The promotion agency Umbrella briefed B Corp prize provider The Happy Prize Company to deliver an experience for the online car seller, cinch.  Cinch are official sponsors of the NFL UK and as part of the partnership they provided two lucky winners with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch Super Bowl LVI in LA!!  

The Happy Prize Company put together a carbon-neutral prize consisting of two luxury 4-night breaks to LA, including a meet and greet on arrival (which included Cinch’s filming company, responsible for capturing the prize winner’s experiences), 4 nights at the Amarano hotel in Burbank, a day out with the film crew exploring the best that LA has to offer, along with VIP tickets to the Super Bowl, including tickets to the exclusive Tailgate party, provided by cinch. One winner described the trip ‘Such a huge thing to do – a proper bucket-list experience’,  and the campaign aligned strongly to cinch’s ethos which is to deliver on what they promise. 

The core of cinch’s business is customer service and every part of the prize had to encapsulate this ethos; every detail had to ‘be a cinch’ and here is the experience we helped deliver! Watch Video

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A client recently asked the question, ‘what does the future of travel promotions look like?’.  It is a question I, and many of my colleagues and industry peers, have been asked repeatedly over recent weeks.  Optimism, pessimism, or realism has changed our daily perspective and warped our frequently unqualified and ‘at best’ prophetic responses.  But amidst all the expert analysis, and pure guess work, one fact above all others has become abundantly clear. The power of ‘Wanderlust’ will never be dampened.

The inherent desire to travel has been a bedrock of the promotional industry for many years, but on the 23rd March 2020 the promotional landscape in the UK changed overnight as lockdown came into effect.

Conscious of the potential fears of a society, now with limited movement outside of their own homes, and daily news feeds fuelling a growing fear of travel of any description – it was only natural for brands and business to look for alternative rewards to motivate sales and staff.  Travel was no longer a motivator as the fear of infection out-weighed any indulgent travel need – so many campaigns turned their focus on rewards that could be delivered into the home, and deal with the present. Travel Prizes and Promotions suffered their own lockdown and a change in approach was necessary.

From transforming living rooms into escape rooms, to sending personal celebrity videos messages, bringing a different culture into your home to online Michelin star cooking courses, brands were able to engage and reward their customers in the one place there was a  guarantee they would be able to deliver the prize.  They became part of the lock-down experienced and offered the opportunity for escapism, wrapped up in a big safety blanket.

Wanderlust, though, does not stay dormant for long.  As the weeks passed, this desire to stay indoors, to stay safe, has been taken over by our need for human interaction, and our desire to travel.  It has only taken a matter of weeks, but already Travel Promotions, and the opportunity to fulfil this ‘Wanderlust’, have bounced right back to the top of the promotional ladder.

As the nation slowly sees lockdown restrictions eased, the frustrations and limitations of the past weeks have manifested themselves on our psyche in many different ways – but for most of us the opportunity to soon be able to escape our homes and explore the outside world has become an overwhelming desire and need.

There is no question that Wanderlust is built into our DNA, it is the desire to feed the soul, and the fear of missing out of treasures yet to be discovered.  That said, COVID 19 has undoubtably had a dramatic impact on how the subject of travel promotions will now be addressed. One such consideration is that customers are quite likely to turn to trusted suppliers who have come through the recent challenges with strong credentials, as security (financial and health) is likely to outweigh riskier, and potentially cheaper, alternatives.

As the focus turns to the summer, and end of year campaigns, it is important to be sensitive to the fact that not all travel prizes can, or will, be delivered in 2020.  This however has not dampened the vision of many brand managers who also believe the promise of a once-in-a-lifetime trip sometime in the next 12-18 months, is just as powerful a reward that delivers an immediate fix. It feeds into our desire to have something concrete to hold onto through the difficult times, even if we must wait a little bit longer for it.  As demonstrated in recent campaigns such as The Sun newspaper’s reader promotion ‘Win a luxe adventure holiday for two to Peru’ or Specsavers’ ‘Weekend getaway to Madrid’. A recent article in National Geographic went as far as to highlight the positive impact on mental health the promise of future escape can have https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/2020/05/planning-a-trip-is-good-for-you-especially-during-pandemic/

