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Health & Wellness · Opportunity

SAMWUMED Member Rewards: show up, turn up, level up.

A proposed member rewards platform for the SAMWUMED medical scheme that gives members points, badges and higher status levels for healthy activities, check-ins, surveys and community events, on mobile web, USSD or in an app. In 2026 we brought it back WhatsApp first, starting with the member data.

  • Digital Passport check-ins
  • Attendance streaks
  • Post & Tag challenges
  • Member surveys
  • Events and tickets
  • MaxLife content
  • WhatsApp first (2026)
Status levels
4
Points a check-in
+100
Points a friend
+200
Channels
3
Four friends laugh over their phones outdoors, with the SAMWUMED logo and a QR card: scan to take part.

QR code that opens this SAMWUMED case study on hellobrand.co.za.

The SAMWUMED Fitness History screen, with reward progress for weekly streaks and a list of check-in dates in May and June.

An opportunity Hello Brand pitched to SAMWUMED in 2025 and again in 2026, powered by Social Wiiv. The screens are design mock-ups; no results yet.

The brief

Reward SAMWUMED members for living healthily. The more members take part, engage and grow their health knowledge, the more rewards they earn. Membership becomes the start of a health journey, not the end of one.

People ignore blanket promotions that make empty promises. The task is to build a trusted relationship with members that makes them respond and come back, without flooding them with marketing.

It is built for SAMWUMED's members, and the friends and co-workers they bring along, and for the scheme's team, who gain a direct, measurable line to members and first-hand insight into their lifestyles.

Insight

Members get fit and have fun earning points at the same time, and become ambassadors for their healthy lifestyle and for the medical aid that rewards them for it.

Proposed
2025
For
SAMWUMED members and their friends
Channels
Mobile web, USSD and in-app
Branding
White-labelled in SAMWUMED's colours
Levels
Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Rewards
Provisioned in the platform, redeemed instantly

The idea

A trail runner in a purple top running across a rocky mountain path, with hills behind her.

Show up. Turn up. Level up.

One rewards platform for mind, body and soul. Members earn points for healthy actions, climb four status levels, and unlock more content, more programmes and VIP experiences as they rise. Every prize and voucher is provisioned inside the platform, so rewards arrive straight away.

  • Reward, retain and engage members
  • Turn healthy activity into points, badges and status
  • Grow the community through friends, events and social sharing
  • Give the scheme insight into members' lifestyles
  • Personalise rewards by member segment, within a set budget

On any phone, in SAMWUMED's colours

A white-labelled platform across three channels, integrated with the scheme's own systems for a real-time member experience.

Mobile web
The full member site in any browser
USSD
For members on any phone, without data
In-app
Through APIs, inside an existing app

Built for member data

A medical scheme's members expect their data to be safe. The platform is built to that standard.

  • POPI and GDPR compliant
  • Quarterly penetration testing
  • Web application firewall, DDoS protection and network segmentation
  • Credentials kept in a secure key vault, with real-time monitoring and alerts

A member's journey, start to finish

From the first check-in to a reward claimed: thirteen steps in two parts, all on the member's phone. Members start at Bronze when they sign up. The screens are design mock-ups from the proposal.

Join and earn

  1. Check in to the PassportAt the gym, a park run, a check-up, a hike or a trail run: GPS confirms the spot, and each check-in adds 100 points and a badge. The SAMWUMED Passport screen: green check-in tiles for gym, park run, check-up, marathon event, mountain hike, 10,000 steps, daily meditation and trail run event, with a Check in button.
  2. Keep a streakMembers check in week after week for bonus points; miss a week and the streak resets. The SAMWUMED Fitness History screen, with reward progress for weekly streaks and a list of check-in dates in May and June.
  3. Answer a surveyShort questions on activity, eating, water and sleep, for 20 points each time. The SAMWUMED Complete Survey screen with five questions on overall health, days of activity, eating habits, daily water and hours of sleep, worth 20 points.
  4. Post and tag a fitness photoPost & Tag challenges reward approved fitness photos tagged #SAMWUMEDLIFE with 100 points each. A SAMWUMED Post & Tag challenge entry: a photo of a smiling woman with a water bottle after a run, with a Vote button.
  5. Snap a healthy till slipMembers buy healthy products at participating outlets, capture the till slip and upload it: each validated purchase earns 10 points and a Shopper badge. The SAMWUMED till-slip upload screen: a photographed receipt for a yoghurt pot, bottled water and fruit and nuts inside a yellow frame, with a Capture till slip button.
  6. Invite a friend200 points for each friend who registers and verifies, plus 50 for every vote friends give a photo entry. The SAMWUMED Invite a Friend screen: a Click to join us banner with two runners, the 200-points offer and a Send invite button.
  7. Climb the live leaderboardEvery check-in, photo and survey lifts members up the board: the weekly top 10 win spot prizes, and the overall board unlocks VIP perks. The SAMWUMED Live Leaderboard: eight members ranked with their photos and points, from Alexis Clark on 3,254 to Julia Cox on 2,395.
The SAMWUMED Passport screen: green check-in tiles for gym, park run, check-up, marathon event, mountain hike, 10,000 steps, daily meditation and trail run event, with a Check in button.
Step 1 of 7

