Coca-Cola Great Britain has partnered with Merlin Entertainments to offer people half price tickets to some of the UK’s most popular family attractions in exchange for recycling their used plastic drink bottles via a new network of reverse vending machines installed at Merlin theme parks.

A trial at four of Merlin’s leading attractions (Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and LEGOLAND Windsor) will run between 25th July and 19th October 2018, inviting people to bring and recycle any 500ml plastic bottle via on-site reverse vending machines in exchange for a voucher to receive 50% off entry at 30 participating Merlin attractions, including Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and LEGOLAND Windsor.

The project follows research by Coca-Cola Great Britain, revealing 64% of British consumers would recycle more on-the-go if they were rewarded instantly for their actions.

Coca-Cola and Merlin say that the trial is the first of its kind in the UK to offer people a more valuable reward than the original purchasing price of the plastic drinks bottle they recycle, as the 50% off voucher equates to a saving of around £27 when buying a Merlin attraction day pass.

The partnership comes a year since Coca-Cola Great Britain launched its sustainable packaging strategy alongside a global goal to collect and recycle a bottle or can for every one it sells, by 2030, to help ensure a world without waste.

Jon Woods, General Manager of Coca-Cola Great Britain, says: “We want to reward people for doing the right thing by recycling their bottles and hope to encourage some people who wouldn’t otherwise have done so. Through this exciting new trial with Merlin Entertainments we hope to remind people how valuable their empty plastic bottle is. All of our bottles can be recycled and we want to get as many of them back as possible so they can be turned into new bottles and not end up as litter.”

He continues: “This is just one of the actions that we’re taking to play our part in achieving a World Without Waste. We buy more recycled plastic in the UK than any other company and we are in the process of doubling the recycled plastic in all our bottles from 25% to 50% by 2020. We’re also running television campaigns encouraging people to recycle, putting clear recycling messages across all of our packs and we’re supportive of new interventions, such as deposit return schemes, to see if they improve recycling rates.”

Sandra Hazel, Head of Force for Good at Merlin Entertainments, observes: “This partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain demonstrates our shared ambition to use our brands for good. We’re constantly looking for ways to raise awareness and help contribute to a better environment. As a responsible business and an advocate for marine conservation, we’re pleased to be joining forces with Coca-Cola Great Britain to encourage people to recycle more this summer, by rewarding them with family fun.”

Jon Dormer, Managing Director at Unisan UK, supplier of the CafeCrush reverse vending machines being deployed in the trial, adds: “Our CafeCrush reverse vending machines reward people for recycling. Users simply insert an empty plastic bottle, it’s crushed and then they receive an incentive. The way the machine works means the bottles are not contaminated by other waste and so, are perfect for recycling. Also, because they are crushed, reducing waste volume by up to 90 per cent, more bottles can be stored and therefore less transportation is needed to get them to recycling facilities – a win for consumers and the environment.”

The announcement is the latest in a series of actions from Coca-Cola Great Britain to ensure its packaging is as sustainable as possible and to encourage more people to recycle. Since the launch of its sustainable packaging strategy last year, Coca-Cola has introduced clearer on-pack recycling messaging on its bottles, and aired a dedicated recycling TVC called ‘Love Story’ which has reached over 30m people.

Coca-Cola Great Britain also continues to be the largest user of recycled food grade plastic in the UK with a commitment to increase the recycled PET in its packs from 25% to 50% by 2020. The company also continues to work closely with UK and Scottish governments looking at the introduction of a well-designed deposit return scheme and other ways to increase recovery and recycling rates.

Coca-Cola Great Britain is responsible for marketing 20 brands and over 80 products to consumers across Great Britain. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognisable brands, its portfolio includes Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Oasis, glaceau vitaminwater, glaceau smartwater, Schweppes, Lilt, and Powerade.

Merlin Entertainments plc is a global leader in location based, family entertainment. As Europe’s biggest – and the world’s second-largest – visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates over 120 attractions, 18 hotels and six holiday villages in 25 countries across four continents, with more than 65 million visitors worldwide.

