Brand loyalty: love me, love me not

In this day and age of daily, even hourly, emails between company and consumer, one might find it akin to an actual relationship. And like many relationships there are ups and downs, good days and bad days, and someone is always taking turns appeasing the other. So many companies find themselves navigating the fine line of keeping customers happy and managing the balancing act of communication. Loyalty brands are no exception. Aside from consumers making purchases, loyalty brands work extra hard to keep you interested and keep you coming back to them. I recently received an email from JetBlue (I’m a TrueBlue customer – JetBlue’s loyalty program) with the subject line “Breaking up is hard to do.” I found this particular email intriguing because JetBlue was giving me the option to regulate their communication pattern with me; unlike some brands that assault you with email, and then make it brain surgery to unsubscribe. They offered me three options to “Determine the relationship” talk: ‘Let’s stay together,’ ‘It’s complicated,’ and ‘We’re on a break.’ The whimsy of the content, coupled with the apparent goodwill of the messaging, actually caught my attention and earned brownie points in my book. Perhaps it’s why, according to Bond Brand Loyalty, JetBlue ranked No. 1 in the air travel category for it’s loyalty program.