Enjoy and redeem

  1. Get tickets to an eventMembers-only MTB and trail-running events: Regular or VIP tickets, linked to the Passport by QR code, and shareable in one tap. The SAMWUMED Upcoming Events screen, listing an MTB classic and a trail run, each with Share and Get tickets buttons.
  2. Watch and read the channelsHigher levels open more On Topic channels: sport, lifestyle, music, health and fitness, and more. An On Topic channel feed with two workout videos: an upper body workout and a knee pain session.
  3. Grow with MaxLifeLife-coaching and digital-skills programmes, white-labelled with SAMWUMED's logo, colours and content. A MaxLife Mind the Gap programme page on navigating the working world: CV creation, job applications, interview skills, salary negotiation, first day prep, personal finance and tax.
  4. Meet Lesedi on WhatsAppLesedi, the MaxLife digital skills coach, is a WhatsApp bot that walks members through using the internet on their smartphone, step by step. A MaxLife WhatsApp chat: an illustrated avatar of Lesedi, who introduces himself as a WhatsApp bot here to help members learn about digital literacy, and asks for a fire emoji to get started.
  5. Learn in short topicsMembers pick a topic from the learning menu, from online safety to job readiness, and answer short quizzes as they go. The Lesedi Start Learning menu on WhatsApp: part 1, digital literacy fundamentals, and part 2, digital life skills, ten topics from becoming a digital citizen to job readiness.
  6. Claim a rewardMembers browse the rewards catalogue and spend their points on branded gear, tech and event entries. The SAMWUMED rewards store: a green branded hoodie with a size selector and a Claim button.
The SAMWUMED Upcoming Events screen, listing an MTB classic and a trail run, each with Share and Get tickets buttons.
Step 1 of 6

Four levels, and what members can win

Members advance through four status levels: the more they engage, the higher they climb, and each level opens more On Topic channels, playlist genres, MaxLife topics and, from Silver, VIP experiences.

  1. Level 1 Bronze

    Sign up to join. 1 On Topic channel, 1 playlist genre, 1 MaxLife topic, and points to earn.

    Next level at 25,000 points.

  2. Level 2 Silver

    2 channels, 2 genres, 2 MaxLife topics, and limited VIP experiences.

    Next level at 50,000 points.

  3. Level 3 Gold

    3 channels, 3 genres, 3 MaxLife topics, and VIP experiences.

    Next level at 150,000 points.

  4. Level 4 Platinum

    4 channels, 4 genres, 4 MaxLife topics, and VIP experiences.

    Target: 250,000 points.

Turn points into prizes

Members browse the rewards catalogue in the web app and redeem their points for items and experiences.

Branded T-shirt
500 points
LED wristband
600 points
Branded hoodie
800 points
VIP MTB entry ticket
1,000 points
Bluetooth speaker
1,200 points
Power bank
1,500 points

Climb the leaderboard

Friendly competition that keeps members coming back.

Weekly

The top 10 points earners of the past week win weekly spot prizes and bragging rights. Resets every Sunday at 08:00.

Overall

Total points since joining: it rewards long-term loyalty, unlocks VIP perks and adds entries into the grand prize draw.

Every way to earn, in detail

Points come from showing up, sharing, answering and buying well. Each mechanic feeds the member's level, the leaderboard and the scheme's picture of its members.

The Passport+100

Members visit a spot or join an activity, tap Check in, and GPS confirms the location. Each successful check-in adds 100 points and a digital badge; badges stack up across the country in a live Passport gallery, and more stamps mean a higher place on the leaderboard. Spots include the gym, a park run, a check-up, a marathon, a mountain hike, 10,000 steps, daily meditation and a trail run.

Attendance streaks+500

Each check-in at a nominated health spot logs attendance and tracks the streak. Two weeks in a row earns 100 points, three weeks 200 and four weeks 500; miss a week and the streak resets. It builds weekly anticipation, rewards consistency and helps partner venues forecast foot traffic.

The SAMWUMED Fitness History screen with streak rewards of 100, 200 and 500 points.
Surveys+20

Your voice, your vibe, your insights. Members log in, open Surveys and answer short lifestyle questions: overall health, days of activity, eating habits, water and sleep. New surveys are released regularly, and the answers inform the scheme's future communication.

