Influencers, rewards, and gamification: the new formula for brands to win over customers and community in 2025

Digital influence and shopping apps are shaping a new model of loyalty and engagement between brands, content creators, and consumers. Forget the old points programs: the new era blends commission, gamification, and genuine community connection. While brands like Oscar Calçados and Linus are betting on ambassador programs to boost sales and strengthen ties with their customers, content creation specialists like LOI Global agency, and retail technology companies like Kobe Apps, are adapting to show that building lasting relationships with consumers involves a new logic.

At Oscar Calçados, the program Oscar's House Creators It has already brought together almost 100 partner influencers in less than a year. Creators with 10,000 or more followers on TikTok (or 5,000 on Instagram) are commissioned according to their follower category — the higher the number of followers, the higher the voucher value. Sales tracking is done through the coupons distributed by each influencer, which are applied on the website before completing the purchase. Upon reaching the minimum sales threshold, the influencer is entitled to commission withdrawal. In addition, the group receives daily updates on promotions and performance, and also participates in challenges with bonuses, such as: travel packages, festival tickets, among others, with the goal of keeping the influencer community engaged.

"The program, less than a year old, has already received over a thousand applications from all over Brazil and includes a careful profile analysis to select those who best align with the brand's purpose," says Renan Constantino, managing partner of Grupo Oscar Calçados.

But the connection goes beyond money. It's about affinity, community, and belonging—as shown by Linus, a sustainable footwear brand that structured its Ambassador Program focusing on relationships. According to research conducted by the brand itself, 43% of consumers learned about Linus through friends or family, and 46% relied on recommendations when making a purchase. "From the beginning, we've bet on this type of communication where the greatest strength comes from the community—and how it interacts naturally and genuinely with the brand," says Olívia Araújo, Linus' Brand Manager.

LOI, a global agency specializing in influence and performance, reinforces that this model only works when there's authenticity in the narrative. “Brands don't just want numbers. They seek well-told stories, creators "With strategy, connection, and clarity in the data," says Felipe Colaneri, founder of LOI. For those who want to stand out in these programs, the advice is to know your audience, present good metrics, invest in purposeful content, and cultivate the relationship with the brand even outside of commercial actions.

This reward, loyalty, and engagement logic also extends to shopping apps, which gained new functions and prominence in 2025. “Apps have evolved to become centers of the consumer journey, integrating gamification, personalized missions, cashback, and interactions that strengthen the brand bond,” explains Bruno Bulso, COO of Kobe Apps, a platform that develops retail apps. In practice, the company already has case studies of retailers with over 250,000 active users on apps with points systems redeemable for products, while others are betting on cashback proportional to the average ticket to incentivize repeat purchases, even in low-turnover categories.

According to Bulso, "loyalty is no longer a differentiator: it's an obligation for brands that want to remain relevant. Consumers want to be recognized — and well-structured apps are now the most efficient channel for this."

De creators For clients, the new consumer expects more than a good offer: they seek purposeful experiences, tangible benefits, and authentic relationships. Brands that understand this logic — and know how to activate it in the right places, with the right people — have a great chance of leading the influence game in 2025.