For those still seeking an alternative short-term promotional solution, that can be guaranteed, domestic travel experiences have seen a huge resurgence. Ensuring that the experience is just as exciting and memorable, but taking away the necessity for air travel, has offered many a great short term, high impact solution. Brands are tapping into the UK’s treasures, with Waterstones offering a break to the Cotswolds and Sainsburys Magazine, a luxury trip to Cornwall. It is also a way for brands and companies to show support for their home economies and follows a shift towards more sustainable solutions.  While the desire to travel and explore will remain, there are ways of going about this in a sensitive manner that will resonate with many brands and customers.

Finally, there is the ‘Bucket List’ equation. More than ever, many of us have a sense of the fragility of life and of our freedoms.  There is no doubt that this will have stirred a desire to experience these ‘bucket list’ wishes as soon as possible, and promotions supporting this dream become a reality can certainly tap into this heightened awareness.

So while we all adapt to the new ‘post COVID promotional world’, it is clear that the power of Wanderlust will play a significant role in shaping our dreams and wishes.

David Heron is Co-head of Agency at The Black Tomato Agency

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Travel can help engage consumers by putting unusual and unexpected incentives at the heart of marketing campaigns, says Amy Nield, Head of Prize at Sodexo

The world’s a crowded place, isn’t it?

Think about it. What was your last trip really like? What really stood out for you? It may have been the giant cruise ship that suddenly sailed into town, emptying its hold of minions armed with selfie sticks, cluttering up cafés and restaurants in their wake.

It may have been the daily fight for a sunbed by the pool.

Or it may have been a seemingly endless traffic jam to nowhere. Too much? Well, it seems UK holidaymakers are putting busy touristy destinations behind them and looking closer to home for more bespoke travel experiences. And they’ve got one thing in common: they want a great experience.

We’ve just published a report –  our ‘2018 Sodexo UK Exploring Travel’ e-book – which reveals that promotional marketing expectations are at an all-time high and the competition for consumer attention is fiercer than ever before. It’s up to marketers to deliver on these expectations to create maximum stand out.

If you put experiences at the heart of your campaign, you can engage consumers and truly take your brand places.

In fact, ‘experience’ is driving customer engagement in brand marketing like never before. For this reason, travel promotions can give marketers the edge they need to help their offering stand out in an increasingly noisy and saturated world. But they need to be unique and they need to be immersive.

So how can you beat the crowds and take your consumers on a brand journey they’re unlikely to forget in a hurry?

Unexpected experiences a marketing necessity

According to the British Tourism and Travel Show, not only do “33% of consumers put ‘exploring new places’ as their main motivator for travelling,” but “93% of Destination Marketing Officers consider experiences ‘important’ or ‘vital’ to consumer decisions.”

It’s not enough for UK travellers to want to go to see a new city. They want to book an experience to shout about while they’re there, too.

For marketers who wish to influence behaviour change, it means looking beyond the obvious. If you’re thinking about a standard giveaway that on paper seems reasonable enough, you need to look again.

It’s about doing something different, creating a promotion that reaches the right audience, at the right time, and stopping consumers in their tracks.

If you’re beginning to perspire with anticipation, please don’t fret.

An ‘unexpected’ travel prize incentive doesn’t have to break the bank. Long gone are the days when only a beautiful Caribbean beach would cut the billboard. Today’s holidaymakers are a more varied bunch.

Now it’s all about what you do, not where you do it.

The West Country – but not as you know it

Perhaps it’s down to the fact that many of us have long been accustomed to making the most of cheap no-frills air carriers, but domestic tourism is facing somewhat of a renaissance. ABTA is even reporting that UK demand is set to grow even more this year.

In fact, as Sodexo’s research reveals, “84% of people are considering, planning or have already taken a UK overnight break outside of their home county in 2018.”

Smart marketers can use this thinking to create an affordable and impactful promotional campaign that taps into our love of experiences and a desire to stay closer to home. So, where to next? Now that’s a question.

Our research reveals that while “London may be the number one UK destination for International visitors… it’s the South West of England that ranks highest for domestic tourists (Barclays).” Ah, we can almost smell the pasties.

