FNB eBucks and other local brands triumph at 2026 International Loyalty Awards
South African loyalty programmes have secured major victories at the 17th annual International Loyalty Awards, reinforcing the country’s growing influence in the global customer engagement and loyalty economy.
Source: internationalloyaltyawards.com
The awards, hosted in the United States for the first time, recognised South African brands across the retail, banking, telecommunications, wellness and leisure sectors, highlighting the market’s innovation-led approach to customer retention and behavioural engagement.
According to the 2025/26 Truth and BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper, South Africa remains one of the world’s most mature loyalty markets, with 85% of consumers actively participating in loyalty programmes.
FNB eBucks claims top global honours
FNB’s eBucks programme emerged as one of the biggest winners of the evening, taking home three awards, including the coveted 2026 International Loyalty Programme of the Year: Africa.
The programme also secured awards for:
- Best B2B Loyalty Programme Worldwide
- Best Global Loyalty Programme/Initiative – Financial Services
Judges described eBucks as a “global benchmark”, praising its ability to engage a broad spectrum of customers, from social grant recipients to ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Amanda Cromhout, CEO of Truth Loyalty and a long-standing judge at the awards, said the recognition reflects the strength and sophistication of South African loyalty strategies.
“South African winners captured the attention of the global judges through bold thinking and real-customer impact,” said Cromhout. “They are not only setting the standard, they are raising it year on year.”
TFG recognised for AI-powered loyalty innovation
Retail group TFG (The Foschini Group) also delivered a strong performance, winning two major awards for its TFG Rewards programme:
- Global Leader in Loyalty Industry Innovation
- Best Use of Technology Worldwide in Loyalty
Judges highlighted TFG Rewards’ “One TFG” philosophy and its pioneering “Agentic Campaign Management” capability, which uses collaborating AI agents to personalise communication across multiple brands at scale.
The programme was recognised for advancing hyper-personalised customer engagement through technology-driven loyalty infrastructure.
Vodacom and Virgin Active rewarded for engagement strategies
South African telecommunications and wellness brands also earned global recognition.
Vodacom South Africa’s VodaBucks platform won Best Gamification Worldwide for Loyalty Enhancement, with judges describing the programme as a “standout example” of how strategic game mechanics can drive both commercial performance and customer engagement.
The V-Up game was specifically recognised for successfully combining entertainment, incentives and behavioural engagement.
Meanwhile, Virgin Active South Africa earned the award for Best Loyalty Initiative within Leisure, Experience & Entertainment for its Virgin Active Rewards programme.
Judges described the platform as an effective “behaviour-change platform” that encourages members to build healthier long-term habits through personalised goals, rewards and recognition.
Spur Corporation executive honoured as loyalty pioneer
Individual recognition was also awarded to Earle Cloete of Spur Corporation, who received the Loyalty Pioneer Award.The accolade recognises his long-standing contribution to the loyalty industry and his role in developing Spur’s loyalty ecosystem into a key growth driver across the group’s restaurant brands.
Cloete’s career journey, beginning in a call centre before progressing into loyalty leadership, was highlighted as an example of the evolving professionalisation of the customer loyalty sector.
South Africa’s growing influence in global loyalty
The strong showing by South African brands reflects the increasing strategic importance of loyalty ecosystems in driving customer retention, data intelligence and long-term brand growth.
As loyalty programmes continue evolving beyond transactional rewards into broader engagement platforms powered by AI, gamification and behavioural science, South African companies are increasingly being recognised as global innovators within the sector.