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Virgin Red, the new Virgin rewards club, launches today on an invitation-only basis.

“Virgin Red celebrates its members for living a life more Virgin – giving them exclusive access to rewards from the Virgin group and beyond.  Virgin Red makes it really easy for members to earn and spend Virgin Points – the universal Virgin currency which was launched in September.  And, it’s a rewards club like no other because Virgin Points don’t expire – so no matter what life throws at its members, points can be used now or in the future.  Put simply, loyalty doesn’t expire with Virgin Red.”  

There are five rewards categories, which will eventually offer thousands of earn and spend opportunities to choose from:

• Enjoy EVERYDAY TREATS – such as getting a freshly ground Fairtrade coffee or (Vegan) Sausage Roll on the go (from Greggs), a case of wine delivered to their door (from Virgin Wines), theatre tickets or a drive-in cinema experience (with London Theatre Direct).

• EXPLORE MORE – with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Limited Edition, Virgin Voyages and on reward flights to Europe and beyond with Air France KLM and seven other airline partners.

• Embark on an EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE – from Virgin Experience Days that can both be enjoyed at home or away – for instance a stay at home chocolate truffle making masterclass or, drawing upon Virgin’s long music heritage, listen to your favourite vinyl in the comfort of your own home, to money-can’t-buy experiences that will be revealed next year.

• Support the build of technology capable of removing carbon from the atmosphere (a world-first for a loyalty programme), donate points to local good causes and national charities, via Virgin Money Giving or purchase products from Virgin StartUp businesses with Virgin Red’s POINTS FOR GOOD category.

• Easily earn Virgin Points and get the most out of EVERYDAY LIVING by earning on utility bills (with Octopus Energy), and a range of high street and online retailers including Marks and Spencer, Boots, B&Q, John Lewis & Partners and Just Eat.  Plus points, can of course, be earned with Virgin companies including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Media, Virgin Wines, Virgin Experience Days and Virgin Mobile.

How to earn Virgin Points…

The rates below are subject to change and more retailers may well be added:

• Octopus Energy – Earn from 2,500 Virgin Points on a single fuel tariff in the first year and up to 7,400 over 3 years with a Dual fuel tariff
• Adidas – 4 points per £1
• Apple – 2 points per £1
• Argos – 0.5 points per £1
• ASOS – 4 points per £1
• B&Q – 1 point per £1
• Boots – 4 points per £1
• eBay – 0.5 points per £1
• Etsy – 1 point per £1
• Fortnum & Mason – 4 points per £1
• John Lewis & Partners – 4 point per £1
• Just Eat – 3 point per £1
• Lego – 8 points per £1
• Marks & Spencer – 2 points per £1
• TK Maxx – 4 points per £1
• Selfridges – 4 points per £1
• Virgin Balloons – earn 6 points per £1
• Virgin Experience Days – 11 points per £1
• Virgin Media – earn up to 5,760 points on specific bundles
• Virgin Mobile – earn up to 6,720 points on specific tariffs

You can also earn and spend with the following:

Where can I spend Virgin Points?

In addition to the Virgin companies listed in the table above, these are the current options:

What is the value of Virgin Points?

If you’re familiar with the old Virgin Flying Club Miles (now incorporated into Virgin Points) and intend to use them for flights still, nothing substantive has changed. Something around 1p per point is fair value.

Using Points for non-Virgin products will usually result in a worse return (as they need to pay out hard cash to the partner business). From what we can see so far, there isn’t likely to be much value there. On the basis that a Greggs sausage roll will require 200 Virgin Points and normally costs ~£1, it  looks like roughly 0.5p per point.

When can I join Virgin Rewards Club?

For now, Virgin Rewards Club has only been launched (on an invitational basis) to Virgin Red Vaults users who will be invited to join over the course of this week (9-13 November 2020). In the new year, Virgin Red will “evolve into an even bigger, better rewards club fit for the future, ready to launch where you don’t need an invitation to join”.

Kelly Best, Virgin Red’s Chief Marketing Officer, says,

“Today is just the beginning for Virgin Red as we develop a club that’s fit for the future. We’re on a mission to disrupt how customer loyalty is traditionally rewarded as we begin to deliver on our ambition to be game-changing – creating a rewards club that is global, with one single currency that never expires.”

Bottom line

Regardless of Virgin Atlantic’s current travails, it’s a smart plan to leverage the wider Virgin brand into a rewards programme. The aim here is clearly quite ambitious – something more like a modern and engaging version of Nectar, reaching into a wide range of areas, rather than a relatively basic loyalty programme.

The long term value to users clearly remains to be seen, but in the initial launch stages at least, expect lots of attractive offers and bonuses…