Shopper-Retail-Leisure Promotional Mechanics

Why do brands and retailers run prize promotions? 

Brands, retailers and media owners can benefit hugely from running in-store or digital/social promotions. 

For brands, by giving away some nice prizes or money can't buy experiences they can secure that all important in-store/online visibility which plays a crucial role in ensuring their product stands out instore or online. 

Brands can also run ‘purchase related’ promotions which nudge shoppers towards purchase or get them to trial or sample a product. 

Brands can also use gamification and immersive technologies like AR and VR to create more memorable promotional experiences that change behaviour and place the product at the heart of the experience. These types of activations can also encourage repeat interaction or purchase  and loyalty.

Prize promotions help also brands acquire first part data for ongoing communications and personalised offers. 

Prize promotions also create word of mouth and stimulate social sharing, followers, likes, shares. 

Experiential activations create buzz and theatre in-store building the brand of the outlet so that shopping feels less of a chore. 

For retailers brand or retailer promotions encourage shoppers to visit stores, make the shopping experience more enjoyable, signpost to new product offerings and educate shoppers.  

Retailer/brand funded initiatives can provide positive differentiation over other competing retailers and drive footfall and repeat visits. 

Social media themed activations encourage entrants to share their participation on social media (e.g., using a hashtag or tagging the store), boosting brand/retailer online visibility and reaching new potential customers.

Here are some recent promotional mechanics that we have created for brands: 

Text to win - Coca Cola Share A Coke text and win across multiple retailers

Spin the wheel - Gordon's Gin scan the QR code on pack, pos or click in app to win summer themed prizes ( spin the 3D Augmented Reality wheel!) 

Scan the pack free gift with purchase - Guinness Nitrosurge scan the logo ( using AR) to redeem your free gift 

Receipt upload/scan - Coca Cola Centra - upload your receipt ( web form) for a chance to win 

Shake to win - Smirnoff Shake-AR - scan the QR code (necktie) and shake your 3D shaker for chance to win

Geo tracked - Budweiser - check in ( geo-tracked) at one of 60 Tesco outlets for your chance to win

Scratch-card- Rockshore On-Trade- scan your glass ( Augmented Reality) for a chance to win

Peel reveal: Scan your Ballymaloe (Augmented Reality) for a chance to win

Quiz- Scan your schweppes and play a 'ginspiration' quiz for a chance to win 

WhatsApp: Product Shot/Selfie upload - upload a picture of your Hendricks cocktail for a chance to win

Treasure Hunt/Pokemon Go:  Butlers' Chocolate find the golden eggs and share a selfie to win

Recipe Gamification: Coca Cola Augmented Reality find the recipe ingredients for a chance to win

Guess/count/find: RiverRock guess the correct number of drops falling and comment to win

Games: Hula Hoops, scan the pack, shoot the hoops for a chance to win

Games: Sky FAI Sponsorship - crossbar challenge kick to win instant prizes and vouchers

Gift box: 3D augmented reality gift box we crated for 3 Mobile at the 3 Olympia 

Memory Game ( on trade/in pub) : scan your Carlsberg to play a memory game 

How can we help? Drop us an email on info@Return2Sender and we'll come up with some ideas for your next prize promotion or activation

Key Considerations for Set Up and costing: 

What is the activity goal?

Wat type of mechanic or experience will answer the brief or activity goal?

Is a QR code or text number required for point of sale and or packaging 

How many retailers or media owners are running the promotion? Are there different prizes per retailer?

Are the prizes digital or physical? How will they be sent to winners?
Type of prize draw: ( win every day/hour/week magic moments etc) 

Link to purchase – are unique codes required as part of the entry process? 

Link to purchase – must shoppers upload a receipt, pack shot/selfie, scan logo, proof of purchase etc?

Prize/retailer consideration – will there be different prizes per retailer or will all prizes be distributed 

Geo-restrictions – do we restrict the entries to certain outlets, territories etc to ensure the right shoppers can participate?

Terms and conditions: who is providing these and what are the lead times for approval?

IT Audit: will there be a penetration test and IT audit required?

Will there be ‘opt-ins’ of first party data or social media likes/follows/tagging for ongoing comms?

Entries volume and scale – will there be large volume of entries required, is high availability required to manage spikes in volume with media burst and promotional support? 

Reporting – does the promotion require Google analytics tagging or daily weekly updates to stakeholders?