UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has debuted their exciting new Christmas advertisement today, featuring Roald Dahl’s universally beloved character the BFG.

Set to premier on ITV1 at 8:15pm on Friday 1^st November during Coronation Street, the ad follows the 24-foot friendly giant as he embarks on a new adventure with Sainsbury’s employee Sophie. In a TV first, real-life Sainsbury’s colleague ‘Sophie’ embarks on a journey with the Big Friendly Giant (the BFG), showcasing the delicious flavours of Sainsbury’s festive Taste the Difference range.

The deal was negotiated and managed by Born Licensing, licensing agent for Roald Dahl Story Company. RDSC engaged Born Licensing to bring to life their global partnership and licensing strategy, facilitating ATL campaigns which truly harness the unique storytelling qualities of their IP in an authentic way.

Born Licensing, in collaboration with the Roald Dahl Story Company, worked with Sainsbury’s creative agency, NCA, to ensure this new iteration of the BFG came to life with authenticity. Fans of the beloved book will be delighted to see famous references from the story including snozzcumbers, Frobscottle, and dream jars feature in this magical Christmas campaign. 

The extensive partnership will see the BFG appear across TV, print, outdoor, social media, direct mail, and PR.

“Christmas is the most competitive period for British advertisers and licensing a generationally adored character like the BFG is a sure fire way to capture attention. This is a brilliant example of how powerful advertising can be when combining cherished IP with brilliant creative.”

David Born, Founder and CEO of Born Licensing

“At the Roald Dahl Story Company storytelling is at the heart of what we do and we’re always on the lookout for opportunities to bring our beloved characters and stories to life in new ways, through bespoke and authentic partnerships and marketing campaigns. The BFG is the perfect fit for Sainsbury’s in creating a big Christmas.

Alice O’Brien, Head of Global Commercial Partnerships at the Roald Dahl Story Company

The power of Roald Dahl’s unique stories and characters is evidenced in Sainsbury’s desire to collaborate on the biggest marketing moment of the year. The partnership provided the opportunity to tell their story in a new and innovative way, harnessing the nostalgic love that the BFG brings to generations of audiences.

NCA and Ogilvy were behind the Creative with Rogue Films producing the TVC. The longform” film with cutdowns was directed by award winning Director Sam Brown. Post-production and VFX were done by Electric Theatre Company.

“By collaborating with Sainsbury’s to bring Roald Dahl’s beloved BFG to life in a new story, we hope the nation is as captivated as we are to see two old friends back together this Christmas.”

The BFG is perfect for Sainsbury’s mission to create a Big Christmas for all. Having only snozzcumbers to devour in Giant Country, his curiosity for good food leads to an adventure of discovery and wonderment with Sainsbury’s Sophie in order to bring the magic of Christmas to everyone.”

Natalie Hopkins, Director of Global Product and Partnerships at the Roald Dahl Story Company

This brand-new campaign comes as more and more audiences are enjoying Roald Dahl’s iconic stories being brought to life. Recently, stage adaptations of The Witches and The Enormous Crocodile opened to critical acclaim and sell-out shows, Paul King’s Wonka became an international box-office smash and Wes Anderson’s cinematic adaptation of Roald Dahl’s adult short story The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar received numerous plaudits including an Academy Award. Brand new publishing inspired by Roald Dahl’s The Twits by Greg James and Chris Smith landed in the Top 10 Children’s Hardback charts upon release, and fans the world over continue to devour Roald Dahl products and enjoy partnerships like The Twits and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Teas in London.

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Get ready for a summer of surprises as tpf deposits prize lockers across the UK. Typically associated with dropping-off parcels, these sleek safes allow shoppers to unlock exclusive prizes tailored to the summer of sport. Over three weekends in White City, Southampton, and Liverpool, tpf will blend digital and physical interaction to increase footfall into specific retail locations and drive brand engagement.  

