Table of Contents
What can loyalty programs learn from the passion for football?
During these weeks, thousands of people have gathered in spaces such as the FIFA Fan Festival, Campo Marte and various activations around Mexico City to experience the World Cup in a collective way.
Many of them spent hours in lines, bought official merchandise, traveled long distances, and organized their schedules around a football match.
Frequently Asked Questions
The question is: why?
The answer goes far beyond sports. Football is one of the best examples of loyalty that exist.
Loyalty is not born from a reward
Few people support their national team because they expect to receive something in return.
They do it because they are part of something bigger than themselves.
They share symbols, stories, emotions, traditions, and moments with millions of people they will probably never meet.
In other words, they belong to a community.
And that is precisely the principle that many brands seek to build with their loyalty programs.
The power of a shared myth
Historian Yuval Noah Harari explains that human beings are able to cooperate in large groups thanks to our ability to believe in shared stories.
Nations, religions, businesses, and sports teams exist because millions of people believe in the same narrative.
That’s exactly how football works.
A fan doesn’t just follow a team.
It follows a story.
- The story of your city.
- The story of his family.
- The story of entire generations who have celebrated triumphs and suffered defeats together.
That feeling of belonging is much more powerful than any discount.
What brands often forget
Many loyalty strategies focus solely on points, rewards, and promotions.
However, the most successful programs understand that people stay when they feel they belong.
Rewards can be enticing.
But community is what creates permanence.
Brands that manage to build a shared identity among their customers create much deeper and more lasting relationships.
From fan to ambassador
When a person feels that they are part of a community, something interesting happens.
Stop behaving solely as a consumer.
- Start recommending.
- Participate.
- Share content.
- Invite others.
- Defend the brand.
Exactly like a fan defends the colors of his team.
At that moment the relationship ceases to be transactional and becomes emotional.
The World Cup as a lesson in engagement
The activations we see today around the World Cup are not solely about football.
They revolve around shared experiences.
- Strangers celebrating together.
- Stories that are told from generation to generation.
- Moments that create memories.
That’s what truly creates a connection.
And that is perhaps the greatest lesson that football can teach any loyalty program: people may forget a promotion, but they hardly ever forget a community they feel they belong to.
Conclusion
Brands that aspire to build lasting relationships will need to look beyond rewards.
The real challenge is not about awarding more points, but about creating spaces where people want to stay, participate, and feel part of something bigger.
Because in the end, loyalty doesn’t come from a transaction.
It stems from a sense of belonging.
Author:
Daniel Velasco Rallo
Post:
Strategic Planner Meeting Agenda
