions can deliver personalized guest experiences and elevate both operational efficiency and member satisfaction. Through seamless integration and real-time data exchange, custom segmentation, and automated reporting capabilities, Hilton Honors has transformed the guest experience, front desk operations and program administration, resulting in substantial revenue growth and expansion of its member base. In this presentation, Jenn and Ned will share how Hilton’s implementation of innovative features like digital key technology and streamlined redemption workflows, and rapid and thoughtful expansion of Hilton Honor’s partnerships have enhanced the guest experience and delivered significant top- and bottom-line growth.

More data. Better systems.  AI. Each promised more clarity, efficiency, and better decisions. Yet instead of simplicity, businesses face more complexity than ever. Leaders manage millions of customers, a vast array of products, and a constant stream of reports, each offering a different slice of the truth.

The challenge is making sense of all that information and distilling it into a unifying framework—one that not only explains performance but also weaves together customer, product, and strategy.

In this session, you will hear how J Crew has partnered with Blue Boat Data to bring together millions of data points into a cohesive customer framework that provides a common language across strategy, finance, marketing and product teams.

“We help, You save.” is a simple statement Lowe’s makes to its customers. In this session, Lowe’s will share how the development of a loyalty ecosystem at Lowe’s was a competitively differentiated way to deliver on this brand promise.  In March 2024, Lowe’s launched a loyalty program for homeowner customers, MyLowe’s Rewards. The program already has more than 30 million members and is growing every day.  In February 2025, Lowe’s relaunched the Pro loyalty program, MyLowe’s Pro Rewards. This relaunch effectively brought the two loyalty programs into one ecosystem, under one single currency, but with distinct, compelling value propositions for these two very different customers. Learn about how this loyalty ecosystem is fueling data driven marketing at Lowe’s, driving repeat behavior, deepening customer engagement and creating meaningful customer experiences.

Today’s consumers expect timely, highly relevant personalization from the brands they engage with. And meeting those expectations can do a lot to boost companies’ bottom lines: More than 80% of customers say that personalization has a significant impact on their decision to buy. However, the majority of consumers say their experiences with brands aren’t personalized. To ensure that their customer engagement efforts stand out, marketers need to deepen the maturity of their personalization programs and ensure that the tailored experiences they’re serving up to their customers drive real, concrete value. In this session, attendees will learn how McDonald's leverages rich, first-party data to understand each customer's context and bring personalized experiences seamlessly to life via modern customer engagement tools. Join Jena as she discusses how this leading global brand built out a global MarTech program in order to give markets around the world the ability to deliver personalized experiences to their customers. The content will cover how the company balances people, process, data, and technology to engage with their fans and deliver highly relevant messaging at scale, as well as using automation and personalization to boost the impact and relevance of McDonald’s loyalty and CRM programs.

Michaels has evolved its loyalty strategy from transactional rewards to deeper customer engagement. In 2019, it launched an email capture program, followed by a loyalty program in 2020, offering spend-and-earn rewards to drive repeat purchases.

To improve transparency, Michaels introduced a 3% and 6% rewards structure in 2022, making incentives clearer and increasing repeat purchases. Now, the focus shifts to fostering emotional loyalty to further influence customers consideration towards Micheals.

Using a test-and-learn approach, Michaels is evaluating new benefits to enhance long-term engagement. This session will explore the programs evolution, key insights, and strategies for building deeper customer loyalty.

Spin Premia, a rewards-based ecosystem, is reshaping consumer behavior in Mexico, particularly among low-income populations. By offering an accessible, digital-first loyalty program, Spin Premia incentivizes everyday transactions at OXXO stores and OXXO Gas stations, fostering financial inclusion and encouraging smarter spending habits. The program integrates with essential goods and services, allowing users to accumulate and redeem points across a broad option of rewards.

This transformation benefits both consumers and businesses. For consumers, Spin Premia provides tangible benefits and financial relief, helping them maximize their purchasing power. For businesses, it enhances customer retention and drives engagement by leveraging data-driven insights to tailor offers and rewards.

By bridging the gap between loyalty technology and everyday consumer needs, Spin Premia is not only modifying spending patterns but also creating economic value for its customers. This presentation explores its impact, adoption challenges, and potential as a model for inclusive economic growth in emerging markets.

Customer Data Platforms have had their turn around the block, but if you’re still stuck on “go” come learn how Omni Hotels and Resorts enabled a brand new CDP with marketer value in a matter of weeks. Hear how a phased approach and well-ordered priorities help identify the perfect partner and then implement successfully. CDPs don’t have to be a big, unwieldy, complicated project. Nor do CDPs have to stop at being a tool for marketers alone. Omni will share how the CDP is shaping the future of operations on-property as well.

Big data has permanently changed the landscape and left everyone racing to provide personalization at an unprecedented scale.
At best, highly granular data can lead to rich insights optimizing ROI. At worst, it becomes costly, chaotic, and even misleading.
How can we refine our strategy by leveraging the right level of granularity to meet customers where they are? Experience has proven the answer will vary widely and can span from individuals, households, to even broader cohorts depending on the use case. In this session, we will explore how AI and other machine leaning methods can help you find the balance and navigate your data.

