Why Discord Is the Perfect Home for Starbucks' Loyalty Programs
Membership and loyalty programmes are proven tools for brands. Starbucks has the Rewards loyalty app, Real Madrid has the Madridista membership, Microsoft has Xbox Game Pass. Popular schemes like these are designed to add value for the brand's most loyal customers, while driving retention and creating upsell opportunities.
But there's a way to take loyalty programmes even further — and give your loyal customers a place to have a voice. A place to build with, and not just for those customers. With Levellr, you can now do this seamlessly by connecting your loyalty or membership programme with Discord. The outcome? You'll convert more customers into becoming members, and increase retention with your existing ones.
The Power of Loyalty — and Its Missing Piece
The data makes the case for loyalty programmes undeniable. Loyal customers have a passion for your brand that often goes beyond just purchasing products — they are your ambassadors, your street team. Starbucks superfans are brand evangelists. And brand evangelists drive purchasing decisions at a scale no ad budget can match.
Of premium loyalty members spend with the brand monthly
Loyalty programme members aren't casual customers — they're repeat buyers with a demonstrated emotional connection to your brand.
Of consumers trust personal recommendations over ads
Nielsen
Your most loyal customers are more valuable as advocates than as recipients of marketing spend.
Of all purchasing decisions are driven by word of mouth
McKinsey
Superfans are a crucial resource — but only if they have a place to connect and spread that enthusiasm.
Yet these fans often have no way to come together — no space to connect with other customers, talk about their shared interest in your brand, and channel that passion into something that benefits them and you. That's the opportunity Discord unlocks.
Come together with other customers to talk about their shared interest in your brand and products
Access exclusive experiences and rewards that make membership feel genuinely special
Feel heard and valued beyond points and transactions — a relationship, not just a rewards card
Why Discord Is the Right Home for Loyalty
Discord has evolved into the modern-day fan forum. It has a huge reach, with 200 million monthly active users and over 600 million downloads. This vibrant messaging platform is a place for fans to come together, chat, engage, and share their passion — and crucially, fans use it differently from traditional social platforms, where they passively scroll and consume content.
Of Gen-Z feel more confident online when using community-focused social apps like Discord or Twitch, compared to mass-audience feed apps like Instagram and Twitter
Of Gen-Z consumers join online communities for a feeling of 'belonging', seeing these communities as 'private' and 'safe' spaces — exactly what loyalty customers are looking for
Discord is the perfect home for loyalty holders and members, as it's the home for superfans. Not only does it create an exclusive space for fans to share their passion and deepen their connection with a brand — it gives the brand access to those fans and their data at a level social media simply can't match.
Starbucks in Action: Odyssey on Discord
In 2022, Starbucks launched an extension of its loyalty programme called Starbucks Odyssey. As part of the initiative, Starbucks wanted to create a gated community on Discord within which only loyalty app holders could access the server. By using Levellr's GDPR-compliant email-based access control, they built exactly that — an exclusive, thriving space for their most loyal customers.
GDPR-compliant email-based access control
Levellr's software ensures that only your loyalty or membership customers can access a gated or closed community — via our email allowlist and API integration tools. The Levellr dashboard makes it easy to control access, protecting the happy and healthy exclusive community. No outsiders. No bots. Just your most loyal customers.
A space that converts members and builds retention
By connecting Starbucks' loyalty programme with Discord, the community gives members a reason to deepen their relationship with the brand — not just accumulate points. Engaged loyalty customers who feel part of an exclusive community are more likely to convert casual members into regulars, and retain existing ones far beyond the typical loyalty curve.
First-party data and marketing opt-ins at scale
Levellr's tools achieve an average marketing opt-in rate 25× the industry standard — giving brands like Starbucks access to email addresses and GDPR-compliant first-party data from their most engaged customers. This is data that social media platforms will never hand over, and it flows directly into the brand's marketing infrastructure.
"The Levellr toolset is an invaluable tool for us to keep the pulse on what's happening in our amazing Starbucks community. The analytics capabilities and user flow have been extremely powerful for keeping the vibrant community running."
What Brands Get from Loyalty + Discord
Discord combined with Levellr's toolset turns a loyalty programme from a points system into a living community. Here's what that means in practice.
Exclusive, gated access that protects community quality
Only verified loyalty or membership holders can enter. That exclusivity is the foundation of everything — it keeps the space feeling genuinely special, and the community healthy.
First-party data and GDPR-compliant opt-ins
Levellr's email allowlist captures first-party data from your most engaged customers — 25× the industry standard opt-in rate. Social media platforms keep that data. Levellr gives it to you.
Superfans become your most powerful brand advocates
When loyal customers have a place to connect and share their passion, they become active advocates — driving the word-of-mouth that influences 20–50% of all purchasing decisions.
Convert more customers into members, retain existing ones
A thriving exclusive community isn't just a retention tool — it's a conversion tool. Prospective members who see what the community offers are more motivated to sign up and stay.
A loyalty programme tells customers they're valued. A community makes them feel it — and that's the difference between a repeat buyer and a true superfan.
Ready to give your loyal customers a place to belong?
With exclusive spaces for loyal superfans, Levellr helps brands put loyalty and community together. Your superfans are waiting.