Welcome back to The Promotion Playbook, your expert-led guide to building prize campaigns that not only meet the brief, but leave a lasting impression.
We’ll be sharing standout case studies, creative strategies, and actionable tips you can put to work in your next campaign. Be quick - it’s your last chance to sign up.
In Focus This Week: How Experiential Campaigns Drive Action Through Connection
It’s easy to think of promotions as simple reward mechanics: enter, win, repeat. But the most memorable campaigns offer something more - a reason to care.
Experiential prize promotions invite people to engage with your brand on a human level, creating a shared moment they’ll associate with your message long after the campaign ends.
These campaigns don’t just increase participation, they deepen connection.
The Evidence: Virgin Atlantic - Be a Rainbow in the Clouds
To celebrate the spirit of spontaneous adventure, Virgin Atlantic launched a campaign that brought its vibrant brand ethos to life - not just through messaging, but through a bold, real-world experience.
We worked with Virgin Atlantic on the live activation at the heart of the campaign: a takeover of London’s Bond Street tube station, where unsuspecting commuters were offered the chance to pack their bags and fly to New York that very weekend!
Here’s how the campaign worked: Commuters were approached by Brand Ambassadors and asked a few quick eligibility questions. If eligible, they were handed a red envelope containing directions to a second checkpoint.
There, they met another Brand Ambassador and were presented with three new envelopes - one of which revealed the prize they had won.
Here’s what made it stand out:
It turned an everyday setting (in this case a busy Tube station) into a stage for spontaneous adventure, bringing real excitement to a seemingly ordinary commute.
The activation mirrored the campaign’s message perfectly: travel isn’t just about the destination, but about how you see and experience the world.
The envelope mechanic added suspense and interaction, transforming the entry process into an engaging, multi-step journey.
With high-value, tiered prizes and a once-in-a-lifetime trip on offer, the campaign created emotional impact - from anticipation to elation - all under the watchful eye of PromoVeritas to ensure fairness and compliance.
Top Takeaways for Your Own Campaigns
Create moments, not just mechanics: An emotionally charged experience - something users do, not just enter - is far more likely to stay with them. That memory becomes a brand touchpoint in itself.
Bring surprise to everyday spaces: Transforming familiar environments into unexpected brand touchpoints (like a Tube station turned departure gate) captures attention and leaves a lasting emotional impact.
Build excitement through suspense and tiered rewards: Giving participants the chance to win something big, with clear prize levels, adds drama and encourages deeper engagement, while maintaining transparency.
In next week’s email, I’ll be unpacking how to navigate the complex legal landscape of prize promotions across the EU so you can run campaigns with confidence, wherever your audience is.
Before I go, our Prize Promotions That Pop webinar is almost here! Don’t miss your opportunity to gain practical insights and proven strategies for building campaigns that stand out, stay compliant, and drive real results.
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