For over a century, with the establishment of the big distribution and the development of industrial products, the concept of prize, gratification, award, has been among the most suitable instruments to stimulate consumptions, build the customers’ loyalty, create empathy and, last but not least, collect data. In such a difficult and peculiar phase as the current one, consolidating the relationships with consumers becomes more necessary than ever. 

Last 1^st December they spoke (online) of prizes as a drive to sale, during the webinar entitled “The Irresistible Attraction of Prizes”, organised by PTE-Promotion Trade Exhibition, an event dedicated to the world of advertising items, promotional textile and customisation technologies and at HOMI, the lifestyle fair trade.

From the prizes used in contexts to mainly create a drive to sales and that, with the offer of a prize when purchasing or the possibility to win, represent the first and most important trigger of an engagement path as well as the first step in a relationship between brand and customer, to the rewards with a perceived high value mainly used in the long and short time collections and in gifts to rise the loyalty to the brand and the company and increase the average expenditure or the frequency of purchases: what are the most requested products by companies and the most appreciated by the target?

Starting from the assumption that the new keywords are: energy saving, respect for the environment, Italian spirit, hygiene. “The prize market is a very wide one and sometimes beyond expectations”, Andrea Demodena, Promotion Magazine director said, introducing the theme.

“Defining what can be considered a prize is difficult, underlying that the loyalty activities generate important turnovers, but are not connected to a market operating in a new scenario where they estimate that 7 million Italian families have changed company during the lockdown and among these 49% registered to loyalty programs of the new chosen company. We should also note that, when it comes to loyalty programs, the preferences of Italians go for 40% to the point collections for physical prizes. After the lockdown, the propensity towards investments in communication and engagement instruments by companies and retailers is 41%. (Source: surveys of Osservatorio Fedeltà on Nielsen Consumer Panel 2020).

Not a mere purchasing act, but loyalty and relationship with the customer.

Diego Toscani, CEO of Promotica, a leading agency in the loyalty market in Italy, explains that consumers are increasingly more attentive to the environmental issue: a general green label is not enough, but a contribution is required to be communicated in a transparent and clear way. “Loyalty is cyclically questioned, a ‘treat’ from the brand to the consumer to collect the highest number of possible advantages. We are in the era of data management and of the use of artificial intelligence. Then, loyalty will have to be characterised by innovation elements precisely connected to the ability to collect and process data. Organising a loyalty activity - Toscani continues - prepares to the collection of data that the consumer is willing to share and serves to anticipate the choices and organise more efficient and involving ones. The theme of sustainability is also connected to loyalty, an awarding trend along with the Italian spirit, an important plus for retailers”. In fact, the agency mission reads: “involving the company’s clients turning them from spectators to protagonists, to generate positive suggestions and a constant WOW effect, in a continuous process of brand involvement”. Having well in mind the concepts of sustainability, personal care, personal gratification, style (that is Italian design and matrix of useful as well as beautiful items), comfort of objects that “make you feel good”.

Therefore, we must build stable relationships over time that do not stop at the purchasing act. Diego Toscani underlines: “Loyalty becomes an instrument meant to maintain the consumer, also in a difficult moment”.