Hi there,

Welcome back to The Promotion Playbook: Your inside track on the strategy, execution, and legal guidance behind campaigns that cut through.

This week, we're diving into the upcoming restrictions on Less Healthy Food and Drink products and how prize promotions can keep you ahead of the curve.

Let's dive in.

In Focus This Week: In A World of Ad Restrictions, Prize Promotions Deliver Results.

Starting 1st October 2025, the UK government will impose strict restrictions on advertising Less Healthy Food and Drink (LHFD) products.

TV ads will be banned between 5:30am and 9pm daily, and paid online advertising will be prohibited across all digital platforms.

Running prize promotions is an increasingly valuable way to gain consumer attention in the face of new Less Healthy Food and Drink (LHFD) restrictions.

Find more guidance on the advertising ban here.

The Evidence:

• Prize promotions deliver 35% average opt-in rate for ongoing brand communications.
  
  
• Significant increases in social media engagement compared to standard content.
  
  
• Compliance-friendly alternative to traditional advertising in restricted categories.
  
  
• First-party data collection that respects privacy while building valuable customer relationships.

Top Takeaways for Your Own Campaigns

1. Rethink targeting and channels: With traditional ads restricted, focus on compliant routes like on-pack promotions, in-store activations, email campaigns, owned social media, and audio (radio/podcast) to stay visible and drive engagement.
   
   Always-on Pringles, Kelloggs and Cadbury prize promotions are excellent examples of brands creating owned channels to stay front-of-mind with shoppers and fans, while remaining fully compliant with upcoming restrictions.
   
   
2. Embrace prize promotions as a strategy: Prize promotions aren’t just compliant, they’re powerful. Use them to increase purchase frequency, gather first-party data, build brand loyalty, and expand your marketing channels.
   
   
3. Train your teams: Ongoing training and regular marketing audits are key to staying ahead of changing regulations. Make compliance part of your culture, not just a checkbox.

For more insider tips, take a look at our guide on this topic:

Stay tuned for next week's edition where I’ll unpack how to launch a standout promotion that not only rewards your customers, but also amplifies your brand’s visibility.