PetSmart’s Treats Loyalty program has always been about more than earning points—it’s about building meaningful connections with over 65 million pet parents and their beloved furry family members. With Treats accounting for 95% of purchases, it has become a cornerstone of PetSmart’s commitment to delivering value and earning the trust of pet parents everywhere. As customer expectations continue to evolve, PetSmart saw an opportunity to elevate its loyalty strategy and ensure every experience feels as unique and special as the pets they serve. To meet these rising expectations, the team at PetSmart turned to AI to rethink how they engage with their most loyal customers. By weaving AI Decisioning into their loyalty strategy, the CRM team has found new ways to understand what each customer needs, tailoring every interaction to deliver moments that truly matter. From curated offers to perfectly timed messages, AI Decisioning has helped PetSmart bring a fresh level of personalization to millions of pet parents. Beyond enhancing customer experiences, the marketing team has also freed up valuable time to focus on strategic initiatives instead of repetitive tasks. Join us to learn how PetSmart is reimagining loyalty through innovation, creating deeper connections, driving measurable results, and setting a new standard for personalized loyalty programs.

For brands, greater efficiencies are the hallmark of AI. Dozens of team members are no longer needed to deliver messages and offers for greater personalization. Learn how Pizza Hut is now able to deliver true 1:1 communication at a fraction of the time. Join this session to hear examples of how they are using the technology to their advantage.

Princess Cruise Lines has been at the forefront of leveraging advanced segmentation and persona development to build highly targeted audiences. By focusing on demographics, segmentation, and persona work, they have successfully identified and engaged audiences more likely to enjoy cruising. This strategic approach has allowed the brand to tailor marketing efforts, ensuring that messaging resonates with the right audience segments. Join us during this session to learn more about the innovative techniques, and the impact of efforts on their overall marketing strategy.

In beauty retail, personalization isn’t a trend — it’s table stakes. Join Sephora and Optimove for an inside look at how one of the world’s most iconic retail brands is elevating its customer experience through intelligence, orchestration, and a clear personalization vision. This session will explore how Sephora is evolving its approach to customer engagement in a highly competitive market, using advanced segmentation strategies and cross-channel journey orchestration to deepen customer relationships and drive growth. Learn how Sephora is building seamless, hyper-personalized experiences — and how it’s using Optimove to scale these journeys with precision. Marketers will walk away with inspiration for evolving their own personalization strategies, as well as practical takeaways on how to leverage orchestration to connect the dots between channels, products, and people. Any retailer looking to elevate their personalization efforts will gain a rare look into how Sephora is doing it — beautifully.

In a world where many loyalty plays tend to look the same, Subway is breaking through the noise with a global, game-changing new loyalty program - MVP Rewards. Launched in Fall of 2023 with resounding success, MVP Rewards goes beyond the traditional bounds of QSR, challenging industry limitations that may be holding your brand back. Hear from Brett and Tania about how they pushed the limits to achieve an impressive first year in market. From a tier construct unique to the QSR industry, to personalization and onboarding strategies, to the re-engagement of lapsing customers, this reimagined loyalty program is foundational in shaping the future of the Subway brand. This session will show you how your brand can think outside of the box and level up for long-term loyalty.

How does a commitment to connecting people to real food translate into unwavering customer loyalty? In a competitive QSR market where affordability, value, and ease typically shape customer choices, Sweetgreen is redefining what loyalty looks like by amplifying the brand experience. This session will explore how Sweetgreen applies a customer-first approach to loyalty, ensuring that every digital touchpoint, in-store moment, and brand activation fosters deeper relationships. Drawing inspiration from cultural relevance to design moments that spark brand love, learn how Sweetgreen keeps customers coming back—not just for the next meal, but for the brand itself.

Discover how The Home Depot is revolutionizing its marketing strategy to connect with new homeowners who may not be as familiar with the brand. This presentation unveils how the brand has harnessed advanced measurement models, including MMM and MTA, to gauge the impact of digital video platforms like YouTube on media ROI and brand metrics such as NPS. The audience will gain a comprehensive strategy framework to balance brand and performance objectives effectively. We will also dive into The Home Depot’s innovative marketing tactics and learn how they leverage cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships to achieve their vision. Don't miss this opportunity to walk away with actionable insights that can transform your marketing approach.

In an increasingly data-driven world, understanding how to effectively collect, analyze, and leverage first-party data is crucial for all brands—whether B2B or B2C. In this session, we will explore how Tyson Foods, a leader in the food industry, applies cutting-edge first-party data strategies on the B2B side of its operations and how these strategies can be adapted to benefit B2C brands. Drawing insights from Tyson's innovative approach to customer engagement, data collection, and personalized marketing, attendees will learn five actionable strategies for utilizing first-party data to enhance customer relationships, boost conversion rates, and drive long-term loyalty.

Please join Alex Tummons, Sr, Manager of Digital Marketing Activation at Tyson Foods and Pam Erlichman, Head of Experience Strategy at BlueConic to hear practical takeaways to help you build stronger, more meaningful customer connections.

How do you push beyond discounts and coupons in a highly competitive industry? Wendy’s will share how they’ve created an ecosystem of experiences around their limited-time targeted partnerships and menu collabs through connected CRM and loyalty engagements.

Activating the iconic The Girl Scouts Thin Mints Frosty and “SpongeBob SquarePants” Krabby Patty Kollab within their app and loyalty program, members play themed skill-based games, engage with activity books, take on challenges, and earn rewards. See how Wendy's captures new audiences, drives purchase velocity, creates buzz, and is just plain fun for fans.