South Africa’s loyalty sector triumphed at the International Loyalty Awards in London last night, with Truth CEO, Amanda Cromhout, winning the only individual award, and eBucks and DSTV receiving global acclaim in four categories.
The International Loyalty Awards are considered the pinnacle of recognition for consumer loyalty programmes and pay tribute to the brands building lasting, profitable customer relationships. Established 11 years ago, the global competition brings together leaders in loyalty from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas to celebrate innovation and creativity.
The 2023 Awards Ceremony saw 111 finalists competing across 18 categories, with South African loyalty programmes up against international brands such as Adidas, Mastercard and Exxon Mobil.
FNB’s eBucks received three accolades for The Best Use of Technology, The Best Long-Term Loyalty Initiative and Best Loyalty Programme in the Africa & Middle East region. eBucks was the only loyalty brand to receive three awards at this year’s event.
DSTV and Ogilvy South Africa were recognised for the Best Short-Term Loyalty Initiative for a campaign that gave Big Brother fans control using DSTV Rewards.
Cromhout, the CEO of Truth, a Cape Town-based loyalty consultancy and South Africa’s foremost expert on loyalty was recognised as the International Loyalty Personality of the Year. This is the only Award to recognise a person’s contribution to the industry. All the other awards are for loyalty programmes.
In addition to running Truth, Cromhout is the founder and Judging Chair of the South African Loyalty Awards, a judge for the International Loyalty Awards and announced as one of the Top 10 Promising CEOs of 2023 by Industry Era.
Speaking at the ceremony she said that the Awards eBucks and DSTV won, as well as other South African brands nominated in various categories, were well-deserved recognition for what is an incredibly mature loyalty market.
“Tonight, South African loyalty brands rightfully stood alongside the best loyalty brands in the world as their peers. I am honoured and grateful to receive recognition at what are the most prestigious loyalty awards globally.”
Cromhout, who cut her teeth in customer loyalty at British Airways and later Woolworths, has worked with both award winners, as well providing strategic consulting to loyalty programmes in South Africa and more than 20 markets around the world.
“Globally we’re seeing brands moving to money-saving offers, providing differential pricing for loyalty members and in some cases a whole new pricing structure. This will become more pervasive with food inflation stretching consumers’ budgets. Groceries are necessary spending and loyalty programmes are a real tangible way to help consumers make ends meet.”
She says typically loyalty programmes allowed consumers to earn points or get discounts, but increasingly they want both. Even if the savings are very small, these make a difference to people struggling to feed a family on inflation-constrained budgets.
“I’m often asked how the South African market stacks up against the rest of the world – it excels. Watch out at next year’s awards.”
Just before the International Loyalty Awards ceremony, Cromhout had run the famous 88km Comrades ultramarathon route. She did so in support of The Blind Loyalty Trust, which she set up after suffering fusarium keratitis, which has left her temporarily blind in her right eye.
She used her acceptance speech to promote the Trust, which helps fund essential ophthalmology procedures for under-privileged patients requiring corneal transplant surgery. She encouraged the whole international loyalty industry to support the Trust and thanked the International Loyalty Awards organisers for adopting it as the official charity of the awards.