By Leo Perkas, age 15. Work Experience, Anglo European School.
Hi! I’m Leo Perkas and I’ve been doing work experience at the European Loyalty Association (The ELA™). Part of my project was to look at how brands on TikTok use loyalty programmes, influencers, and social media to get people my age (Gen Z) to stick with them. I was told to look into five brands, their products, what kind of influencers they work with—and whether loyalty schemes actually matter to the younger generation.
Teenagers generally focus on brand, popularity, and price, and not necessarily loyalty programmes. If your product is viral on TikTok, if our favourite influencer uses it, or if it’s part of the community, that is what matters. Not points. Not tiers. Not newsletters. We don’t look at our emails!
Here’s what I found when I looked at five brands trending on TikTok:
💥 1. Blume – Meltdown Acne Oil (US)
Loyalty Programme: Blumetopia – you earn “Blume Bucks” for purchases, referring friends, or posting.
Influencer: Lindsay Rosso shares open, real skincare videos.
What Works: The vibe is relaxed and honest. No filters = more trust.
👔 2. Percival – Tailored Shirt (UK)
Loyalty Programme: The Closed Circle – members join private chats and get first access to drops.
Influencers: Everyday guys, stylists, and athletes show how to wear it.
Why It’s Smart: It’s exclusive
👁 3. Mirenesse – Eye Serum (US)
Loyalty Programme: Love Rewards – points for purchases = discounts.
Influencer: Ashley Kalty makes TikToks about skin issues and how the products help.
Why We Notice: Her videos aren’t fancy — they’re authentic. And authenticity = trust.
💄 4. Superdrug – Health & Beautycard (UK)
Loyalty Programme: You earn points online/in-store, plus exclusive app offers and early access.
Influencer Strategy: They team up with beauty creators like Georgie Aldous to promote sales and haul videos.
Why It Sticks: Teens already shop there for basics — rewards just make it a bit better.
🎯 What Brands Really Need to Understand
Gen Z doesn’t “do” loyalty in the old-school way. We’re loyal to brands, not programmes. Here’s what actually works:
Know who we are – Not just “teens.” Know what we like, what we do, what our skin or hair is like.
Make the product part of our world – If it doesn’t fit our lifestyle or feed, we won’t care.
Use smaller influencers – Micro and nano creators are way more relatable than celebrities.
Make loyalty feel like a club, not a scheme – Private chats, early drops, product input.
🔚 Final thought from me:
Loyalty isn’t coming to an end. But it’s not about stamps, discounts, or fancy membership levels anymore. Loyalty is earned when a brand feels like it knows you, personally — when it makes products you want to show off, that are trendy and fits into your life as if it was always meant to be there.
Gen Z doesn’t want to be rewarded for staying loyal. We want a brand that’s worth being loyal to.
