Targeting certain segments- say, those consumers who have not stayed in three months, or those whose year to date stays fall a certain percentage lower than those of same period last year- may well be good marketing, especially if those consumers can be brought back into the fold.

However, as a marketing practice it depends for success upon the mutual isolation and ignorance of the target segment. In an era of open communication, and free exchange on the internet, such marketing approaches can even be counter-productive. Because the best customers- those with many stays over the last three months, or whose stay rate is even higher than those of a year ago- may feel slighted, and that their loyalty is not appreciated, once they find out about other targeted segments. And then the loyalty of what have been the most productive segment begins to wane, and may not be that simple to win back.

In the internet era, marketing changes. Flyertalk is not an aberration, it's probably the rule, or at least a harbinger of a new rule. Marketing needs to understand this to be successful.