The market is already proving this out.
"Loyalty isn't about programs. It's about people. And people remember how you made them feel — not the coupon you emailed last Tuesday."
— Tal Keshet, GTMEngine founder (then VP Loyalty Solutions, Snappy), quoted in Forbes, "The Future of Loyalty Is Emotional. Not Transactional."
The 2026 EY Loyalty Market Study confirms that loyalty has outgrown the traditional loyalty program. After decades of relying on static points, tiers, and standard transaction-based rewards, the market has reached a massive structural inflection point. As EY Americas Loyalty Leader Patricia Camden noted, loyalty programs are entering a major reinvention because the old playbook no longer drives true customer connection.
The "Loyalty Divide"
The Performance Gap
Programs are hitting record business metrics — more than 50% of organizations report that loyalty members drive the vast majority of their annual sales (up to 75% for many brands).
The Experience Disconnect
Despite strong corporate ROI, consumer metrics show deep fragility. Consumers are checking their point balances less frequently.
The Enrollment Mirage
High enrollment no longer equals active engagement. Only 7% of older, high-spending consumers (ages 55+) join more than 10 programs, preferring a small handful of deeply trusted, relationship-first brands.
Sources: 2026 EY Loyalty Market Study; Forbes, "How Brands Are Creating Emotional Connections Through Gifting," Aug 2025.
Executive buyers remember whether they were understood, not your deck — and that's true inside B2B revenue organizations, not just consumer loyalty programs. GTMEngine's frameworks exist to operationalize that insight across leadership, sales, marketing, and customer success, not just observe it.