[REPOSTED] [INTERVIEW] Blair Cameron, President of AIR MILES

UPDATE [April 30, 2019 8:15pm EST]- Please note that some information has been updated in the responses below from when it was posted earlier today [April 30, 2019 9:20am EST]. 

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Blair Cameron, President of AIR MILES who is going to share some exciting news about airmilesshops.ca, its partnership with redtag.ca and other titbits. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions Mr. Cameron. 

Q1: Please tell us about yourself.

Hello, I am Blair Cameron, President of the AIR MILES Reward Program, Canada’s most recognized loyalty Program.

Q2. What is your role with AIR MILES?

At the AIR MILES Reward Program, I oversee the strategy and operations of the Program. Together with all our AIR MILES associates, we are focused on delivering the AIR MILES mission of bringing Canadians closer to moments and experiences they love, every day. We do this through our coalition of over 300 leading Canadian, global and online brands (including Sobeys, Shell, Staples, BMO and MasterCard), who provide Collectors with opportunities to get Miles on everyday purchases while providing moments of reward, both big and small.

As an iconic Canadian brand that has existed for more than 25 years, we are constantly looking for new ways to meet the changing needs and expectations of our Collectors and ensure that their experience with the Program continues to offer them value and flexibility. Over the years, we’ve made multiple enhancements to the Program including:

• Expanding the ways in which Collectors can get Miles, including new Partners such as Telus, Etsy, Ticketmaster, HP and Adidas.
• Rewards offerings from top name brands including Dyson, Apple, Samsung and more that are refreshed regularly to stay consistent with seasonal moments, market trends and consumer
  demand.
• Coalition promotions, offers and events that are relevant and personalized to Collectors, while simultaneously providing value back to our coalition Partners.
• Expanded package vacation offers and the flexibility to get and use Miles through our redtag.ca partnership.
• Updates to our website, www.airmiles.ca, providing an enhanced Collector experience by leveraging our advanced data and analytics capabilities for more personalized and relevant offers,
  experiences and self-service functionality.
• 24/7 social media support on Facebook and Twitter that gives Collectors the opportunity to speak to us in the way they prefer best.
• An enhanced AIR MILES app that continues to evolve to give Collectors greater control over their account while providing personalized offers and incentives based on their experience and expectations of the Program

Q3: For those who are unaware, what is AIR MILES about?

The AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada’s most recognized loyalty program, with 2/3 of all households carrying the AIR MILES Card in their wallet. The Program offers Collectors the ability to get Miles from our coalition of over 300 leading Canadian, global and online brands, and use those Miles for a wide range of rewards. From instant in-store rewards with AIR MILES Cash Miles, to using AIR MILES Dream Miles for flights, travel, merchandise and unique experiences, the Program rewards thousands of Canadians every single day with moments you can’t get anywhere else.

We understand that Canadians want a loyalty program that reflects their own, unique tastes. Whether it be $10 towards your grocery, pharmacy and gas bill, gifting the latest Dyson product from our merchandise catalogue, or catching your favourite band live through the AIR MILES Stage Pass program in partnership with LiveNation, we are always creating new ways for Collectors to get closer to the moments that matter most to them. To date, the Program counts nearly 11 million active Collector Accounts and a reward is redeemed every two seconds.

Working with our Partners, we leverage our rich data and understanding of our Collectors’ expectations to create valuable offers, promotions and experiences. With over a million pieces of transaction data captured every single day, we are able to collaborate with our Partners to deliver a more tailored user experience for Collectors. Simultaneously, we are working in close collaboration with our Partners to help define their retail, loyalty and marketing strategies, creating a mutually-beneficial relationship that increases sales, basket size, loyalty and marketing ROI.

With more than 10,000 store fronts across the country, the strength of the Program truly lies in our coalition of Partners offering the common AIR MILES currency. Collectors can shop almost every category – grocery, gas, pharmacy, home hardware, fashion, electronics – and get Miles on their purchases. Plus, with our two AIR MILES-affiliated credit cards, there has never been a faster way to get closer to moments of reward.

Q4: Can you share more details about the expansion of the airmilesshops.ca shopping portal partners?

Launched 16 years ago, airmilesshops.ca is an online shopping portal where Collectors can get Miles while shopping at more than 200+ leading online retailers. Simply for being a Collector, Canadians can get Miles and turn their online shopping into moments of reward.

We know that Canadians are strapped for time and appreciate the convenience that online shopping provides. Through airmilesshops.ca, Collectors now have a simple and convenient destination that provides a vast selection of opportunities to get Miles and overall allows for a seamless shopping experience. To do so, all they need to do is log on to airmilesshops.ca with their Collector Number, browse through the over 200+ stores available and click “Shop Now” to shop and start getting Miles!

Q5. Can you share more details about the upgrades to redtag.ca?

With roots as a travel reward program, we are constantly looking for ways to give Collectors more opportunities to get value out of the Program and we believe our new partnership with redtag.ca will do just that. This partnership provides Collectors with more options to get and use Miles when booking Package Vacations. Collectors can get 1 Mile for every $20 spent and for every 909 Dream Miles used, Collectors will get $100 towards a Package Vacation booking.

There are thousands of package vacations made available by redtag.ca from Canada’s leading travel providers: Air Canada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Sunquest Vacations, Transat, Porter Escapes, and Sunwing Vacations.

Q6: What can we look forward to with AIR MILES?

AIR MILES is committed to always evaluating new ways for Collectors to get and use Miles and have the best experience with the Program. From our new partnership with redtag.ca, enhancements to airmiles.ca and the AIR MILES app, and marquee culinary and live music events happening across the country, there has never been a better time to be a Collector.

We also recently refreshed our selection of brand names within our impressive merchandise catalogue, adding over 200 new products available for Collectors to use Miles on. Collectors from coast-to-coast can use Miles to reward themselves with the latest seasonal products and merchandise including patio furniture, home decor, electronic appliances and more. Collectors can log into their Collector Account at rewards.airmiles.ca/merchandise to see the exciting range of new items that have been added.

Similarly to our rewards offering, when it comes to offers, promotions and experiences, we work with our Partners to provide Collectors with offers that make sense for their everyday lives, so they can get the most out of the Program. For instance as part of our partnership with Shell, right now Collectors can get 10 AIR MILES Bonus Miles on any Freshii product at participating Shell locations across the country until June 16.

Q7: What advice would you give travellers and “Pointshoggers” out there?

The best way for Canadians to stay informed on how to use and get Miles online and at Partner locations is to frequently explore airmiles.ca, download the AIR MILES app and ensure that they are opted in for marketing emails. The Program is incredibly versatile, offering a wide range of rewards to Collectors and we are always updating our Collectors through our website, app and in email to keep them in the know.

Q8: Any closing thoughts?

With over 25 years of experience, AIR MILES is built on the foundation of rewarding Collectors with new ways to get and use Miles that bring Canadians closer to moments that matter to them. The enhancements to our digital channels and rich understanding of Collector and Partner data ensures that we will provide a valuable and personalized Collector experience.

As Canada’s most recognized loyalty program, we are committed to helping Canadians get rewards they love, so visit airmiles.ca, download the AIR MILES app and ensure you are opted in for email communication so that you can experience the moments of reward that thousands of Canadians experience every single day.