The off-season is now the on-season, promising quieter towns, villages and roads, along with a less stressful experience for those seeking to get away from it all.

So-called summer destinations such as St Ives boasts indoor cultural treats such as The Tate St Ives; Penzance offers the all year round wild cookery school ‘Fat Hen’ and vibrant arts city Falmouth offers fantastic festivals every month of the year.

UK consumers may love the West Country, but if you can tie your travel prize incentives into latest trends coming from that part of the world, you’ll turn heads more than, say, offering a singular surfing trip in Newquay might do.

And on that note, is now a good time to mention targeting? Think about who you want to impress and you’ll find there’s a whole world of possibilities available.

All about the bragging rights

Whatever it is, it seems consumers are looking for something a bit different. They’re looking at new destinations, perhaps to beat the crowds and find their own way when it comes to holiday planning.

There’s big head-turning kudos for brands who actively engage consumers by helping them to boost those all-important bragging rights.

If you can create the feeling that your promotion is something new, something unheard of, you’ll do well to create maximum stand out.

Our report says ABTA nods to several major cultural anniversaries and events which are set to help cement the UK as the most popular destination [for Brits] overall for holidays in 2018:

• Bristol hosts the 40th anniversary of its world-famous Balloon Fiesta.
• Liverpool will mark 10 years since its successful bid to become European Capital of Culture.
• Several cities including Manchester, Oxford, London and Leeds have gallery take overs and other cultural events to mark the centenary of the Women’s Vote.

By building travel incentives in around events such as these, brands can find ways to tie their marketing ideas in via timely, eye-catching creative and thoughtful messaging.

Five go mad off the beaten track

Here are five more off-the-beaten-track UK travel ideas for weird, wacky and wonderful weekend breaks that may whet even the most seasoned traveller’s appetite and won’t burn the promotional budget – but don’t try them all at once, kids:

• Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire

Who wouldn’t want to chase a rolling cheese wheel down a hill for a laugh? Well, maybe not all of us, but adrenaline junkies will love it. And for spectators, the event is guaranteed to be a memorable one. Just imagine the cheesy craic in the local taverns and inns afterwards.

• Oyster Festival in Whitstable

A foodie break to the seaside town of Whitstable is a mouth-watering delight. Throw in a quirky overnight stay in alternative accommodation such as the Fisherman’s Huts, and you’ve got a veritable feast for the senses.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/whitstable/news/oyster-festival-dates-revealed-157394/

• The Highland Games, Braemar

If you can’t wait for Tokyo 2020, how about the UK’s answer to the Olympics instead? The Highland Games take place every summer – think kilts, cabers and ceilidhs. Add in a trip to a whisky distillery or see where all the action from James Bond’s Skyfall took place.

• The Night Carnival, Glastonbury

Somerset plays host to a wonderful and wacky night carnival every November. Like something out of a picture book, this type of event will seriously capture your audience’s imaginations. Attract customers with a night at nearby hot spot, Babington House, or a hotel and spa in beautiful Bath.

• The Green Man Festival, Brecon

Nothing says fun like a fabulous festival, but with so many out there, it’s important you align your brand with a high-quality, absorbing experience. The Green Man is Times’ columnist Caitlin Moran’s festival of choice and one that boasts something for everyone. Dial up the experience with a bell tent and hot tub and you’ll have instant promotional success.

The best incentive for social media marketing

We could go on. We won’t. The point is, if you take your brand promotion to the lesser known parts of well-loved locations, you’ll not only surprise and inspire your audience, but you’ll start some fantastic conversations – which hopefully will be shared on social media.

Travel incentives, such as an unusual, fun-filled weekend away, are perfect for social media, and your bespoke travel prize draw could be the perfect complement to fast-moving promotional platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.

Ultimately, wherever you decide to take your consumer campaigns, the ‘experience economy’ is where it’s at. Take it out of the mundane and into the wild, unexpected, authentic and unusual, and you’ll entice customers by the bucket and spadeful.

After all, it’s the road less travelled that’s leading to travel promotion gold. Keep that front of mind and you’ll soon be creating customer engagement that’s well and truly worth the ride.

