Revamped Loyalty Program Shows Early Promise for AMC Theatres

After the restructuring of its loyalty program this summer, all eyes were on AMC Theatres to see how the loyalty offering would impact overall revenue. Results thus far, albeit early, are very promising in that respect. The program has now reached more than four million households—a record for AMC Stubs—and continues to grow with over 11 times the number of enrollments from this time last year.
 
The company doesn’t see this incredible boom ending soon: Forecasts call for the AMC Stubs program to more than double in enrollment by the start of the 2017 summer movie season.
 
The program made the choice in July to split the program into two tiers. AMC Insiders are those who simply enroll in the program without a fee. These members receive discounts and rewards more or less in line with similar programs. The new tier, however, is a demonstration of the brand’s willingness to adapt to new trends. For an annual fee of $15, members get access to shorter lines for both concessions and tickets, as well as larger discounts compared to the free tier.
 
This hybrid system seems to be the brand’s exploration into fee-based loyalty programs, a trend that has already been fully embraced by companies like Amazon and Restoration Hardware
 
Overseeing the new AMC Stubs loyalty program is AMC’s VP of Guest Engagement, Julius Lai.
 
“Enhancing the paid tier of AMC Stubs to include even more generous benefits was a key step in the evolution of the program, and the new free tier enables all AMC guests to feel rewarded for coming to the movies,” Lai told Loyalty360. “To date, the positive guest reception to the new benefits and free tier has been truly remarkable.  We look forward to continuing the growth of AMC Stubs membership at a rapid pace and listening to guest feedback on how we can make their trips to AMC even more amazing. We are already evaluating additional benefits that we hope to offer AMC movie-lovers in the near future.”
 
As more brands make the leap to premium loyalty programs, many may elect to follow in AMC’s footsteps, offering both a free and paid option and allowing customers to upgrade when, and if, they’re ready to fully pledge their loyalty to the brand. If these early numbers are any indicator, AMC may just be on the cusp of a new trend in customer loyalty.

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