We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently – and included the quotes that got us talking the most.
Why Your Customer Loyalty Program Isn’t Working
From Harvard Business Review
“When loyalty involves bribery, it’s bad for business, morale, and customer expectations. Confusing loyalty with retention, promotion, and rewards undermines brand equity more than it creates new value opportunities. Organizations should have the courage to either take loyalty seriously — to be as loyal to their customers as they hope their customers will be to them — or get out of the game.”
Welcome to the Brave New World of the Corporate-Sponsored Artist
From Fast Company
“Many in the art community are excited about the possibility of this new influx of funding from the corporate sector. “Anything that is opening up more space for artists to do their work is a great thing,” Wheeler tells me. But at the same time, this mixing of capitalism and art raises some questions: What is really motivating companies to do this, and how do they account for it in their bottom line? And what do they expect in return for their sponsorship?””
The Cost of Paying Attention
From The New York Times
“Silence is now offered as a luxury good. In the business-class lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport, I heard only the occasional tinkling of a spoon against china. I saw no advertisements on the walls. This silence, more than any other feature, is what makes it feel genuinely luxurious. When you step inside and the automatic doors whoosh shut behind you, the difference is nearly tactile, like slipping out of haircloth into satin. Your brow unfurrows, your neck muscles relax; after 20 minutes you no longer feel exhausted.”