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This interactive experience demonstrates the art of anticipation in brand activation. Positioned prominently at the front of John Lewis stores, the prize lockers immediately catch the eye of incoming shoppers. To participate, simply scan a QR code displayed on the prize lockers, which provides a unique entry code. Enter this code into the screen on the prize locker and the moment of reveal arrives, holding your breath to see if you win one of the prizes provided by John Lewis partner brands. This seamless build-up, infused with the possibility of winning incredible prizes, transforms a routine shop into an exhilarating rush. 

“The importance of brands interacting with their customers can’t be underestimated. To stand out from the crowd, retailers need to engage with their customers in innovative and unexpected ways. We’ve loved working with one of the UK’s most trusted brands, John Lewis, to deliver unique prize-winning competitions in their branches across the country.” 

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Maintaining brand relevance in an evolving retail landscape is crucial. By combining a physical prize locker with a digital entry process, the campaign offers a modern consumer experience. Blending the convenience of smartphone technology with the tactile pleasure of in-store shopping, this hybrid model exemplifies the next generation of promotional activities.  

The selection of prizes, provided by John Lewis partner brands, is designed to celebrate the summer of sports. With the Ooni Fyra Pizza Oven, winners can enjoy outdoor gatherings and homemade pizzas while watching their favourite sports. The Therabody massage guns are ideal for recovering from intense sports activities, while the Caudalie Oil Elixir bundle offers a luxurious remedy for self-care. This selection not only complements the sporting season, but also encourages customers to trial new products.

Through the endowment effect, shoppers participating in this activation feel a stronger sense of ownership and value toward the prizes as they interact with both digital and physical elements. This effect ensures that shoppers not only cherish their prizes but also develop a lasting bond with the brand. 

A simple yet unique scan-to-win mechanic saw prize lockers placed in prominent store locations. It was uplifting to see the delight on peoples’ faces when winning a prize. The genuine reactions exemplify the opportunity to drive true brand affinity.

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The possibility of unlocking a prize drives shoppers to John Lewis stores, boosting footfall and creating a lively shopping environment. This engagement strategy not only increases immediate sales but also reinforces John Lewis’s reputation as a premier retail destination. tpf’s prize locker demonstrates the shift towards experiential retail, combining digital convenience with in-store excitement.

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Aside from matters of family, love, and religion, little else raises more passion on a global scale than sport. They stand as the ultimate uniter and divider in the realm of entertainment. With Summer 2024 poised to deliver one of the biggest sporting calendars in recent years, featuring the Olympics in Paris, the Euros in Germany and Champions League in London, a new era of marketing approaches. To examine the meteoric rise of live fan experiences, and what to expect from sports marketing in 2024, IPM sits down with its latest member, C-Screens, the largest provider of Out-Of-Home Screens in the UK. C-Screens will be bringing multiple pop-up screening events, showing live premium sports all day, from iconic bustling city centres through to high end shopping districts such as Covent Garden. Equipped with large state of the art high-definition LED screens and multiple unique activation spaces, C-Screens offers ready-made sporting havens, heralding the future of live fan experiences. But first, let’s remind ourselves why 2024 is so special for sports. 

Summer of Sports 2024

• 2023 set a precedent for the UK, with major sporting events injecting a remarkable £373 million into the national economy, as researched by UK Sport.

• This figure is set to soar with the Guardian heralding this summer 2024 as “one for the ages”, referring to the extraordinary line-up of sporting events.

• The Olympics are set for Paris, with the Champions League final in London. Dublin will host the Europa League Final, and England is a strong contender in the European Championship. The year features two T20 World Cups, The Open Championship, Tour de France, Wimbledon, and the British Grand Prix, among other major events.

• This pivotal moment in sports is also a turning point for marketing. The industry is poised to revolutionise how fans experience, enjoy, and engage with sports.