Amy Nield, Head of Prize at Sodexo. Part of Sodexo Employee and Consumer Engagement, Sodexo’s Neon solutions drive consumers to your brand – and keep them coming back. As consumer engagement specialists, we know how to influence behaviour. From building brand awareness to driving consumer loyalty, our unique mix of expertise means we can transform the way people interact with your brand.

The ‘2018 Sodexo UK Exploring Travel’ report can be downloaded for free from the Sodexo site.

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Agency Blue Chip have created an on-pack promotional campaign to reward loyal consumers of the TENA Extra range, by offering the chance to ‘WIN something extra’ with every pack. There are 2,650 prizes guaranteed to be won, including restaurant and cocktail gift cards, spa treatments and afternoon tea experiences to name a few.

The promotional activity will feature on 2.3m promotional packs of TENA Extra, each of which feature a bold on-pack stopper. Consumers can enter the unique code from their promotional pack onto a bespoke microsite and instantly reveal whether they are a winner.

Yasmin Mensli, Senior Account Manager at Blue Chip says: ‘We have worked with the brand for the past few years and we know our audience love an on-pack promotion. We can’t wait to see how they react to this campaign which aims to reward their loyalty.’

Every consumer who enters the promotion will also have the opportunity to claim a £4 coupon to use against TENA Silhouette Pants Plus. This will help drive trial of the recently launched Silhouette product and further reward TENA shoppers.

TENA are launching the on-pack promotion to encourage regular use and reward loyalty, whilst driving frequency and volume. TENA Extra promotional packs can be found at major retailers across the UK and ROI this September.

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Jaguar Land Rover is driving footfall to its stand at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with a specially-commissioned exclusive digital Top Trumps App for Festival visitors, covering both the Jaguar and Land Rover marques.

The Jaguar Land Rover Top Trumps app is available for iOS and Android from July 9th, and players will be able to compete against each other for a ranking on a live leaderboard as well as the chance to win daily prizes including trip for two to the Ice Drive Academy in Sweden, including flights, tuition and luxury accommodation, year’s membership of a David Lloyd Club for two or £200 to spend in the Jaguar Land Rover boutique.

Visitors to the Festival will receive a Super Top Trumps card (a card that can be added to a Top Trumps pack) when they enter. This card will encourage them to go to the Top Trumps area situated within the JLR stand and download the app via Wi-Fi to receive their exclusive JLR pack of Top Trumps. They can also book test drives and order brochures, while JLR will use the opportunity to capture data on interested visitors.

The app has two games, a single player mode called the Goodwood Challenge and, a Multi-player Shootout.

The Goodwood Challenge will feature a live leader board, with the highest ranked players in line to win the daily prizes. Players will also have the opportunity of boosting their leader board scores by viewing JLR’s cars on the stand and in the paddock.

The Multi-player Shootout enables players to challenge other players randomly or by username.

JLR worked with the owner of the Top Trumps brand, games company Winning Moves, which owns IP rights to a number of classic games in the UK, Europe, South Africa, North America and Australasia. As well as owing the hugely popular Top Trumps brand, Winning Moves has a license from Hasbro which allows it to create special versions of games such as Monopoly, Cluedo, Trivial Pursuit, Connect 4 and Guess Who, which are often used in promotional campaigns. Winning Moves has worked with companies including Shell, Sky News, McDonald’s, Kerry Foods, Ferrero, Mirror Group Newspapers, Singapore Airlines, BMW, Peugeot, BT TV, Hovis, British Gas, Merlin Entertainment, Metro Group, Cadbury’s, Nestlé Purina, Coca-Cola and Weetabix.

Located alongside the Jaguar Land Rover stand will be Jaguar’s F-TYPE Drift Experience, allowing fans to see, hear and feel the raw performance of a Jaguar sports car drifting in the hands of a professional driver. The experience will be running throughout the show, accessed from the Jaguar Land Rover stand.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director, says: “This year at Goodwood Festival of Speed we’re celebrating everything that the modern Jaguar brand is about; stunning design, innovation, heritage and incredible performance. From F-PACE SVR roaring up the hill and F-TYPE on the drift track to the XJ50 and all-electric I-PACE on the Jaguar Land Rover stand, we’re looking forward to putting on an astonishing show for all Festival of Speed visitors.”