Unisan UK provides environmental sustainability and recycling solutions to over 1,000 major UK brands, serving Food & Drink Manufacturing, Car Manufacturing, Hospitals & Care Homes, Distribution Centres and the Corporate Facilities Industry.

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Cadbury and Merlin Entertainments’ partnership, offering consumers free tickets for memorable days out during summer, is set to continue for a third year running.

Launching on May 1^st and running through the summer to September, Cadbury promotional chocolate bags will offer a free ticket with every purchase of a full priced adult ticket to top UK attractions including Legoland Windsor Resort, Thorpe Park Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort and Sea Life centres.

The on-pack voucher entitles the holder to one free entry with one full paying adult at the attraction gate.

The promotion will be supported by a £1m marketing spend, including Out-Of-Home (OOH) and digital activity that will reach 80% of all adults, and should help drive further category growth in the chocolate bags segment.

The 2017 activity, which was extended to 32 pack variants, helped drive chocolate bag sales during the summer months, delivering a penetration growth of +3.7 percentage points with purchase frequency increasing to 2.7.

Chris Campbell, Brand Manager for Cadbury chocolate bags, says: “In partnership with Merlin Entertainments, we’re helping parents to spend quality time with their families during the holiday season with an instant saving. For 2018 we are making three million new more packs available to consumers – so there are even more opportunities for families to take advantage of the offer.”

The Cadbury brand is owned by Mondelēz International, the global snacking company with 2016 net revenues of approximately $26 billion. Mondelēz is a world leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages, with power brands including Oreo and belVita biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate; and Trident gum.

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Creative technology specialist CASSETTE has been appointed by leading tourist attraction Madame Tussauds Washington DC to deliver an Augmented Reality experience based around the Presidents of the United States.

The Madame Tussauds brand is part of the Merlin Entertainment Group, which also owns or operates a number of visitor attractions and theme parks in the UK and worldwide, including LEGOLAND, Sea Life Aquariums, Thorpe Park Chessington World of Adventures and the London Eye.

CASSETTE has developed a fun AR installation in the Madame Tussauds Washington DC museum. Visitors will be able to reimagine themselves as the 46th President of the United States of America, appearing behind the podium at the presidential inauguration.

CASSETTE is a new standalone business unit launched earlier this year by experiential marketing agency TRO to deliver innovative creative technology solutions for live experiential marketing campaigns.

The move follows the success of TROi (the agency’s previously-titled creative tech division). CASSETTE will operate as its own entity, servicing both TRO clients and the wider industry.

Headed up by Ben Taylor, who previously established TRO’s retail offering, CASSETTE is focussed on taking creative technologies into a physical world environment, and will provide an end-to-end service from strategy, UX and design, to development, build and installation.

Solutions encompass Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, mobile apps, interactive windows, eye tracking technology and more.

TRO was founded in Norfolk in 1982 as The Russell Organisation. It is now an Omnicom Group company. Previous digital work by TRO has included interactive windows for Vogue, and interactive wardrobe for Lucozade Zero, VR suitcases for Samsonite and an interactive football challenge for Nissan.

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Kellogg’s has announced that its exclusive ‘Grown-ups Go Free’ promotion with Merlin will return from January 2018, this time increasing the voucher value by 20%.

By cashing-in the voucher found on Kellogg’s promotional packs shoppers have the opportunity to save up to £60 off the usual ticket price of one adult ticket at a number of Merlin attractions. Consumers can also skip the queues on the day by booking online ahead of their visit.

Available across nearly all Kellogg’s snacks and cereals, the annual promotion will be accessible for shoppers planning days out for family or friends from January next year.

Consumers will be able to use their vouchers at 50 participating venues across the UK and Republic of Ireland, including: Alton Towers Resort; UK SEA LIFE centres; The Blackpool Tower; LEGOLAND Windsor Resort; and Shrek’s Adventure! London.

Kellogg’s impulse sales category lead, Simon Smith, says: “Our Grown-Ups Go Free promotion offers incredible value for shoppers and is completely unique to Kellogg’s. We know consumers actively hunt for it in the run up to holiday periods and it plays an essential part of retailers’ Easter displays. We saw almost two million voucher redemptions last year and with the call-out being more valuable than ever, it’s set to be the on-pack event of the year.”