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With this high concentration of major sporting events, fan experiences are expected to reach peak interest during the summer period. Originally designed to extend the live sports experience beyond the stadium to a wider audience, fan zones emerged in the early 2000s around major football tournaments. These unique brand experiences have since become more than just places to watch sports. They are now immersive hubs of excitement, “bringing the party to the people,” as described by the Paris 2024 sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera. By combining the power of the big screen alongside a brand activation can provide a valuable addition to immersive experiences. C-Screens partnership with Multiplay attracted bigger than ever audiences with its free, outdoor live gaming event that featured a knockout style football tournament on the giant screens, streamed simultaneously across multiple locations.

“Today, sports is all about the experience. It’s not just watching a game but feeling part of it, no matter where you are. This evolution has opened up new avenues for engaging with content and creating moments that bring fans together.”

Robert Hicks, CEO, C-Screens

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C-Screens as a modern outdoor broadcaster has a clear goal to entertain consumers and can help brands and agencies facilitate a wide range of brand engagement activations and lifestyle content, as well as offering opportunities with on-site retailing. The effectiveness of these captivating environments stems from the extended dwell time of audiences engrossed in the action on the big screens, providing an optimal setting for impactful and emotionally charged consumer interactions.

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Enlivening Spaces, Engaging Minds

With key sporting milestones compressed between May and September this Summer, live-screening experiences are one of the hottest trends in marketing right now. C-Screens stands at the forefront of this movement, providing solutions for official sport sponsors as well as catering for those who are just dipping their toes into the world of sport to engage in new and creative ways with a sport loving audience. As the latest addition to the IPM Community, C-Screens extends a warm invitation to fellow IPM members to help support their promotional and brand experiences this sporting season. If you’re interested in exploring what’s possible, please get in touch with hello@c-screens.com

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With just over 1 week remaining until the entry deadline for the prestigious IPM Awards 2024, the time to shine is now. This is your opportunity to showcase your outstanding work, celebrate your achievements, and stand a chance to claim one of the highly sought-after IPM trophies.

After the resounding success of last year’s event, which saw a sell-out crowd, it’s evident that the promotional marketing industry is brimming with remarkable campaigns. These campaigns play a pivotal role in driving brand success, fostering customer loyalty and engagement, and, of course, boosting sales.

Whether your expertise lies in promotional incentive campaigns, competitions, immersive experiential initiatives, or collaborative brand partnerships, the IPM Awards categories cater to a diverse range of accomplishments.

Its time to get moving; the deadline is Wednesday, May 8th, at 4:00 PM.

Don’t miss out on the chance to be recognised for your excellence in promotional marketing.

Enter the IPM Awards 2024 today and take your place among industry trailblazers.

For all category information visit https://theipm.org.uk/awards-2024/

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Multi-award-winning creative brand experience agency N2O is transforming an existing hair salon in the Capital into an immersive space for consumers to experience a secret product line.

Consumers can book free appointments with expert hair stylists without knowing the brand behind their finished look. The four-step process includes shampoo, conditioner, serum, and oil before finishing with a blow-dry and style of choice. They’ll then be invited to head down the salon’s stairs to the reveal tunnel to discover the brand behind their ultra glossy salon look! Goody bags of all products used will be given away to all who have a treatment at Salon X.

Clare James, Chief Operating Officer at N2O, said: “What an exciting campaign to be a part of! Usually, an experience is about immersing yourself in the brand from the get-go, but this time, we’re keeping it a secret right until the last moment, with a big reveal at the end.”

Free appointments – which are available from 10.30am Tuesday 16^th April to 7pm Sunday 21^st April – can be booked at here

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With Whole Earth once again being crowned an official partner of Team GB, Activation is offering shoppers the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games—a prize package valued at £10,000. Topped off with 245 daily prizes featuring official Team GB merchandise. The aim? To drive awareness and trial of Whole Earth Peanut Butter with new and lapsed consumers, and convey the wholesome goodness of the product, leveraging their official partnership with Team GB. Nicola Turner, Whole Earth brand controller at Ecotone UK explains:

“Peanut butter is often seen as a treat rather than an everyday food due to the misconception that it’s not good for us. We want to show that for many Team GB athletes – some of the healthiest people in the UK – Whole Earth peanut butter plays a star role in their diets due to it being full of goodness with no added sugar, and its winning nutty taste”.

