Loyalty programs are everywhere—but building one that actually works (especially in lower-frequency retail like menswear) takes more than just points and perks. Politix, part of Australia’s Country Road Group, recently relaunched its loyalty program, Politix Plus, with Antavo, and in less than a year, they’re already seeing traction.
You’re also ready to see what’s out there in terms of loyalty tech and next-gen flexibility? Our handy RFP worksheet will help you pick your new loyalty vendor in the most detail-oriented way possible!
The Story Behind Politix Plus
Born nearly 50 years ago, Politix made its name with bold leather jackets and evolved into an Australian staple for accessible, high-quality men’s suiting. The brand expanded across Australia, New Zealand, and recently South Africa, and they wanted to make sure that their new customers stick around — hence the need for a premium loyalty experience.
Initially, the brand launched Politix Plus in 2023, but in 2024, the company partnered with Antavo to further evolve the loyalty program. As the first step, Politix Plus has been migrated to Antavo’s platform, which is now live online and in 99 retail stores in Australia and New Zealand. And the replatforming only took 3 and a half months, successfully migrating hundreds of thousands of customers.
The Loyalty Program in a Nutshell
Politix Plus is a tier-based loyalty program with four levels—starting at Black and ascending to Emerald—based on annual spend. The more customers invest, the more value they unlock.
Each tier offers a set of compelling benefits:
- Free shipping across all tiers.
- Early access to offers and product drops (vital during busy sales seasons like Cyber Week).
- Tier-specific promotions and exclusive rewards.
- Birthday and tier-entry gifts, with reward values scaling with the tier level.
At the current stage, growing the member community is the top priority for Politix. Most signups happen in-store, thanks to highly engaged frontline staff who act as brand and program ambassadors. Online signups via the website complement this effort, rounding out a strategy that meets the customer wherever they are.
It’s worth highlighting that although the program mirrors those of its sister brands for now, the team behind Politix Plus is hyper-aware that male shoppers behave differently—typically shopping less frequently and engaging less emotionally. That’s why constant testing and refinement are part of the program’s DNA.
Results That Speak Volumes
Although the program is still in its early days, the results are encouraging. Two metrics definitely stand out:
- Active member growth
- Spend per member
These KPIs serve as their guiding stars for the team. With new member acquisition underway, the next phase is nurturing those members through the tiers. This shift in focus—from acquisition to engagement—is driven by data and aimed at creating long-term value.
The next phase? Bringing the brand into Country Road Group’s broader experimentation program to better understand what resonates with their unique customer base.
Being such a new program, our main focus is attracting new members and keeping them engaged. For example, motivating members to move up from the bottom tier. That’s our focus right now, and we are already seeing positive results.
How Antavo’s Tech Is Powering Politix Plus
Antavo didn’t just offer a tech stack—they offered time. Faced with a six-month deadline to transition off from their previous loyalty vendor, the Politix team needed a partner that could move fast without compromising quality.
Antavo’s modular, API-first architecture made it possible to recreate the initial structure and get the program up and running in record time.
But speed was just the start. Antavo’s platform is built for evolution—exactly what Politix needs as they test new strategies, refine member journeys, and explore future enhancements.
When looking at the future, two of the big things we are considering in the longer term are experimental, non-transactional benefits and partnerships, to provide value to both new customers and higher-tier members. But right now, we are focusing on the bread and butter of the loyalty program.
Ready to Make Loyalty Your Brand’s Competitive Advantage?
If Politix could launch a new program in under six months and start seeing results with a low-frequency customer base, so can you.
At Antavo, we specialize in helping brands build modern, data-driven loyalty programs that go beyond points. Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading a legacy system, we’ve got the tech, the team, and the expertise to get you there.
Book a demo today and let’s start building the loyalty program your customers will actually love.
Don’t forget to download our user-friendly RFP Worksheet!
