In this edition of Loyalty360's Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Industry Voices, we sat down with Dr. JR Slubowski, Vice President of Consulting and Research Center of Excellence Lead at Kobie, to discuss the state of customer loyalty, the evolution of loyalty strategies, and the frameworks shaping the industry today. With decades of experience and a front-row seat to cross-industry innovation, Dr. Slubowski shared insight into the emotional drivers of loyalty, Kobie’s unique approach to program design, and how brands can rethink the way they cultivate long-term customer relationships.
From Strategy to Science: The Role of Consulting and Research at Kobie
Dr. Slubowski leads Consulting Services for Kobie’s FI and travel & hospitality portfolios, while also heading their Research Center of Excellence. “Our goal is to deliver research-based consumer insights that help our clients design and evolve loyalty programs that deliver true enterprise value,” he explained. This means going beyond siloed marketing tactics and embedding loyalty into the organization’s broader strategic framework.
Kobie works with brands across sectors, including QSR, retail, entertainment, automotive, and healthcare. Regardless of industry, Slubowski emphasized that the foundation of effective loyalty is a deep emotional connection between brand and customer—something Kobie has spent more than a decade measuring and refining.
Loyalty as an Emotional Relationship
“Kobie defines loyalty as an ongoing emotional relationship between a brand and its customers,” said Slubowski. As pioneers in emotional loyalty measurement, Kobie encourages brands to focus on drivers such as shared values, personalized experiences, and willingness to engage beyond transactions.
In times of uncertainty, emotional loyalty becomes even more critical. Referencing the firm's recent Heart of Loyalty research, Slubowski noted that loyalty programs remain a beacon of trust for consumers. "Even in periods of political and economic turbulence, consumers are turning to loyalty programs as sources of consistency and reliability," he said.
A Market Ready for Evolution
Loyalty360’s 2025 State of Customer Loyalty report found that 64% of brands are planning to update or enhance their loyalty offerings. For those looking to evolve their programs, Slubowski advised starting with the "Three Cs":
“When you dig into those three areas at the start of a program redesign, you set yourself up to evolve in a way that’s truly strategic,” he said.
Introducing the Biodynamic Loyalty Framework
At the 2025 Loyalty Expo, Slubowski introduced a new concept: Biodynamic Loyalty. Inspired by agricultural biodynamics, the framework challenges brands to rethink the often overused term “ecosystem.”
“Ecosystems can evolve accidentally,” he explained. “But biodynamic loyalty requires intentionality. It’s about holistically considering all program inputs, like partnerships, co-brands, and fee-based models, and integrating them with purpose.”
Without such intentional design, loyalty programs risk becoming disjointed collections of bolt-on features. Biodynamic loyalty emphasizes strategic coherence, aiming to maximize enterprise value by producing high-impact outputs from well-integrated inputs.
Extreme Loyalists: A Growth Engine Hiding in Plain Sight
Kobie’s research also examined the behaviors of “extreme loyalists,” a high-value segment that spends significantly more than average consumers. “Fifty-nine percent of extreme loyalists spend at least 20% more, and 27% spend over 50% more,” Slubowski revealed.
The key challenge? Identifying these customers using behavioral, attitudinal, and zero-party data. Kobie’s model uses six attributes from established brand love research, measuring indicators like consumer-brand fit, identity, and commitment. “Once you identify them, you can activate them, whether that’s through referrals, exclusive experiences, or advocacy,” he said.
Data Collection Built on Trust
In an era of increasing data privacy regulation and consumer skepticism, Kobie’s findings show a strong level of trust between consumers and loyalty programs. Seventy percent of survey respondents said they are more comfortable sharing data when enrolled in a loyalty program, and 80% trust those programs to protect their information.
“That level of trust is a huge win for our industry,” Slubowski said. But he cautioned that it must be earned and maintained. Brands should be transparent, provide control, and show clear value in exchange for data. “When customers feel out of control, they build mental walls. We have to be proactive in avoiding that,” he added.
Focus on Willing Data
As many marketers pursue increasingly granular data, Slubowski posed a strategic question: “What if we redirected all of our resources toward collecting the data customers want to share?”
Rather than chasing browsing history or app usage data, fewer than 10% of customers are willing to share. Brands should prioritize hobbies, interests, shopping behaviors, and location. This data is both more accessible and highly actionable across the enterprise.
The Role of AI in Loyalty’s Future
Artificial Intelligence is top-of-mind for loyalty leaders, and Kobie is no exception. From integrating AI into client-facing products to using it internally for operational efficiency, Slubowski sees AI as a force multiplier.
“We’re starting to see clearly how AI can reduce cognitive load, organize data, and even take action on behalf of the marketer,” he said. Kobie is actively exploring how AI can drive emotional loyalty, making personalization more intelligent and scalable.
Final Thoughts
Slubowski closed with a call to action for loyalty leaders: “We sit in a position of tremendous trust. It’s time to elevate the loyalty function as a strategic driver of enterprise value.”
With Kobie pushing the envelope on biodynamic loyalty, emotional insights, and AI innovation, the conversation makes it clear: Loyalty isn’t just a program—it’s a philosophy.
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