The 5.0-litre supercharged V8 F-PACE SVR will be tackling the Goodwood hillclimb at its UK debut, as will the most powerful Jaguar ever – the 600PS XE SV Project 8 and the Invictus GT4 Racing F-TYPE SVR. Festival of Speed visitors will also have their first opportunity to see the Jaguar XJ50, a special-edition model designed to celebrate 50 years of the iconic XJ saloon. The XJ50 will appear alongside Jaguar’s revolutionary new I-PACE all-electric SUV on the Jaguar Land Rover stand, as part of the brand’s largest ever presence at Festival of Speed. The company is also celebrating the 70th birthday of the Land Rover.

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Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is offering consumers the chance to win unforgettable summer experiences with its biggest-ever on-pack summer campaign, which will also feature across Sprite, Fanta and Dr Pepper for the first time.

From today (25th June) until the end of August, consumers can enter codes printed on promotional packs of Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite, Fanta and Dr Pepper (including zero and no sugar flavoured carbonate variants) to find out if they have won instantly.

Instant winners can choose from one of 10 once in a lifetime experiences, from whale watching in Iceland to a meditation trip to Italy.

With research showing that millennials increasingly value unique and personal experiences, the promotion is designed to help retailers appeal to this consumer group by linking the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola during the summer, to the feeling of trying new experience.

A new, simple and vibrant sun graphic inspired by the iconic Coca-Cola red disc and archive Coca-Cola Summer imagery will feature on promotional packs, which will be available in a wide range of formats. This includes 250ml cans of Coca-Cola Classic, 330ml cans of Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, 2l and 500ml bottles of the Coca-Cola portfolio, Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper and finally multipack cans across all of the above excluding Dr Pepper.

There will also be 15,000 POS kits for the on-trade, including posters, sun-shaped coasters and table talkers as well as promotional stickers and back bar display solutions.

The campaign will be supported by marketing activity including TV, Radio, social media, out-of-home advertising and instore activation.

Simon Harrison, customer marketing director GB at Coca-Cola European Partners, says: “Summer is a key trading period for impulse categories such as soft drinks and a big opportunity for retailers to further drive sales. The aim of this year’s promotion is to connect with consumers that really value trying something new. The once-in-a-lifetime trips and experiences on offer will drive excitement amongst consumers, keeping soft drinks front of mind during the summer months.

Harrison adds: “Our Coca-Cola summer campaigns have always been popular and our 2017 activity saw us achieve our highest ever on-pack redemption, with more than 1.5million entries. We’re back again this year with an even bigger campaign extending across our sparkling portfolio, in line with research that shows consumers purchase more brands in the warmer months.”

In the grocery and convenience channel in GB, Coca-Cola Classic is the number one soft drink, Diet Coke is the number one sugar free soft drink and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is the fastest growing cola. Sales of the Coca-Cola family account for nearly 70% of Cola sales in this channel.

Coca-Cola European Partners is the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler. CCEP is the sole licensed bottler for products of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) in Andorra, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

CCEP makes, sells and delivers the following products in GB for TCCC: Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Dr Pepper, Sprite, Schweppes, Fuze Tea, HONEST, AdeZ, Abbey Well, glacéau smartwater, Powerade, Oasis and Appletiser. In GB, it also makes, sells or delivers Monster, Relentless and Capri-Sun.

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Prize packages need to be relevant to brands and consumers, says Justine Clement of The Happy Prize Company

A typical FMCG brand’s customer retention strategy relies upon ‘buying’ loyalty with rewards, rebates and discounts.

However, in this new era of digital-based competition and customer control, customers are increasingly buying products because of a brand’s relevance to their values and needs in any given moment. So what does this mean for the future of promotional marketing?

In a rapidly evolving world, where the global marketplace is both setting the agenda and simultaneously struggling to keep up with the pace of changing behaviour, relevance and purpose are becoming the No.1 criteria from the customer’s perspective.

