Dive Brief:

• Reebok is jumping into the brand loyalty game with the launch of its first loyalty program, Unlocked, which touts "both experiential and product-based benefits," including from partner companies like Well+Good, Les Mills, ProBar, Ragnar, Tula and ISSA. Unlocked members can receive on-demand training from Les Mills, race entries through Ragnar and nutrition plans through ISSA, for example.

• The loyalty program is just one part of a larger digital strategy, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive, which will also include a complete redesign of the Reebok website next month based on "consumer insights, the rise in mobile shopping, and a demand for a seamless and engaging e-commerce experience."

• Shoppers earn points by buying products, writing reviews, interacting with Reebok on social and attending events, all of which helps move them up through the program's multiple tiers. Rewards include early access to products and private events, as well as more experiential rewards, including training plans, workout videos.

Dive Insight:

A digital strategy is likely needed at Reebok as the brand tries to compete with Nike, which is banking heavily on a digital future. In the company's second-quarter earnings results, Nike's CFO Andrew Campion said the retailer saw the potential for digital to make up "the majority" of its business.

That's not to mention the moves Nike has been making in stores to drive digital interaction (and loyalty). Recent store concepts, including the small-format Nike Live and flagship House of Innovation model, push the brand's app and loyalty program hard, with features like locker pickup and self-checkout options enabled by phone.

Reebok seems to be exploring a similar route with a focus on the experience shoppers have on its website, as well as pushing social media interaction. According to the release, tech changes to the Reebok website have made it "one of the fastest sports brand e-commerce experiences," and the redesign is also focused on tailoring the site to a younger demographic through personalization efforts and embedded features like user-generated content.

The Unlocked program Reebok has introduced also hits upon many trends in retailers' recent approaches to brand loyalty, including a reimagining of rewards to include more than just discount codes and coupons, as well as an emphasis on adding real value to the consumer's life. Partnerships with other brands, if carefully chosen, could be powerful in bringing shoppers back to Reebok.

In a statement, Reebok's Global Head of Digital Matt Blonder said the brand wanted to create "something truly unique" and landed upon a program it hopes will both resonate with consumers and "speak to their passions."