The custodians of businesses loyalty programs should be looking to rapper Usher for inspiration.

What does the American singer have to do with your brand’s loyalty program I hear you ask?

Well, up until about 10 seconds in his catchy tune OMG (see below) features exactly the kind of emotion businesses should be aiming to stir in their customers, according to Directivity’s CEO and co-founder Adam Posner.

Surprise and delight listed as the third most important benefit consumers want when joining a loyalty program, according to Directivity’s recent report ‘Share The Love’.

“We have to put in more surprise and delight, unexpected rewards and random acts of generosity,” Posner said at ADMA’s breakfast event Loyalty Schmoyalty in Melbourne today.

“There is a little sector in your brain where unexpected pleasures stimulate your brain far more than an expected pleasure,” he said.

That part of your brain is known as the nucleus accumbens (Woah. Big word. Click here for more if you are that way inclined).

Posner cited an example where Kmart in the US pumped more than $150m in points into their loyalty scheme’s Shop Your Way member accounts.

Now that’s a surprise. “No pressure flybuys,” Posner quipped.

Posner also said that loyalty schemes need to have a clear purpose and value proposition for members to avoid the frustration customers often experience.

Like when they are dealing with Barbara from Bank World:

Or worthless points schemes: