SUBWAY, one of the largest restaurant chains in the world, is known for its freshly made submarine sandwiches, salads, and wraps. With a global footprint, the brand continues to innovate both in-store and digitally—turning everyday customers into loyal fans through smart marketing tools.

Recently, SUBWAY partnered with Echoss Wizard to launch a series of digital experiences, including Coupon Marketing, Digital Stamp Campaign tools, scratch-to-win games, and even gamified lucky draws. Among these, a standout initiative was the “Friend Referral” campaign, which sparked a major buzz in stores.

Turning Fans into Advocates with MGM

This referral event was built on a classic but powerful Membership Growth strategy known as MGM (Member-Get-Member). SUBWAY loyalists received special invitations to refer their friends. In return, both the inviter and the invitee received exclusive Buy One, Get One Free Digital Coupons.

This simple yet effective peer-to-peer engagement strategy led to a massive increase in new customer acquisition and long lines forming at physical store locations—proof that the campaign delivered real-world impact.

Friend Referral Campaign Highlight

Customers invited friends to claim Buy 1 Get 1 Free offers, boosting both traffic and redemption—without the need for downloading a new app.

Seamless Experience—No App Download Required

Understanding that today’s users are hesitant to install yet another app, SUBWAY streamlined the entire process via web-based access. Customers could view and use rewards by simply clicking a link shared by friends—ensuring near-zero onboarding friction.

This Mobile Optimization approach made it easy for anyone to engage, regardless of tech-savviness. It also eliminated barriers to participation, creating a seamless User Engagement experience across devices.

Once invited, users accessed the promotional page, claimed their Digital Coupon, and headed to their nearest SUBWAY location to redeem the offer. In-store staff used echoss smart stamping to validate the coupon—activating the Automated Coupon Redemption process within seconds.

Driving Loyalty with Digital Stamp Cards

In addition to referrals, SUBWAY also launched a digital stamp card program using Echoss Wizard’s Mobile Stamping technology. This system allowed customers to collect stamps through their smartphones, replacing traditional paper cards and modernizing the Loyalty Program experience.

In one campaign alone, over 155,000 digital stamps were distributed with an average participation rate of 30%, proving that even long-standing behaviors—like punch cards—can be reinvented for today’s mobile-first world.