A (big) shift is required

Broadly speaking, what citizens crave is identity and purpose in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world.

Brands that try to use a bolt-on approach to ethics in an insincere or tokenistic way in this new environment just won’t stand the test of time. It’s both a fascinating and yet a hugely stressful topic for those in the industry, simply because the solutions and the parameters shift almost daily.

Consider this quote, for example:

“Public expectations of your company have never been greater. Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose… [customers] are demanding that companies exercise leadership on a broader range of issues. Companies must ask themselves: What role do we play in the community?” Larry Fink, CEO, Black Rock

What we’re really talking about is authenticity. Yet committing to our values is actually pretty hard work because the nature of being human means we’re flawed. We all know we need to do better, but we get sidelined and often opt for the short-term, quick fix approach.

The opportunity

People’s attention spans have become more and more limited. Negative news is digested 24/7 and it’s not good for our wellbeing.

Many people now can feel like they’re losing themselves, caught up in a cycle of keeping up. They find themselves getting heavily addicted to things that take them away from the stress, alleviate the symptoms and help them forget their troubles.

So without sounding mercenary, that’s a good opportunity, isn’t it? And if we can marry authenticity with opportunity, we’re onto something.

When it comes to prize promotions, in a world that has shifted dramatically in the past few years, what’s going to help brands connect when it comes to purpose and relevance?

Up until now, options have broadly consisted of cash, vouchers, holidays, cars, experiences and even farms.

Winning cash is undoubtedly appealing, but what has always worked on a more intrinsically motivating level is connecting brand to customer using unique experiences, either as incentives to purchase or to stand out on shelf.

These must tie in with the brand’s ethos and audience appeal, be relevant, professionally delivered, high quality and align with the theme of the campaign itself. Yet in this new era of heightened consumer awareness, offering experiences that help people navigate and deal with an altogether different kind of life could be what’s required.

Just consider; many of us may still be active at 102! It’s a scary thought to some, but with personalised medicine and smart lifestyle choices, it’s a realistic and potentially exciting one, too.

Tapping into this idea through promotional marketing, it’s time see more brands designing prizes that affirm life, purpose and values beyond ego.

Experiences for living. Ones that enhance people’s lives and that reaffirm a brand’s ethos of caring for their customers and the world around them. Ones that demonstrate brands really do give a damn, and that can be the seeds of stories remembered for life.

Holidays and breaks are incredibly generous prizes. They create joy and spread happiness. But what if we took this one stage further and combined them with the potential to change someone’s life?

Brands on board

PepsiCo’s Naked Juice brand recently offered a series of wellbeing experiences that included a yoga retreat on the Isle of Wight. One of the winners told PepsiCo

“Winning this Yoga with Awareness retreat with Naked has made me extremely excited about how potentially life-changing this experience could be for me at this point in my life… The whole experience has given me a new thirst for life and I shall be eternally grateful to Naked.”

Today’s world provides an invitation to discuss something just a little bit different – an opportunity for a deeper connection to purpose and beyond.

While there are brands that change people’s day, there are many, too, who can change lives. There are some incredible examples of the good that can be achieved with on-pack campaigns that tap into more life-affirming concepts.

Persil’s “Dirt is Good” campaign is one. It encouraged kids to get out and get dirty doing activities in nature to stimulate their minds and get them being more active (and it encouraged parents to let them!).

Johnny Walker’s “Joy Will Take You further” was based on insights which showed how success is viewed by people today. It brought to life the idea that joy can be a catalyst to the progress we seek in our lives. The campaign achieved a reach of 50 countries and over 270 million consumers around the world in the first weeks of launch.

McVitie’s recently moved into the purpose arena too, with its ‘Sweeter Together’ campaign, focusing on the issue of loneliness.

Examples like this showcase the potential power mainstream brands have when it comes to creating positive shifts in behaviour.

Brands and mainstream media can undoubtedly achieve powerful, positive shifts in behaviour and create significant legacies. And if people are going to live long, fulfilling and adventurous lives in a world that’s fit for purpose, it’s incumbent on brands to get involved.

So what does your brand want? To be remembered for a day – or for life?

