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Huggies mobilizes loyalty program with new app, receipt scanning

Kimberly-Clark?s Huggies brand is rolling out a revamped rewards program that enables members to take advantage of a new mobile application, as well as the ability to scan receipts, link loyalty cards to the app and automatically collect points.

Huggies? new loyalty program eliminates the need for customers to manually enter in codes found on participating products to gain rewards points. Instead, they can download the Huggies Rewards app for their smartphones, link their loyalty cards and snap a photo of their receipt to upload it before receiving a new batch of rewards points, which can be redeemed for baby care products and retail gift cards.

?The loyalty landscape has changed, and parents are using more mobile than ever,? said Jose Corella, senior brand manager at Huggies. ?The ability to appeal to and acquire diverse, millennial parents is crucial to driving Huggies? business forward and, more importantly, deliver against our brand promise of helping babies thrive.?

Unpinning mobile loyalty
Huggies? new receipt-upload program, which is powered by Snipp Interactive, highlights consumers? growing reliance on ereceipts and gradual shift away from paper coupons and receipts.

The brand?s loyalty members can now download the Huggies Rewards app for their iOS and Android devices to leverage the slew of new perks, which include easier ways of garnering loyalty points.

Individuals who purchase Huggies products can snap a photo of their paper receipt and instantly upload it into the app. This will prompt the app to delegate the appropriate number of points to the user, all without requiring him or her to manually enter in any information or additional codes.

This streamlined way of participating could prompt more consumers to join Huggies? loyalty program.

?Instead of manually entering in a code to redeem points, parents will now be able to easily scan their receipts to redeem points in less than 48 hours,? Mr. Corella said. ?Through our new app, parents will also be able to earn points in new ways such as engaging with content, taking surveys, watching videos, etc.

?Plus, parents who link their loyalty cards ? and use their loyalty cards when purchasing Huggies diapers and wipes ? will have their Huggies Rewards points uploaded automatically. Finally, if parents choose, they can check in at participating retailers for a chance to receive targeted coupons and offers.?

Another new aspect for loyalty members is Huggies? redesigned points structure. The brand is multiplying the cost of rewards items and members? points balances by 10.

New members will earn 500 points upon signing up.

Easy rewards redemption
Huggies? new one-stop mobile destination for helpful content and rewards will likely resonate positively with its target audience. Huggies Rewards app users can also access sweepstakes, read relevant parenting articles and check in at various retail stores to improve their loyalty status.

Social media-savvy users can accumulate more points by taking surveys within the app and sharing content on Facebook and Twitter.

Some of the available rewards for redemption include Visa and CVS gift cards, as well as Huggies diapers. Individuals can also opt to use their points to donate products to babies in need.

However, the new loyalty card-linking and receipt-scanning capabilities are the biggest winners of Huggies? revamped rewards program. A growing number of marketers are tapping receipt-enabled promotions and loyalty integrations to promote more engagement and garner new fans.

Several months ago, Frito-Lay and Colgate brought a revamped spin to SMS-based receipt promotions by offering participants alluring rewards from other brands instead of standard money-back offers (see story).

Last year, Church & Dwight Co.?s Arm & Hammer brand leveraged mobile for a holiday promotion by asking consumers to purchase boxes of baking soda, snap a photo of their receipt with their smartphones and text it to a designated number to receive a complimentary Martha Stewart recipe booklet (see story).

Huggies remains dedicated to introducing new mobile functionalities to keep up with its core customers? increasingly digital lifestyles.

?Today, parents are using mobile devices more than ever,? Mr. Corella said. ?Our research shows moms are on their mobile devices 2.3 hours each day, 33 percent are more likely to recommend tech-savvy brands, and more than half of baby care buyers expect to have a mobile app, so it?s important that our loyalty program is mobile-focused and caters to those needs.?