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Membership & Loyalty Strategy: A Watson Case Study
I grew up in Colorado, not far from the UNC campus in Greeley where my dad taught. I still remember the buzz when John Elway showed up for his first spring training there. My dad and I would head up to watch—early mornings, cold bleachers, big energy. It wasn’t just about football. It was about being part of something. A community. A moment. That feeling stuck with me.
Years later, it’s been a full-circle kind of experience—bringing those same principles of connection and loyalty into the work we do at Watson. From stadiums to theaters, ski resorts to subscription brands, we’ve helped teams and organizations translate data into belonging. Because these days, it’s not enough to just track behavior. You’ve got to understand people—and respond in ways that feel personal, relevant, and real.
The same strategies we honed working with sports franchises—driving attendance, deepening loyalty, building scalable engagement platforms—have translated directly into our work with the arts, education, and nonprofit sectors. With organizations like the Oregon Symphony, Portland Center Stage, Protec17 Union, and university systems across the country, we’ve applied what we learned in high-energy, high-stakes sports environments to foster quieter but equally powerful forms of connection. Whether it’s boosting season ticket renewals or helping a theater stay top of mind during a long off-season, the fundamentals are the same: understand the audience, make every interaction meaningful, and build systems that invite people back.
That’s the core of our membership and loyalty strategy. It’s not just software or a dashboard. It’s a living system—part creative, part analytical—that helps organizations engage, retain, and grow. With a 97% retention rate and an average 35% lift in engagement, we’ve seen firsthand how the right tools, insights, and UX design can turn passive users into active advocates.
Most organizations are sitting on a mountain of data but can’t see the path forward. Our job is to shape that data into direction. To transform metrics into movement. And to help our partners build systems that learn, adapt, and scale alongside them. Whether you’re a major league team or a regional nonprofit, membership is about more than access. It’s about identity—and building something people actually want to be part of.
Watson’s success hinges on eight integrated features, each reinforcing the next. It’s not a stack of tools—it’s a system of engagement:
Campaign Intelligence: The strategy doesn’t simply crunch data; it crafts stories from it. Whether you're managing a major league fanbase or a nonprofit membership drive, the approach tailors each outreach to land with precision. Chris O’Donnell at the Broncos put it best: “Watson turns data into our playbook.”
Live KPI Dashboards: More than just performance snapshots, these dashboards act as your day-to-day command center. For the 49ers, real-time insight meant real-time pivoting—and game-changing results.
Scalability & Versatility: Watson’s framework doesn’t care how big you are—it cares how bold you want to be. Whether you’re running a ski resort in Sweden or a global automotive brand, the strategy adapts and scales.
Retention Reimagined: Personalization isn’t just about making members feel seen—it’s about keeping them coming back. From Point Defiance Zoo to regional theaters, Watson’s system has lowered churn rates across industries.
Human-Centered UX: For users, good design means less friction. For brands, it means higher engagement. Watson bridges both, creating platforms that feel as intuitive as they are compelling.
Operational Streamlining: From CRM integrations to automated workflows, Watson’s system lightens the load so teams can focus on strategy, not spreadsheets. It’s operational clarity without compromise.
Security by Design: The system is fortified with layers of encryption, multifactor authentication, and industry-compliant protocols. It's not just secure—it’s trusted.
Modularity with Meaning: This isn’t plug-and-play. It’s plug-and-thrive. Organizations select only what they need, creating a customized solution that fits like a tailored suit.
These aren’t just features—they’re force multipliers. When combined, they don’t just function. They harmonize.
Denver Broncos: Watson Creative became the Broncos’ offensive coordinator of engagement. With dashboards tracking every conversion and campaign, their fan experience turned into a data-driven game plan. As Mark Johnson shared, “We don’t chase trends. We set them.”
Kansas City Chiefs: With Watson, the Chiefs found more than a platform—they found a partner in innovation. Their 30% boost in memberships and record engagement stemmed from the system’s ability to localize and personalize at scale.
New York Yankees: Tradition met transformation. Watson’s approach allowed the Yankees to preserve their legacy while courting younger fans with modern experiences. The outcome? A 25% increase in new memberships among younger audiences, while legacy fans reported deeper satisfaction.
Across industries and applications, Watson’s strategy delivers results:
Watson doesn’t just perform—it compounds impact.