Post & Tag challenges+100

A fitness photo of a healthy moment (a park run, yoga on the beach, a gym session, a mountain hike), tagged #SAMWUMEDLIFE #LIVING. Each approved photo earns 100 points, and friends' votes add more. Members share real moments and grow the brand organically.

Invite a friend+200

Because being healthy and medically protected is better shared with a friend. Members send a WhatsApp link; the friend registers and completes email and mobile verification, and the member earns 200 points, plus 50 points for every vote friends give their photo entries.

Healthy purchases+10

Members buy healthy products at participating outlets, snap the till slip and upload it. Each validated purchase earns 10 points (up to 10 a week in the proposal's smoothie example) and a Shopper badge in the Passport.

Events

An events calendar of yoga retreats, MTB and trail running, with dates, themes, promo videos and set times. Members buy Regular or VIP tickets on the platform, linked to their Passport by QR code for quick scanning at the gate, and share events in one tap with tracking links for referral rewards. The MTB classic proposed 35, 85 and 100 km routes; the trail-running classic 10, 21, 35 and 50 km.

Content that rewards

On Topic channels on sport, lifestyle, music, entertainment, health and fitness, fashion and world news; curated SAMWUMED playlists for sunset vibes, meditation, the gym and yoga, to play in the app or share; and MaxLife, a library of life-coaching and digital-skills programmes, including Lesedi, a digital skills coach.

Three MaxLife coaching screens on phones: a qualified life coach, a life makeover programme and a parenting programme, each with module, day and completion counts.
MaxLife coaching content, white-labelled for SAMWUMED.

What we proposed

A rewards engine that runs the whole member loop, end to end: it procures, manages and provisions every reward, paces prizes within a set budget, and recycles unclaimed rewards into the prize pools.

How a member earns, again and again

  1. Notify: the member hears about an event, or about a play they have been awarded
  2. Play: the member plays
  3. Win: a reward from their member segment's prize pool
  4. Personalise: rewards match the member's activity and interests
  5. Repeat: the member buys, earns and plays again

How it would be measured

Real-time tracking of four key measures, and a support dashboard that gives first-line agents each member's full history.

SAMWUMED Member Rewards dashboard

What it will report

6 months · sample

Example dashboard Sample data, not campaign results. This was a proposal, so there are no results. Everything tagged Sample is made up to show how the dashboard works, and is replaced by real figures once they are reported.

  • Sample

    4,870

    Unique members

  • Sample

    1,163

    Conversions

  • Sample

    61,420

    Engagements

  • Sample

    8,915

    Purchases

Members

  • Sample

    4,870

    Unique members

    Members and friends who signed up on mobile web, USSD or in-app, counted once each

  • Sample

    1,163

    Conversions

    Invited friends who registered and verified, earning the member 200 points

  • Sample

    27.1%

    Invite conversion

    Friends who registered for every WhatsApp invite sent

Unique members, month by month (running total)
How members joined
  • Signed up directly 76.1%
  • Invited by a friend 23.9%
Invite conversion

of 4,286 invites sent became a verified member

Engagement

  • Sample

    61,420

    Engagements

    Passport check-ins, surveys, approved Post & Tag photos, event tickets and content views

  • Sample

    12.6

    Engagements a member

    Average across all unique members

Engagements a month
Engagements, by type

Purchases and rewards

  • Sample

    8,915

    Purchases

    Healthy purchases validated from uploaded till slips, 10 points each

  • Sample

    1,058

    Rewards redeemed

    Items and event entries claimed from the rewards catalogue with points

Validated purchases a month
Rewards redeemed, by item

Rand values excl. VAT. Figures tagged Sample are for illustration only: not results from this or any campaign.

Next: our 2026 proposal

In 2026 we went back with a sharper plan, built with JTL Global and Social Wiiv, under one line: Data. Visibility. Growth. It starts where members already are, on WhatsApp, and fixes the member data first.

SAMWUMED can grow from a transactional medical aid into a daily lifestyle partner. Today the member app is used for claims and statements, contact details go out of date, and many members are slow to download apps.

The members are a municipal workforce: sanitation, traffic, education and utilities staff. Most use prepaid phones, many change numbers often, and few have smartwatches or reliable data. So the platform is built for them: WhatsApp first, low data, simple screens and instant rewards.

Proposed
April 2026
Partners
JTL Global, Hello Brand and Social Wiiv
Channels
WhatsApp, web portal and native app
Data cost to members
None on the mobile network, through reverse billing

Five shifts

  1. From transactionalTo a trusted daily partner

    Value beyond claims and consultations.

  2. From benefitsTo experience

    Reward healthy behaviour in a way members feel.

  3. From a restricted schemeTo community growth

    Referrals from within the sectors it already serves.

  4. From digital barriersTo inclusive access

    Designed for low data, reaching every member.

  5. From healthcare providerTo lifestyle brand

    Part of members' daily routines.