Justine Clement has created and managed many award-winning prize promotions in her 18-year career in the industry. Former CEO of Unmissable, she is now founder of creative prize management agency, The Happy Prize Company. Working with progressive brands in the UK and Europe, the company have handled strategy and prize management for many high-profile on-pack campaigns in recent years. A longer version of this article can be found on the company’s website.

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Promomarketing.info’s ‘My Life in Promotions’ feature shines a spotlight on the people who make the promotional marketing industry work so well – the heroes of the promotional world.

On a regular basis, we turn the spotlight onto people working in all sectors of our industry and at all levels – whether at brand owners, agencies or service providers. We’ll be finding out what makes them tick, what makes them get up and go to work every day and what their plans are for the future…

This week’s subject is Michael Chambers, Director of prize management company, Cloud Nine

Name: Michael Chambers

Age: 38

Gender: Male            

Company name: Cloud Nine Incentives

What does the company do? Cloud Nine provide exceptional travel incentives, prize fulfilment services and asset management.  We work with marketing and PR agencies, brands directly and media owners.

Position within company: Director

How long have you worked for this company?

Cloud Nine was created in 2011 so we have had an exciting six years where we have been growing year on year.

How long have you worked in promotional marketing?

I started working in the industry in 1996, when I was 17.  Back when the IPM was the ISP, promomarketing.info was Sales Promotion Magazine and was delivered to the office each month, and when every quote for clients and piece of correspondence was either faxed or posted.

How did you get your start in promotional marketing?

At the tender age of 17, I got my big break as a YTS (Youth Training Scheme, a form of apprenticeship) at a local company called Protravel who created holidays for competition prizes. Over the next few years, I progressed through the company to become General Manager.

What’s an average day at Cloud Nine like?

First thing, the team get together to discuss what live briefs need working on and when for.  Once that’s done, a lot of the day is spent ensuring we answer them as creatively as possible.  It’s hugely important to give clients the best chance of winning a pitch, or giving an edge over a competitor on the supermarket shelves.

We also have to be reactive throughout the day with tight deadlines, urgent briefs or some lastminute ideas for a client en route to a meeting.

Finally, updates with the travel and operations team are conducted.

And probably too much coffee!

What has been your greatest achievement at your current company?

Working with the world’s leading brands and agencies provides a sense of achievement on a daily basis.  Especially if you’re in a pitch situation and you win; and, down to hard work and experience, wins are more common than losses.

However, as cheesy as this may sound, my greatest achievement so far is growing Cloud Nine into something I’m proud of, looking after clients we’ve had from our inception, and working alongside a brilliant team of people that truly believe in what we stand for, and that what we do is the best out there.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Launching Cloud Nine at the tail end of the financial crisis was tough, but if we hadn’t done it then, we never would have.

We knew with our experience, passion and knowledge of the industry that we could help agencies and brands provide something special with real added value and excellent service.

However, the real challenge was doing this with three kids under seven; they’ve been there throughout, and I’ve have become very good at “juggling”!

How do you see the promotions industry changing in the next five years?

In terms of what we do, the world’s becoming more accessible in some respects, so depending on the demographic, the prize envelopes can be pushed. However, as it’s an uncertain time for lots of people, there may be a revival of more traditional prizes, ensuring that audiences aren’t missing out on day to day “luxuries” i.e. holidays.

Across the board, with new technology advancing so quickly, brands are going to be able to gain even more insight into their audience and what they like.  Mechanics will become more tailored to the audience and promotions and rewards could become segmented/tailored to specific areas of an audience.

If you had a time machine and you could go back and talk to your younger self, what would be your three key pieces of advice?

1. Regardless of position, make sure you continue to do the elements of your job that made you love it in the first place.
2. Rarely is something as bad as you expect it to be; tackle it head on and get it out of the way.
3. Get out of the office, even if it’s for a ten-minute walk. It changes everything (well your view on it at least).

What do you do outside work?

I spend lots of quality time standing on the side lines of football matches with my seven and four-year-old. We also have a one-year old daughter too, so weekends are pretty busy! To keep fit and to get time to think, I cycle frequently, and do a spot of racing.

