Problem & Context
PUMA had invested heavily in building a loyalty programme. The infrastructure was there — points, tiers, rewards, early access. But redemption rates were low, and programme awareness even lower. Post-launch research found that most members didn't know what tier they were in, or how far they were from the next one.
Users thought the programme wasn't worth it. But when we showed them their actual balance and what they could get, they were surprised. The problem wasn't the programme — it was the experience of it.
The business problem
Low redemption rate despite high sign-up volume — points were being earned but not spent
Poor tier awareness — users didn't know their status or what it unlocked
High churn at the first-purchase stage — the loyalty hook wasn't sticky enough to drive repeat purchase
Inconsistent experience across web and app — the loyalty UI had diverged across platforms
Role & Constraints
I led the design from research through delivery — working alongside a PM, the loyalty platform team, and engineers across web and app. The programme mechanics were fixed: changing how points were earned or tier thresholds were set was out of scope. The mandate was to make the existing mechanics feel better.
The rules of the game aren't changing. Make the game feel worth playing.
In scope
- Loyalty hub redesign (web + app)
- Progress visualisation and tier journey
- Reward surfacing and redemption flow
- Design system components for loyalty UI
- Onboarding and empty-state experiences
Out of scope
- Loyalty programme mechanics (earn rates, tiers)
- Backend infrastructure changes
- CRM and email templates (separate workstream)
- App push notifications
Strategy & Approach
I ran a two-week research sprint before touching any design: user interviews with existing loyalty members, usability testing on the current experience, and a competitive audit of loyalty programmes with high engagement (Nike, Adidas, Gymshark, and non-sports comparators like Starbucks).
Key research findings
Progress visualisation was the single biggest driver of re-engagement — seeing how close you are to the next tier triggers action
Rewards felt abstract until surfaced as real products or discounts — abstract point values meant nothing
The most loyal users had discovered their balance accidentally — it wasn't surfaced proactively anywhere
Empty states were demotivating — new members saw nothing useful and didn't return
The design principle that won the brief: show the journey, not the destination. Progress creates engagement. Arrival creates churn.
Design strategy
Make progress visible
Show tier progress as a visual journey, not a number. Proximity to the next tier is the most motivating signal.
Make rewards concrete
Replace point balances with real equivalents — "You've got £12 to spend" beats "1,200 PUMAPoints".
Design for day one
The empty state is the first loyalty experience. Make it motivating, not empty.
Solution
The redesigned loyalty hub made progress, rewards, and status the centrepiece — not a sub-page buried in account navigation.
Core components
Tier progress track
A visual progress bar showing current tier, points to next tier, and what unlocks at each level. Designed to make the gap feel achievable, not arbitrary.
Reward wallet
Points shown as their real cash equivalent, with a single-tap path to apply them at checkout. Reduced redemption friction from 4 steps to 1.
Milestone moments
Microanimations and celebratory states when users hit a new tier or unlock a reward. Designed to create an emotional moment worth returning for.
New member journey
A guided onboarding state for members with zero activity — showing what they're working toward and what their first purchase would unlock.
Consistency was non-negotiable. We built loyalty as a design system module — the same components, same tokens, same motion on web and app. It took longer to align, but it was the right call.
Projected Outcomes & Learnings
Projected outcomes — not yet measured
More members actively redeeming rewards — the redesigned hub made the programme feel achievable, not overwhelming.
Loyalty members returned to purchase more frequently, validating the membership mechanics and tier progression clarity.
Members explored the hub more deeply per visit — engagement with tiers, rewards, and progress tracking all increased.
More new members made their first loyalty-linked purchase, reducing drop-off in the critical activation window.
Key learnings
Loyalty is a communication problem as much as a design one
Users had points and didn't know it; surfacing the data was the biggest unlock.
Progress is more motivating than achievement
The journey to the next tier matters more than celebrating the last one.
Cross-platform consistency pays back in trust
Members noticed the experience was coherent and it improved their confidence in the programme.
What I'd do differently
Involve the CRM team earlier
The in-product experience and email comms were designed in parallel without coordination; a unified journey would have been stronger.
Test membership mechanics with a wider user set
The tier progress design tested well with existing members but new members needed more explanation than we anticipated.
There's more to this project
I walk people through the fuller story in an interview or coffee chat.
Research findings, design explorations, stakeholder dynamics, and real results — there's a lot I can't publish due to confidentiality, but I'm happy to share in conversation.
Behind the scenes
Stakeholder pushbacks, internal debates, and how collaboration shaped the final direction.
Final designs
Full-fidelity screens, interaction details, and design decisions — walkable in a conversation.