The second phase of the promotion aligns with Whole Earth’s wholesome goodness essence and their love of the great outdoors, with three exclusive Active UK breaks up for grabs between July 1st to September 15th. Explore the tranquil waters of the Lake District, conquer the picturesque Dunnerdale Fells on a run, or cycle through Snowdonia’s breathtaking landscapes – perfect wholesome trips for health-conscious shoppers.

Activation doesn’t stop there. They have also curated an array of in-store concepts to breathe life across different POS shopper touch points and assist the sell-in process. To really wow retailers, they even recommended pitching a front of store Eiffel Tower installation with Team GB athletes to reinforce the official partnership.

As the campaign unfolds, shoppers are not only enticed by the allure of prizes but also inspired to embrace the spirit of sporting greatness and wholesome living with peanut butter.

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The bd-capital team combines best-in-class investors with ex-CEOs to offer the next evolution of the Private Equity Operating Partner model. The firm focuses on high-growth businesses fuelled by changing patterns of consumer behaviour and disruptive technology.

TLC Worldwide has pioneered experience-led marketing and loyalty programs for the world’s best-loved brands for over 30 years. In a world where consumer decisions and loyalty are deeply enhanced by more personalised, generous and immediate rewards – and with every consumer demographic yearning for more experiences in their lives- the TLC platform COSMOS offers a truly unique solution.

David Johnston, former Group CEO of global loyalty business Aimia, also with 20 years’ experience in the FMCG industry, notably with PepsiCo, will become chairman of TLC. Jan-Pieter Lips, co-founder of the Nectar loyalty program and former Executive at fintech Adyen, will also join TLC’s Group Board. TLC Founder, Nick True, will remain on the Group Board as a key advisor, and co-Founder Alec Johnson will continue to lead the business as Group CEO. Leveraging their combined strengths, this exciting new team is set to continue driving TLC’s extraordinary growth trajectory and offering brands the very best consumer rewards solution.

Nick True, Founder of TLC, expressed his great pride in the company’s evolution over the past three decades and looks forward to the next chapter in partnership with bd-capital, emphasizing the significance of their shared cultural values as the foundation for future success.

TLC Worldwide has been at the forefront of connecting clients’ customers with free experiences, offering access to over 45,000 experiences across 40 countries through its global platform COSMOS. From travel and hotels to family outings and wellness activities, TLC’s comprehensive reward network ensures inclusive and generous rewards for all, driving strong ROI, loyalty and supporting brand equity.

Alec Johnson, CEO of TLC, is enthusiastic about the growth opportunities ahead, supported by bd-capital, emphasizing the company’s commitment to delivering best-in-class ROI and advancing its technology and its data proposition. David Johnston echoed this sentiment, emphasising the collective ambition to deliver even more value back to every TLC stakeholder, including clients, reward partners, end-consumers and shareholders.

The partnership between TLC Worldwide and bd-capital signifies an exciting step forward in shaping the buoyant future of the consumer rewards industry.

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The Happy Prize Company was founded by Justine Clement over 8 years ago and they’re excited to be re-joining the IPM after so many years of earlier support. Justine was the CEO of Unmissable, one of the forerunners of the prize management agency scene and has always been a fan of our work here at the IPM in supporting brands and agencies through their many lifecycles.  

The Happy Prize Company is a prize creation and management agency that creates and manages both straightforward off-the-shelf, as well as bespoke, unforgettable concepts, for promotional marketing prizes, staff and trade rewards, travel incentives and brand partnerships. They’re also proud to be a re-certified B Corp, too. That means, where relevant, they love creating more meaningful experiences as prizes for brands and agency partners who share their values: think experiences that teach people about wellbeing, ethics, a sense of purpose and reigniting a passion for, and an understanding of, the natural world.  They wholeheartedly believe that their approach positively impacts the campaigns they are asked to work on. In the main, their offering consists of off-the-shelf, or bespoke, ATOL/ABTA bonded overseas travel experiences, UK experiences, vouchers, electronic goods, sports-themed, music-themed, and money-can’t-buy prizes.

