Once rooted in entertainment, SCENE has now grown into Scene+, a broad lifestyle rewards program with grocery, travel, and shopping partners.
A series of exciting new partnerships has catapulted Scene+ — Canadians’ favourite entertainment rewards program — into a broad new lifestyle program that boasts more ways than ever to earn and spend points.
With grocery, retail, and travel now added to its roster, and with the ability to accelerate rewards through a number of financial products from co-owner Scotiabank, Scene+ has become a truly multi-dimensional loyalty program. And there’s more to come — including a new partnership with Home Hardware set to launch in 2023. “The program is seeing exponential growth, which is super exciting,” says Tracey Pearce, President of Scene+.
This multi-faceted approach to rewards is just one reason the Scene+ loyalty program stands out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Scene+ members have a say
Scene+’s current growth, including bringing grocery giant Empire Company Limited on as a co-owner, has been fueled by extensive research on changing consumer needs, as well as feedback from its membership base.
“Loyalty programs have significantly evolved over the last few years,” says Pearce. “In the past, there were a lot of single-purpose programs, but now Canadians are looking for more value and opportunities in their everyday lives.”
The program, which began as a movies-only rewards program in 2007, expanded into a more fulsome entertainment vehicle in 2016. Member benefits extended to dining and in-person entertainment at venues such as The Rec Room and Playdium and professional sports and music events. “Throughout all this, we had our members asking us for more ways to earn and redeem,” says Matthew Seagrim, Senior Vice-President at Scene+.
In the fall of 2021, SCENE merged with the Scotia Rewards program to become Scene+. Since then, a number of strategic partnerships, including with Expedia Group and Rakuten, have moved Scene+ into the lifestyle space. “Our members have been thrilled with the expansion and the range of rewards,” Seagrim says.
Flexibility is a top priority
One of Scene+’s main goals throughout this expansion was to provide easy opportunities for members to earn rewards. Today, Scene+ members can earn or spend points with partners in key categories such as grocery and travel.
Earlier this year, Empire, the parent company of Sobeys, IGA, FreshCo, Safeway, Foodland and other prominent grocery banners across Canada, joined Cineplex and Scotiabank as a co-owner of Scene+, making it possible for members to build value with every trip to the store.
With retail partners like Best Buy, Apple, and Rakuten (which represents hundreds of online stores), the ability to spend points on gift cards with over 60 national retailers, and Expedia Group as a travel partner, it’s easy to see how benefits add up quickly. And with more than 700 restaurants across the country participating in the Scene+ program, the cost of a night out with friends also becomes easier to manage. “It’s all about having an everyday, consistent cycle of rewards combined with opportunities to do something special,” says Pearce. “Deciding between trying to save points for a trip or using them at the grocery store is a good problem to have.”
It’s built to help during tougher times
This new flexibility and the built-in ability to earn rewards with everyday purchases (which can in turn be redeemed for an account credit on eligible Scotiabank credit and debit cards) give Scene+ members more tools to help with cost-of-living increases and the financial impacts of the pandemic.
“As people become more concerned about their household finances, they’re looking at how a loyalty program can help supplement that,” notes Pearce. “Having the opportunity to earn points on things that are foundational to daily household expenses is a really important part of a loyalty program.”
That list will soon include home improvement purchases: Earlier this year, Scene+ announced Home Hardware is joining the loyalty program in the summer of 2023, with members able to earn and spend points at more than 1,000 locations across the country.
“These new partnerships are a function of responding to customer interest and member demand,” says Pearce.
Above all, it’s easy to use
This expansion has made Scene+ one of Canada’s biggest and most flexible rewards programs. It’s also simple to use and becoming more and more personalized.
“Consumer expectations have really increased, specifically around our ability to deliver seamless and personalized consumer experiences,” says Seagrim. “We’ve long focused on delivering relevant content and offers to our members, but the pandemic spurred tremendous innovation in that area.”
Members can now earn points with a physical or digital Scene+ card and can earn points on every dollar spent with an eligible Scotiabank credit or debit card. They can access personalized offers through the Scene+ app, and by engaging with partner apps can add another level of benefits, Seagrim says. “The more members we engage, the more opportunities we have to deliver more rewards.”
The future is bright
The Scene+ team is excited about the program’s transformation and the opportunity to keep innovating in the loyalty space. “There’s a lot of consumer love out there for Scene+,” says Pearce, noting that its original goal — to make it easier to spend time with friends and family — is still very much at the heart of the brand. “I think you need to continue to surprise and delight customers. So whether that’s through personalized grocery offers at Sobeys or a travel opportunity through Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia — we can never sit still.”
Rewards Road Map
All the places you can find value with Scene+
GROCERY
When rollout is complete in 2023
| Sobeys | Chalo! FreshCo | Thrifty Foods | Needs Convenience* *Point redemption not available |
| Safeway | IGA and IGA West | Rachelle Béry | LIQUOR |
| Foodland and participating Co-Ops | Voilà by Sobeys | Les Marchés Tradition | Sobeys Liquor |
| FreshCo | Voilà by Safeway | Voilà par IGA | Safeway Liquor |
| Thrifty Foods Liquor |
ENTERTAINMENT
| Cineplex |
| VIP Cinemas |
| The Rec Room |
| Playdium |
| Cineplex Store |
| NBA |
SHOPPING
| Rakuten |
| Apple |
| Best Buy |
| Home Hardware (coming in 2023) |
| 60+ gift card brands |
TRAVEL
| Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia |
BANKING
| Credit Cards |
| Scotiabank® Scene+™ Visa* Card |
| Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card |
| Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Business* Card |
| Scotiabank® American Express®* Card |
| Scotiabank® Gold American Express®* Card |
| Scotiabank® Platinum American Express®* Card |
| Banking Packages |
| Ultimate Package |
| Preferred Package |
| Student Banking Advantage® Plan |
| Getting There Savings Program for Youth |
Terms and conditions apply.
DINING
| Harvey’s |
| Swiss Chalet |
| East Side Mario’s |
| Montana’s |
| Bier Markt |
| Kelsey’s Roadhouse |
PHARMACY
| Lawtons Drugs |
| Sobeys Pharmacy |
| Safeway Pharmacy |
| Foodland Pharmacy |
| FreshCo Pharmacy |
| Chalo! FreshCo Pharmacy |
| Thrifty Foods Pharmacy |
