NEW YORK - Best Buy recently invited a few of its top shoppers and their families to an exclusive preview of "Twilight Eclipse." Those select members of Best Buy??s Reward Zone loyalty club experienced the retailer??s "surprise and delight" approach, Advertising Age reports.

"Loyalty is about financial rewards where you earn points and use points, and that's great and valuable, but we want to capture customers' hearts and minds," said Bob Soukup, senior director-loyalty at Best Buy.

The "surprise and delight" principle is linked to the joy one experiences when finding a crumpled dollar bill in a forgotten pocket. Best Buy surprises have encompassed movie premieres and exclusive shopping trips.

Sales drive points-based loyalty systems; on the other hand, the surprise and delight programs are more focused on more than how much the shopper has spent. Marketers can pick shoppers who are passionate or who can drive online buzz about the store.

Panera Bread has that type of program with its MyPanera, which gives holders exclusive invitations and opportunities to preview menu items. The program also "surprises" customers with free products at the register.

Social media has generated the platform and data for these targeted loyalty programs. "It really allows us to bring certain ideas to life for a brand," said Margaret Murphy, president/COO of a loyalty group. "Authentic relationships are the driver behind surprise and delight."