IHG Rewards Reel Summer Promotion is now live. (HT: FEV77 on Milepoint)
The bonuses attached to the promotion are the only things that interest me, not the Coca-Cola co-brand prize offerings or – per the press release I got yesterday – “team[ing] up with actor Josh Lucas for the Ultimate Movie Moment Experience.”
There are some things I really like about IHG Rewards Club these days.
- I like that IHG Rewards Club has been aggressive and creative with promotions, such as with the Big Win.
- I like that the complicated, gamified nature of these promotions.
- I like that IHG Rewards Club offers lots of bonuses, great return on spend for earning free nights.
And things I do not like as much.
- I don’t like that the program lacks meaningful elite benefits (outside of Intercontinental Hotels’ Royal Ambassador status).
- I don’t like that what few benefits do exist do not have to be honored for the most part on award nights (although some hotels do out of their own generosity).
- I don’t like that the program doesn’t offer an option to redeem points for better than a base room, a bigger deal to me since I can’t count on elite benefits being honored on award nights.
It’s fascinating that even as the rest of the loyalty industry is grousing about and trying to crack down on ‘gamers’ (a.k.a. “us”), IHG Rewwards Club embraces gamification.
It’s also bizarre that a loyalty program embracing gamification in its promotions has also become known for shutting down accounts without explanation, essentially over activities that look like gamification.
Nonetheless, they’re making the program fun and I give them credit for that even as I find this promotion fairly unrewarding. I wish others would embrace ‘fun’ too. (Bring back the US Airways Grand Slam!)
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I’m missing something here. I don’t think you earn additional points with this game just more entries into the coca-cola contest. What am I missing?
@Jay see the link to summer reel-related bonus point (stay x, earn y) offers that are customized for different members.
Gary after I registered for the promotion and received an email telling me so, I looked under “my offer status” and found “Stay 10 nights, get 250 AIR MILES®â reward miles” My earning preference is hotel points with IHG so I’m a little mystified and at only 250 for 10 stays…. makes no sense…. looks like I’m going to call.
*sigh* Got my account shut down last week for registering for promotional codes not targeted to me. Guess I’m out. 🙁
Crazy wacked out game here, I registered and it says that my offer is stay 3 nights get 5000 points? then it says your progress 100% complete?? didn’t this just start yesterday? how’d I complete this and get 4 entries already. I hope the points post!
@ Michael what you only have one account?
It’s my personal feeling that companies into gamification — IHG and American Airlines — do not respect my time. I can find my own fun, thank you. What do they expect to gain by this technique other than to attract people who have plenty of time to kill to beat the system?
I went to one of their events last year. They have a really great, fun corporate culture. I met with the VP of loyalty programs and he said the same thing – that members having “fun” with the program is important to them. He also enjoys reading about different hacks members are discovering and sees this all as them being engaged with the program. When Ric Garrido spoke to him, he let on that they’re fully aware of people stacking promo codes, but don’t have the system in place to prevent it yet.
@DJP_707, yes only one account. Hardly stay with IHG but before a week-long work trip three weeks ago, I stacked some promo codes. Was unable to log into my account the following week so I emailed helpdesk – my reply was a ‘your account has been terminated for fraud’. I spoke on the phone to the rep that emailed me and he explained that my account had been terminated for registering for promotional codes not targeted to me and that their decision was final. Not fun at all!
I’m getting a 404 error when trying to visit ihg.com/reelsummer. Did they remove it?
Only available to residents of Canada, Colombia, Chile, Mexico & USA 🙁
@jackal – coming up for me just fine
Yeah, it’s working now. Thanks.