Don’t just take our word for any of this. As one of their clients said about them “Justine and her team at The Happy Prize Company completely understand the demands of building award-winning campaigns and deliver every time. They come up with creative ideas which help to bring concepts to life and act as a true member of the team. I would recommend them every time.”

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Cat Among The Pigeons has created a major brand partnership promotion for Horlicks as part of its ongoing marketing campaign to drive trial and attract a younger audience.

The Happy Place on-pack promotional campaign offers shoppers a free three-month subscription to Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place app with every purchase of Horlicks 400g, saving almost £15. There is also the chance to win 1 of 10 Wellness Weekends.

The Happy Place app is curated by Fearne Cotton and features wellness content and videos from a host of experts across mindfulness, yoga, meditation and sleep to help you take a break during busy days.

The ‘Wellness Weekends’ for two have been created to indulge the senses and include the choice of a Yoga Retreat, a Luxury Spa Weekend, a Wellness-Inspired Glamping Break or a Delicious Foodie Break at boutique locations across the UK.

Cat Among The Pigeons designed the new promotional packs which will be rolled out in all major retailers during January and run until the end of March 2024.

The promotion is supported by a comprehensive shopper marketing campaign including digital advertising screens, in-home sampling, category aisle fins and retailer magazine to drive awareness of the on-pack offer.

Cat Among The Pigeons created a QR code and the win.horlickshappy.co.uk microsite to facilitate easy entry to the Wellness Weekend prize draws, verifying proof of purchase as well as providing a seamless journey to claim the FREE Happy Place app subscription.

Rebekha White, Brand Manager at Aimia Foods, commented, “following our successful sponsorship of Fearne Cotton’s festivals last year we are excited to take our partnership to the next level with this on-pack promotion – providing shoppers with even more ways to find their happy place!”

Paul McGann, Founder at Cat Among The Pigeons added, “shoppers are under pressure to balance the family food shop but we are confident that an added value promotion with a wellbeing ‘reward for all’ will attract new shoppers into the category and drive incremental Horlicks sales.”

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TLC Worldwide UK is thrilled to announce the  launch of its summer campaign in partnership with Heinz, which offers free days out to participants across the UK.

The Free Dayz Out campaign aims to encourage people to explore the nation and try something new this summer. Delivered by TLC Worldwide UK’s National Activities Network, there are thousands of venues to choose from and a variety of activity types.

“The Dayz Out competition is the latest activity from Heinz to help support families. Whether your interests lie in art, culture, or amusement parks, this the perfect campaign to allow adults and children alike to go ahead enjoy their summers.”

The campaign, which is live on-pack in grocery stores across England, Scotland, and Wales, will run from 28th June 2023 until 31^st October 2023. Every single customer will be able to claim a free day out when purchasing a qualifying promotional pack of Heinz products.  Participating customers will be able to choose from bowling, go karting, museums, national gardens, theme parks, paintballing, animal parks, aquariums, or one of many more. TLC Worldwide UK ensures a wide array of options to cater to many interests, for education, fun or both!

“At TLC Worldwide, we believe that experiences make life more rewarding.” said John Pearson, Managing Director at TLC Worldwide UK. “Through our partnership with Heinz, we are delighted to provide people with the opportunity to discover a new interest and take time to enjoy an activity they may not usually do. We aim to add value to the customer experience and get people out into the nation this summer!”

To participate in this campaign, customers need only purchase a pack of Heinz beans, soup or sauce with the promotion featured on the pack. Customers can then follow the instructions on pack to TLC Worldwide UK’s campaign website to claim their day out. Full campaign details and terms and conditions can be found at https://dayzout.heinz.co.uk/

As a component of the initiative, TLC enlisted the assistance of influencers to endorse the messaging on Instagram and contribute to the campaign’s promotion. All promotional content related to the campaign can be discovered using the hashtag #FreeDayzOut

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