Finalists unveiled for the Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2026

The finalists for the Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2026 have been revealed, with this year’s shortlist reflecting a broader shift in how brands are building customer relationships beyond points, perks and transactions.

Now in its 14th year, the awards recognise brands, agencies and teams that are finding smarter ways to turn customer attention into lasting engagement. The 2026 shortlist spans campaigns and programmes that put greater emphasis on personalisation, connected experiences, trust and long-term customer value.

The programme features 47 categories, including two new additions this year: Best Use of Emotional Loyalty Strategy and Best Use of Trust-Building Initiatives. The new categories reflect a growing focus on authenticity, empathy and credibility as customer expectations continue to evolve.

Agencies will also compete for Agency of the Year honours across Loyalty, Engagement and Relationship Marketing, while the strongest-performing brand across the programme will take home the L&E Brand of the Year title.

A panel of 18 senior marketing leaders from across the region reviewed this year’s entries, assessing submissions on innovation, strategic thinking and measurable impact across loyalty, engagement and relationship marketing.

Loyalty moves beyond rewards

The judges highlighted a clear shift away from traditional loyalty mechanics, with stronger entries using data, digital ecosystems and connected experiences to create more sustained value for customers.

Yena Song, lead of subscription business marketing at LG Electronics Thailand, said the submissions demonstrated how brands are increasingly embedding themselves into customers’ everyday lives.

"The nominees demonstrated how leading brands are embedding themselves into customers' everyday lives through digital ecosystems and data-driven strategies. It was inspiring to see how they balanced these innovations with measurable commercial impact," Song said.

For Gerald Lum, director of brand, communications and group marketing at Singapore Institute of Management, the strongest entries took a more holistic approach to loyalty by balancing customer value with business outcomes.

"The best submissions showcased integrated ecosystems that balanced customer value with business outcomes, creating experiences that foster long-term loyalty," said Lum.

Cheryl Ko, director of loyalty marketing at Singtel, also pointed to the evolution of loyalty programmes beyond traditional rewards.

"What stood out was how many organisations moved beyond traditional rewards programmes to create continuous value through data, personalisation and connected customer experiences. It was encouraging to see brands across different industries continuing to challenge convention and raise the bar," added Ko.

The shift was similarly evident to John Huang, former head of growth at Circles, who said brands are increasingly connecting loyalty with broader growth strategies.

"The entries reflected a clear move beyond points and rewards, with brands embracing integrated growth approaches that successfully connected different customer segments. It's an encouraging sign of where the industry is heading," Huang said.

Meanwhile, Bradley Pineda, loyalty head at Shakey's Pizza Asia Ventures, said the strongest campaigns stood out for the consistency of the experience they delivered across the customer journey.

"The strongest entries weren't defined by a single touchpoint, but by cohesive experiences that translated into measurable business impact rather than vanity metrics. That was what truly set them apart," he said.

The industry's leading brands and agencies will come together on 20 August at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, where the winners of the 14th annual Loyalty & Engagement Awards will be announced at a gala dinner and celebration.

See who's in the running by viewing the full list of finalists here.

For gala packages, speak to our project managers:

Cariza Ratin
Senior Regional Project Manager
Tel: +65 6692 9031 Ext 815
Mobile: +63 977 399 2585
carizar@marketing-interactive.com

Luisa Sarmiento
Regional Project Manager
Tel: +65 6692 9031 Ext 817
Mobile: +63 994 232 2355
luisas@marketing-interactive.com

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