No bad romance: How KrisFlyer can maximise next gen data with Lady Gaga tie-up

KrisFlyer, Singapore Airlines' frequent flyer program, has been named the official lifestyle rewards partner for Lady Gaga’s concert in Singapore. The concert marks Gaga’s return to Singapore for the first time in 13 years.

Ahead of the concert, KrisFlyer members will have priority access to tickets to nine categories from 20 March during the presale season. To drive more signups, Krisflyer is also cleverly opening up a window of opportunity to non-members, enticing them to get their hands on the early sales of tickets by signing up by 13 March.

Clearly, the move signals an intent for the Singapore Airlines owned membership programme to attain more first party data. Additionally, industry players MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to say the partnership allows Singapore Airlines to acquire the next generation of KrisFlyer members who are “younger and newer”.

“I foresee a campaign such as this helping to onboard the HENRYs - High earners, not rich yet,” said Sanchit Mendiratta, former MD of Merkle Singapore.

While the move will not move the needle for business immediately, a long-term strategy that aligns the airline with Singapore’s ambition to be an entertainment hub will pay off.

Additionally, Mendiratta said this may also motivate Star Alliance loyalists to consider accumulating their miles with KrisFlyer. “It’s a long game, and while most brands are chasing monthly or quarterly targets, the marketer in me really appreciates this long-term play,” he said.

Nikki Taylor, marketing director APAC, Analytic Partners called the move “smart”, stating that is effectively shifts from a “traditional aviation audience to a lifestyle-oriented segment”. This demographic, Taylor explained, may be less familiar with Singapore Airlines’ offerings, making the partnership an opportunity to raise awareness and generate new KrisFlyer sign-ups.

Will the partnership pay off?

The wealth of data will also help the Singapore Airlines brand drive effective, personalised marketing strategies to drive more conversion. In fact, while the tactic has been lauded, it isn’t completely new.

Brands such as UOB have also employed similar methods to collect first party data. In 2023, UOB implemented a similar programme with Taylor Swift, where Singaporeans raced to apply for UOB debit and credit cards especially after it was revealed that cardholders of the bank will get access to a special pre-sale window and general on-sale reserved ticket allotment.

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out during the sale period, UOB stated its preliminary data showed that card application volumes surged "very significantly" since the announcement as compared to the daily average that month.

Currently, it is unclear if the Singapore Airlines and Gaga partnership, which was unveiled on Monday (10 March), has had any significant impact on the number of KrisFlyer sign-ups. However, according to data from Analytics Partners, expanding audience reach from 0-25% to 50-75% can lift ROI by over 100%, even before factoring in channel synergy.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has also reached out to Singapore Airlines for more information.

Nonetheless, Taylor adds that the campaign supports Singapore Airlines' brand-building efforts, which according to Analytics Partners’ data shows deliver 40% higher ROI than performance marketing alone.

“While performance tactics provide quick wins, sustainable growth relies on balancing both approaches,” she adds.

Going beyond one-off transactions

While the move has no doubt driven excitement, and will potentially drive sign-ups, the real question remains around future engagement.

To this, Mendiratta explains that loyalty remains a complex concept where different marketers define a loyal customer in different ways. For some, it’s about easy wins around consideration and research, for others, it’s about zero-party and first-party data— and the ability to understand customer sentiment and voice.

“For some, it’s about brand love—which, in my opinion, is the holy grail. Customers who love your brand refer you to friends, spread goodwill, help fence-sitters take action, and even convince dissatisfied customers to give it another shot,” he said.

Fortunately for Singapore Airlines, this is where the brand shines, he added.

Sumit Ramchandani, former marketer and agency lead said that the real opportunity remains in Singapore Arilines and KrisFlyer being able to provide engaging experiences, beyond the concert or flight promotions.

“Singapore Airlines' Lady Gaga partnership aligns naturally. Krisflyer's focus on the broader travel and lifestyle experience resonates strongly with the concert-going audiences. This presents a genuine opportunity for Singapore Airlines to cultivate lasting customer relationships,” Ramchandani added.

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