The Big Handshake Loyalty Conference will make its North American debut in Toronto on April 21, bringing together senior loyalty executives primarily from retail, but also from travel and financial services, as companies face mounting economic pressure and rising consumer expectations.
Organizers expect between 120 and 130 attendees for the one-day event, which has operated for four years in Europe. Lia Grimberg, one of the organizers, said the Toronto edition marks the conference’s “first toe in the water in North America.”
The event arrives as loyalty programs take on a larger financial role for consumers grappling with higher costs, even as corporate budgets for those same programs come under strain.
“We are seeing pretty significant economic pressure both on the company and on the consumer,” Grimberg, Principle and Consultant with Radicle Loyalty, said in an interview.
She said consumers are increasingly relying on loyalty programs “to help subsidize their expenses,” turning points and rewards into what she described as a financial vehicle in their day-to-day lives. At the same time, companies are cutting loyalty budgets, leaving marketers “stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
“They need to provide more value. On the other hand, they cannot afford to do so,” she said.
European roots, brand-side focus
The Big Handshake has built its reputation in Europe with a main conference in Amsterdam and regional editions in London, Berlin and Milan. It has been described by organizers as the “friendliest loyalty meetup,” a label Grimberg attributes to its format and audience mix.
The conference skews heavily toward brand-side executives, with roughly an 80-20 split between brands and vendors. Attendees are primarily directors and vice-presidents responsible for loyalty and personalization strategies, along with some senior managers. Most come from retail, with representation from travel and financial services as well.
“It’s a really great conversation of industry professionals speaking to each other rather than talking to vendors,” Grimberg said.
She said the agenda emphasizes keynote presentations over panel discussions and encourages speakers to go beyond surface-level case studies.
“They peel back the envelope and say, ‘This is what we’re struggling with, and this is what we considered and didn’t go down that way,’” she said. “So it’s a really honest discussion.”
The event’s name reflects its networking emphasis. The day opens with what organizers call the “big handshake,” during which participants are encouraged to greet as many people as possible in a short period of time to break the ice and set a collaborative tone.
Partnerships move to the forefront
This year’s agenda centres on partnerships as a strategic response to cost pressures.
“Partnership, partnerships,” Grimberg said when asked about key themes. “We have a number of speakers talking about that.”
She said partnerships allow companies to expand value propositions without shouldering the full cost of richer rewards.
“It allows them to say, ‘I’m going to give you X, and my partner is going to give you Y,’” she said. “So it becomes, instead of X or Y, it becomes an ‘and’ proposition.”
Grimberg pointed to examples such as Canadian Tire, WestJet and Tim Hortons, which she said are using “double-dip” models that allow customers to earn multiple currencies across partnerships rather than a single shared currency.
“So you earn this currency and that currency instead of just one common currency between the two,” she said.
She added that the financial value proposition of loyalty programs is becoming a more central part of boardroom conversations as companies weigh return on investment against customer expectations.
Tiered programs and high-value customers
Beyond partnerships, tiered structures and recognition of top spenders are also drawing attention.
Grimberg noted that Petro-Canada recently launched what she described as Canada’s first frequent fueler program, designed to recognize its highest-spending customers. Amanda Mitchell from Petro-Canada is scheduled to speak at the Toronto event about the initiative.
“It’s a good vehicle to recognize and reward your highest spenders,” Grimberg said of tiered models.
She said the conference will also attract brands that are considering launching loyalty programs from scratch, alongside those looking to refine or optimize existing offerings.
Some companies are reassessing program mechanics, including earning structures and tiers, as they seek to balance richer benefits with tighter budgets. Grimberg said the pressure to differentiate is growing as consumers compare value across multiple programs.
A strategic moment for loyalty leaders
While the event is positioned as informal in tone, its discussions reflect a more serious recalibration within the loyalty sector.
On the consumer front, she said loyalty is increasingly embedded in household budgeting decisions. On the corporate side, executives must justify investments while navigating internal cost controls.
That tension, Grimberg said, is shaping both the content and the candid nature of the conference discussions.
“They need to provide more value,” she said of loyalty leaders, “and at the same time, they cannot afford to do so.”
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