Marketing partnerships have long been more than just classic sponsorship models. In 2025, it’s about genuine collaborations on equal footing – strategic alliances that create shared values, emotionally reach target groups, and systematically strengthen customer loyalty. In a brief interview, Till Armgardt, Head of Marketing Partner Management at DGMK GmbH, explains how partner marketing is changing, what will be crucial in the future – and why a clear stance and attractive benefits are decisive for loyal customer relationships.
1. Herr Armgardt, wie verändern sich Partnerschaften im Marketing aktuell – was ist 2025 besonders wichtig, auch in Bezug auf Kundenbindung?
Till Armgardt: Partnerschaften entwickeln sich vom reinen Reichweiten-Tool hin zur gemeinsamen Wertschöpfung. Kundenbindung steht dabei zunehmend im Mittelpunkt. 2025 zählt nicht mehr nur, wie viele Menschen erreicht werden – sondern wie sinnvoll, glaubwürdig und relevant das Angebot für die Community ist. Besonders erfolgreich sind Kooperationen, die durch gemeinsame Werte und konkrete Vorteile – etwa exklusive Rabatte oder Zugänge im Rahmen von Loyalty-Programmen – echten Mehrwert schaffen. Kunden spüren, wenn es nicht nur um Aufmerksamkeit, sondern um sie selbst geht.
2. What role does community play in your partner strategy – also with regard to loyalty programs and benefit offers?
Till Armgardt: A central one. Communities are now the emotional anchor between brand and customer – and this is exactly where partnerships need to connect. Especially in loyalty programs, we see how strongly experiences and exclusive partner offers contribute to loyalty. Those who create relevant benefits together with partners – be it a special discount, an exclusive event, or a co-creation product – will be rewarded in the long term. The important thing is: These offers must authentically fit the target group and provide real value.
3. Has the willingness of partners to participate in such programs with discounts or benefits changed?
Till Armgardt: Definitely. In 2025, we see a significantly higher openness from partners to participate in loyalty programs – especially when it’s strategically embedded in a meaningful way. Many companies have recognized: Customer loyalty is not only created through their own measures but also through the right partner environment. When a partnership creates additional reach AND relevance – for example, through exclusive offers in a strong customer program – many are willing to actively contribute. It’s no longer just about brand image, but very concretely about loyalty and lifetime value. While the level of discounts has sometimes decreased compared to the past, the focus is more on relevance and added value for the customer – and that’s exactly what contributes to long-term loyalty.
4. What makes a partnership strategically valuable for you?
Till Armgardt: A strong partnership needs clarity – shared goals, a similar stance, and real added value for the target group. When we develop formats together that emotionally bind customers and offer them concrete benefits, sustainable success emerges. This also includes the courage to integrate partner offers only where they really fit the brand and customer experience. Equally decisive is the human level. A trusting, open collaboration – for example with service providers like DGMK – creates space for creative ideas and joint development. Where there is good personal contact, more innovative and tailored offers often arise automatically. Furthermore, it is particularly valuable when partners are networked with each other. This creates a vibrant network that has an impact beyond individual projects. In times when personal encounters have become rarer due to increased remote work, such partner networks can provide new impulses, promote exchange, and create real synergies – both professionally and personally.
5. Where do you currently see untapped potential that many brands are not exploiting?
Till Armgardt: The greatest potential lies in integrated ecosystems where partner solutions are seamlessly incorporated into the customer experience. Strategic brand-to-brand partnerships offer enormous opportunities here, especially through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI enables intelligent analysis of customer data, creation of personalized, data-based offers in real-time, thus strengthening customer loyalty to both one’s own brand and the partner’s. Many brands are not yet utilizing the full potential of loyalty programs and synergy effects between partners to tap into new markets and reduce costs. The key is an intelligent interlinking of offers, where AI as a technology partner helps to provide real added value to customers and create long-term relationships.
6. If you had one wish for the partner landscape in 2025 – what would it be?
Till Armgardt: For the partner landscape in 2025, I wish for more quality and strategic courage. Partnerships should be based on shared values and genuine alliances that not only create relevant content but also promote the will for change and innovation. Technology, sustainability, responsibility, as well as diversity and inclusion should come more into focus. Partnerships must be flexible and agile to adapt to the constantly changing needs of customers and the market, and to deliver real added value. Customer loyalty is not created by chance, but through relevant content, shared values, and a clear will to create genuine added value.
