Sunday, August 29, 2010

California Lottery Replay Program


Agency: Alcone Marketing Group
Client: California Lottery

Over the past few years, the California Lottery has experienced a phenomenon called “jackpot fatigue,” by which players have become used to higher and higher jackpots and it takes an especially high jackpot to prompt consumer participation and purchase.

At the same time, players have been feeling that the chance of winning is astronomically against them. Even with scratch-offs, which have better odds, players are desensitized and do not expect to win. Frequent and loyal players are looking for more opportunities to win and look forward to the excitement and anticipation of winning.

Alcone created the Lottery Replay program, in which “every 2nd counts.” To participate, new scratch games included a code that could be entered online at calottery.com/replay for additional chances to win. The program rewarded frequent and loyal Lottery players with increased odds of winning. In addition, every three months, the Lottery conducted a drawing of all eligible codes, and 10 winners each received $1,000.

The program was supported with in-store POS and email blasts to the Lottery database, including a photo contest designed to spark interest, in which people could send in funny photos from memories they wish they could redo, for a chance to win cash prizes. Over the first eight months of the program’s existence, the Lottery offered three additional cross-promotions, providing players with a third way to win.

The Lottery achieved their goal of developing a loyalty program that delivered consistent ways for players to engage with the Lottery after buying a either a winning or losing ticket. The program generated more than 2.5 million unique visitors who went to the website more than 6.3 million times with an average visit of between six and 14 minutes. More than 39.7 million codes were entered. The program is ongoing. 

InterContinental Hotels Group: Screaming


Agency: Digitas
Client: InterContinental Hotels Group 


The InterContinental Hotels Group wanted to increase business from its loyalty club members, Priority Club Rewards, and bring in new members, despite a down market. At the same time, they wanted to drive email address and e-communications opt-in. The agency created the ‘Stay 2 Nights Get 1 Free’ promotion, nicknamed “Screaming.”

During the promotion period, anyone who booked two nights from May 5 to August 15 received a free night to use from July 3 to December 26. Registrants could earn up to a total of four free nights from any InterContinental brand and could also redeem them for any brand, excluding Japanese hotels.

Marketing support for the campaign included countercards and tearpads at the point of sale, print, online, TV, radio, postcards, member statements, member email, card stickers in new member and elite fulfillment kits and inserts with the hotel chain’s partner Chase.

The hotel chain felt the campaign was a screaming success. It generated an incremental $108,000 for InterContinental Hotels Group. Roughly 900,000 people registered during the stay period, 30% more than an average quarterly campaign. While the majority of registrants were existing members, 120,000 new people join the Priority Rewards Club. The goal was for registrants to stay 5 nights, but most stayed 7.

MyCokeRewards


Agency: The Marketing Store
Client: Coca-Cola
Since 2006, MyCokeRewards.com has been one of the largest online loyalty programs in the consumer packaged goods industry with over 14 million members and 4.5 million unique visitors every month. However, loyal though they are, these members were asking for a better experience. Specifically, they wanted a quicker, easier design and more benefits.

Coke’s strategy called for a friendlier site re-built from the ground up, with an intuitive layout that highlights the three benefits of the program – Pick Up Points, Spend Your Points and Get Extras & Exclusives. The site offered more fun ways to redeem points and provide extra benefits, all while making them feel better about the brand.
A brand campaign supported the launch, including emails, billboards, direct mail and business-to-business partner elements.
 
In the first month of the redesign, there were over 6 million visits to the site – up +27% from the previous month, with the average visit lasting 10 minutes. In addition, the site saw the highest total sweepstakes entries ever and more members entered Coke codes than any other month since November 2008. Overall, new member registrations were up 25% for that month.