Kellogg’s cereals including Crunchy Nut, Rice Krispies, Krave, Corn Flakes, Frosties, Variety Packs, Fruit n Fibre and Coco Pops and Kellogg’s snacks including Rice Krispies Squares, Winders, Choco Bakes, Frosties/Coco Pops/Rice Krispies Cereal Bars and Nutri-Grain Elevenses/Fruit Bars are all included in the promotion, which will be running from January 1^st 2018 until mid-April. Vouchers will be valid until June 30^th 2019.

The maximum £60 value for the vouchers is calculated against the full price adult peak entry ticket to LEGOLAND Windsor Resort.

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Beans brand Branston has announced the return of its two-for-one ticket deal with Merlin Entertainments for the second year running, offering tickets to 13 Merlin attractions including Thorpe Park Resort and Sea Life Centres.

The “2 for 1 Tickets” campaign, which will be in store until August on multi-packs and single cans, “aims to extend the target audience for the brand while resonating with families in a fun and engaging way”, according to Branston.

The on pack promotion will also be supported by wider activity including PR and in-store activation, including specific retailer giveaways.

Dean Towey, marketing director for Branston, said: “The partnership aims to provide a point of difference and encourage product trial among a wider target audience. We were thrilled by the success of last year’s partnership and are pleased to be able to offer a benefit which truly resonates with families.”

Katie Chapman, Brand Manager, Thorpe Park Resort, comments: “We are looking forward to developing a partnership with Branston Baked Beans for a second consecutive year. The brand is very much aligned with our own core values and we feel the promotion is a great opportunity to reach out to families during the summer season”.

To claim tickets, consumers have to buy a promotional pack and take the label to the attraction of their choice, or they can claim their passes online using the entry code featured on the label. Consumers have until November 1 2017 to claim tickets at Thorpe Park and until December 31 for Sea Life centres. Restrictions and exclusion dates apply.

The Branston brand is owned by Mizkan Europe Ltd, which usues it for pickles and sauces. Branston Baked Beans are made under licence by Princes Foods.

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Kelloggs ‘Grown-ups Go Free’ Merlin promotion returns

Kelloggs is re-launching its annual ‘Grown-ups Go Free’ promotion in partnership with Merlin Entertainments – and this time the cereal company is highlighting the potential £50 value on-pack.

The promotion started in March in the run-up to the Easter Bank Holiday and school holidays.

By using vouchers from promotional packs of Kellogg’s cereal, cereal bars, Nutri-Grain products, Squares and Fruit Winders, families can claim free tickets to Merlin attractions such as Thorpe Park Resort, Warwick Castle and the Dungeons, saving up to £50.

Consumers just cut out the voucher and take it along to the attraction of their choice. As long as they buy at least one full-price child or adult ticket, one adult can get in for free.

The giveaway is designed to support and encourage family days out. Kelloggs family favourites such as Rice Krispies, Fruit ‘n Fibre, and Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes are all included in the promotion.

All of Merlin’s UK attractions, including Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Sea Life Centres around the country and the Blackpool Tower, are included in the promotion making a total of 51 sites.

To celebrate the return of Kelloggs Grown-ups Go Free for 2017, the two partners are also running a free entry prize draw offering the chance to win one of five Family Short Break prizes at Merlin attractions with accommodation on-site, such as the new CBeebies Land Hotel at Alton Towers Resort, the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel or the new Knights Village at Warwick Castle. There is no need to buy a product to enter the draw.

Kelloggs sales director for the speciality channel, Nick Dawson, says: “Our annual Merlin partnership is the on-pack event of the year, which families are waiting for. We know consumers are expecting it and they actively hunt for it in stores in the run up to holiday periods. We hope this promotion will encourage retailers to stock up, ensuring consumers can collect their vouchers in their local store.”

A full list of attractions can be found at www.grownupsgofree.kelloggs.co.uk or on the Merlin website. Entry is via https://www.merlinfun.com/.

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