The Loyalty Race:
How Brands Win or Lose Their Customers
How Brands Win or Lose Their Customers
Welcome to the Loyalty Race. Although we will be visiting an event of my past, we will be discussing a subject that is still relevant no matter the years, customer loyalty. It was the end of summer when a tourism and aviation event in Caracas, Venezuela by AVAVIT , opened its doors for its annual industry showcasing event.
To me, the exhibition entrance looked like a race competition starting line, with many spectators craving to go inside and see what the industry had to offer for the upcoming future. Being it the first time I joined such an event in Caracas, I took the opportunity to absorb as much as I could. One thing was clear to me, the flow of visitors through the exhibition floor was stagnant. Legacy airlines, hotels, and tour operators stood proudly in their lanes, some with 40+ years of history but had almost empty booths. Right beside them were newcomers, brands such as SASCA Airlines, the one I proudly represented, ready to sprint into the industry with fresh energy and…filled with spectators. What I saw that day was more than booths, business cards and industry insights. It was a reminder that customer loyalty isn’t a race with a finish line, it’s not won just once,
it’s a never-ending race competition.
SASCA AIRLINES STAND AVAVIT: 2023
The Fresh Runner Advantage
The event was two days long, had over 3,000 visitors, and over 40 different brands holding an exposition.
The spectators seemed to be moving fast toward SASCA’s booth. The airline was brand new, only two years since it made its first flight, yet its modern, immersive and elegant branding drew attention and gave the momentum of a fresh runner entering the race track. People wanted to know what SASCA stood for,
what destinations we offered, how the plane looked on the inside, what the company’s mission and vision was, they wanted to know how SASCA Airlines was different from the rest.
Meanwhile, some popular legacy brands stood quietly, without many visitors or hype,
relying on their years of existence rather than their current relevance.
The spectators seemed to be moving fast toward SASCA’s booth. The airline was brand new, only two years since it made its first flight, yet its modern, immersive and elegant branding drew attention and gave the momentum of a fresh runner entering the race track. People wanted to know what SASCA stood for,
what destinations we offered, how the plane looked on the inside, what the company’s mission and vision was, they wanted to know how SASCA Airlines was different from the rest.
Meanwhile, some popular legacy brands stood quietly, without many visitors or hype,
relying on their years of existence rather than their current relevance.
That moment taught me something important:
customers aren’t always loyal to a brand's legacy,
they’re loyal to the brand who makes them feel seen,
excited, safe, and understood in the present.
customers aren’t always loyal to a brand's legacy,
they’re loyal to the brand who makes them feel seen,
excited, safe, and understood in the present.
When Legacy Trips on the Track
Right now, innovating seems to be the correct move for all brands, however, newness isn’t always the winning strategy. Some brands thrive because of consistency, not reinvention. Let's talk about the elephant in the room - Cracker Barrel. This famous U.S. restaurant chain is rooted in “old country house” nostalgia.
But just a few weeks ago, the restaurant decided it was a bold idea to update their logo, and loyal customers revolted. This now modern and minimalistic looking logo “improvement” directly messed with their original identity, and within days, Cracker Barrel backtracked and announced they weren't going to make the change.
But just a few weeks ago, the restaurant decided it was a bold idea to update their logo, and loyal customers revolted. This now modern and minimalistic looking logo “improvement” directly messed with their original identity, and within days, Cracker Barrel backtracked and announced they weren't going to make the change.
This shows that not every runner should sprint. For heritage brands, it seems like the winning
move is often to pace at a steady rhythm, leaning on customer trust, tradition and data facts
rather than chasing trends. Customer loyalty slips away when a brand forgets its rhythm,
either by standing still or running like someone else.
move is often to pace at a steady rhythm, leaning on customer trust, tradition and data facts
rather than chasing trends. Customer loyalty slips away when a brand forgets its rhythm,
either by standing still or running like someone else.
Forbes highlights that loyalty is ultimately about relationships, not transactions.
The brands that thrive are those that know their stride and stick to it.
Running the Long Game
The lesson was clear: loyalty isn’t won in one sprint, it’s earned in the relay, lap after lap. Fresh energy can win attention, but long-term customer loyalty depends on passing the baton smoothly: updating visuals with supporting data/evidence, innovating services based on measured impact or necessity, and refreshing the customer experience without leaving behind what made you trustworthy in the first place.
As Harvard Business Review notes: retaining customers requires constant proof of value. You can’t rely on yesterday’s victories. In the loyalty race, there’s always another competitor warming up on the sidelines, ready to capture the crowd’s attention.
Key Takeaways: Loyalty in the Race
1. Customer loyalty isn’t static, it’s won with every interaction.
Customers stay only when brands keep proving their relevance.
Customers stay only when brands keep proving their relevance.
2. Fresh branding sparks curiosity. But long-term customer loyalty demands both,
customer and brand, to build on excitement and consistency.
customer and brand, to build on excitement and consistency.
3. Identity matters. Customers reward authenticity, not forced trend-following-change.
4. Loyalty is built on emotion first. Transactions only follow once trust is there.
5. Loyalty fuels growth. Loyal customers are 5× more likely to repurchase,
4× more likely to refer, and 7× more likely to try new products
4× more likely to refer, and 7× more likely to try new products
The Finish Line of Loyalty
For me, AVAVIT wasn’t just an industry showcase event, it was a brand race in real time.
Legacy brands had history. Newer brands like SASCA had fresh energy.
Both had something valuable, but only one could capture the spectators attention through the event.
In the end, I realized that the theory is this: customer loyalty isn’t about who’s been running the longest,
but who keeps running with purpose, authenticity, and relevance.In the customer loyalty race, the winning brands are the ones who adapt, honor their identity, and keep moving forward, baton in hand, always.
Legacy brands had history. Newer brands like SASCA had fresh energy.
Both had something valuable, but only one could capture the spectators attention through the event.
In the end, I realized that the theory is this: customer loyalty isn’t about who’s been running the longest,
but who keeps running with purpose, authenticity, and relevance.In the customer loyalty race, the winning brands are the ones who adapt, honor their identity, and keep moving forward, baton in hand, always.
Topic: Customer Loyalty