What is new in 2026

WhatsApp chat from SAMWUMED asking a member to confirm their number, with Yes, this is me and No, wrong number buttons, then an offer of a Spin and Win chance for updating their details.

Fixing member data on WhatsApp, with a reason to reply.

Smart data recovery on WhatsApp

Members confirm their number in a WhatsApp chat and update their details in under a minute, for a chance to Spin and Win instant prizes. Reminders follow, and members who are stuck can reset their login or ask for a call back. Updated details flow straight to the admin portal.

A WhatsApp engagement layer

The existing WhatsApp line stays for support. A dedicated WhatsApp for engagement and rewards is added: surveys and polls, campaigns, instant airtime and vouchers, Spin and Win, till-slip uploads, activity logs, points and progress, and friend referrals. It syncs with the web portal and the app, so a survey done on WhatsApp shows everywhere.

Data-free access

With reverse billing, members on 3G, 4G or 5G open the web app without using their own data or airtime. On Wi-Fi nothing is billed.

Rewards members actually use

Small, frequent and immediately useful: airtime and data first, then groceries and retail, health and wellness, experiences and events, and SAMWU's own rewards, all configurable.

Rewards for wellness screenings

Completing an annual screening, a health assessment or other preventive care earns points towards the next level, or triggers a free Spin and Win once the activity is verified.

Invite a friend+500 points

Members send a WhatsApp invite with their own link. The friend applies online or asks for a call back, and when the application is approved the member earns +500 points. There is no limit on referrals.

The 2026 journey, WhatsApp first

  1. Confirm your numberSAMWUMED messages the member on WhatsApp; one tap confirms the number, and updating their details opens a chance to Spin and Win. A WhatsApp chat from SAMWUMED Medical Aid: a quick reminder to update member details, with buttons for forgotten login details and a wrong number.
  2. A nudge if they stallA reminder follows, and members who are stuck can reset their login or ask for a call back. A SAMWUMED WhatsApp reminder that the member is one step away from instant rewards, then options: I forgot my login details, or You have the wrong number.
  3. Spin to WinUpdating their details or completing a verified wellness screening unlocks a free spin for instant airtime, data and vouchers. The SAMWUMED Spin to Win screen on mobile web: an orange and yellow prize wheel with a Spin to Win button.
  4. Answer a quick surveyOn the web portal, members tell SAMWUMED how they rate their health and how often they are active, with games and the shop a tap away. The SAMWUMED web portal survey: questions on overall health and days of activity a week, above tiles for ads, games, surveys, the studio and the shop, and a photo entry with a Vote button.
  5. Read about healthy livingThe most active members move to the app, where content like Why Healthy Habits Matter sits next to their rewards. The SAMWUMED app Healthy Lifestyle screen: a woman chopping vegetables in a kitchen and an article, Why Healthy Habits Matter.
  6. Spend on a virtual cardMembers activate a SAMWUMED virtual card for online purchases and tap to pay, or order a physical card. The SAMWUMED My Virtual Card screen: an orange and black SAMWUMED card, with Activate Virtual Card and Order Physical Card buttons.
  7. Bring a friendMembers send a WhatsApp invite with their own link, and earn +500 points when the friend's application is approved. SAMWUMED app screen: two people running, the line Invite your friends to join and earn +500 Points for every friend that clicks on your invite link and joins, and a Send WhatsApp Invite button.
A WhatsApp chat from SAMWUMED Medical Aid: a quick reminder to update member details, with buttons for forgotten login details and a wrong number.
Step 1 of 7

One step at a time

No app download to start. Members begin on WhatsApp, move to the web portal for surveys and content, and the most active move on to the full app. The plan recommends a hybrid integration: keep the current member app and add the engagement platform on top, synced through APIs.

  1. Phase 1, months 0 to 2Foundation

    WhatsApp launch, data clean-up and onboarding, first API work.

  2. Phase 2, months 2 to 4Engagement

    Games and rewards live, the web platform, first member-data links.

  3. Phase 3, months 4 to 6Expansion

    The mobile app, deeper integration and personalisation.

  4. Phase 4, month 6 onFull ecosystem

    An engagement platform SAMWUMED owns, with advanced analytics.

SAMWUMED app screen: two people running, the line Invite your friends to join and earn +500 Points for every friend that clicks on your invite link and joins, and a Send WhatsApp Invite button.
Invite a friend, in the 2026 app.

Action, reward, progress, repeat.

What's next

The platform is ready to white-label: the scheme's logo, colours and content on top of a proven rewards engine, with points rules, levels and rewards set to the scheme's goals.

For a medical scheme or employer

Reward the healthy habits you want to see, and learn what your members care about.

Talk to us

Start a project, or see Hello Brand OS, the platform behind it.

The more you engage, the more you earn.

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