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To celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday 11^th March 2018, Thorntons has been giving retailers the chance to ‘Pass the Love on’ with its latest competition, offering them the chance to treat the mother in their lives to a spa day.

Hosted on brand owner Ferrero’s trade website, Your Perfect Store, all retailers need to do to enter is to visit the ‘Your Rewards’ page on Your Perfect Store, fill out the application form and tell Thorntons why (in no more than 50 words) the special mother figure in their life deserves a spa day.

The winner will receive a spa day for two, to make Mother’s Day special, as well as a spa hamper and box of Thorntons Continental. In addition, five runners up will also receive a spa hamper and a box of Thorntons Continental.

Levi Boorer, Customer Development Director at Ferrero, says: “With this competition, we wanted to ‘Pass the Love on’ to our valued retailer community and Thorntons Continental Collection is the perfect gift for the Mother’s Day occasion.”

The competition opened at the beginning of February and runs until February 28^th.

Ferrero is the fourth-largest player in the global confectionery market and has been present in the UK since 1966. Ferrero’s brand portfolio includes Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, tic tac, Kinder, Kinder Bueno, and Thorntons. Ferrero’s multi-million pound acquisition of Thorntons in 2015 was part of its continued investment in the competitive UK market.

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Water brand Highland Spring is running a new on-pack campaign that celebrates everyday bravery, offering 10,000 experience prizes that promise ‘Life, with added H2Oomph’.

Each of the prizes has been tweaked to be more exciting and unforgettable. For example, a luxury break prize could be a stay in a secluded tree house, or a medieval camping experience at a castle. Trips to the cinema are for 4DX blockbuster showings, and free swimming lets winners loose on a fantastic aqua assault course experience.

The promotional campaign ties in with the brand’s Brave by Nature proposition, which encourages people to celebrate life by venturing outside of their comfort zone… just a little bit. Brave by Nature encourages individuals to ‘go for it’ every day, supporting them in accomplishing the little wins that make life more colourful, whether it’s trying out a new dinner party recipe, wearing a more daring outfit, taking on a DIY task, or skipping the lift and using the stairs.

Reinforcing the message that Highland Spring helps individuals to be naturally driven to do more, ‘H2Oomph’ shows consumers how being hydrated can allow them to make the most of their everyday.

The promotional campaign was created for Highland Spring by creative agency Space. It is open to residents of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland aged 18 and over. No purchase is necessary for residents of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

There are 100 Tier One prizes, including 50 train journeys on The Northern Belle, including five course meal and overnight accommodation, and 50 family stays in unusual locations. There are 9,900 Tier Two prizes, including Aqua Assault Courses, Segway Expriences and 4D Cinema Experiences.

Prizes are revealed through an instant win mechanic. Shoppers purchase promotional bottles or multipacks of Highland Spring and are driven online by an on-pack URL and POS in-store. Upon entering their details and the batch code from their bottle, they will be automatically notified if they are a winner or not.

The campaign aims to build overall awareness of Highland Spring and help make it a first-choice brand for more consumers in a sector that is fiercely competitive and where own label has significant share.

Karen Crowley, Head of Consumer Marketing, Highland Spring Group, says: “One of our key priorities at Highland Spring is promoting healthy hydration options for all, and this is what ‘Brave By Nature’, and ‘H2Oomph’ is all about; encouraging people to stay hydrated to help them turn every day into a good day. Whether it’s taking an iconic train journey or one-upping the everyday cinema experience, we’re offering consumers the tools to do this with added oomph.”

David Atkinson, managing partner, Space, adds: “Highland Spring has fantastic brand heritage and a portfolio of naturally sourced products ideal for health, hydration and refreshment. We want to remind people that these characteristics also make it the perfect partner in encouraging them to ‘go for it’ in achieving their own fist pump moments. People don’t often think about their own little moments of every day bravery – they take them for granted, but it does feel good when they take the plunge or conquer life’s little challenges. It helps you to squeeze the most out of every day.”

Space is an award-winning agency with a client list including Heineken, Arla Foods, William Grant & Sons, General Mills, Eurostar, Sky, Coral, Bundesliga, UEFA, NBA and AELTC.

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