Great benefits for kids and strong emotional appeal for parents

1.4 billion people grew up playing with building block toys of some kind. So, it was hardly a surprise that the Little Checkers campaign was such a smashing success with both children and adults.

35 building blocks to collect and build a whole Little Checkers store

For every R200 spent at Checkers, shoppers would receive one flowpack with building blocks inside. A total of 35 packs could be collected to build a complete small store. Each pack contained a store unit (a mini till, freezer, shopping cart, mini products, shoppers, and store staff), stickers to complete the unit, and an instruction leaflet. Additional merchandise was sold separately. And for the biggest building block fans, they could buy a starter kit including extras such as a base plate on which to build the store, the logo, outside flags, trolley parking, store awning, and exterior walls as well as a branded delivery truck!

A powerful online and in-store activation to give the campaign a boost

The promotion was launched with powerful POS and in-store communication, immediately encouraging consumers to participate. A catchy TVC was also created for the campaign.

As for the online launch, a dedicated website including a 3D virtual store was created. Building tutorial videos were available to help shoppers build their little supermarkets, and an online competition was held to boost engagement further.

Building block toys: A timeless concept for kids to learn while playing

The loyalty campaign was a great source of entertainment for boys and girls, but this was not the only benefit. Little Checkers bricks are fun and reusable toys that can help parents spend time with their children away from screens. Blueprints were included in the starter pack to stimulate children’s minds while assembling all the pieces. This building activity is a great tool to help them develop hand-eye coordination as well as creative skills. They can learn how to build, measure and count, and how patience and teamwork can help you achieve great things.

Iconic international and South African brands gained considerable brand and product exposure by branding store sections, shelves, and mini grocery items placed throughout the little store.

Checkers has been collaborating with us on loyalty campaigns for several years. Together, we ran Little Shop in 2016, Little Shop 2 in 2017 and Little Garden in 2018. Little Checkers in 2019 crowns Checkers and UNGA’s journey of collaboration, rewarding shoppers once again with the freshness and innovation of a new and educational concept. The new pages filled in the “little” story helped achieve big results once more!

Little Checkers got nominated for the Loyalty Magazine Awards 2020

The Loyalty Magazine Awards gather the leaders of the loyalty business from across the globe to celebrate creativity and reward the best programs each year. Our Little Checkers campaign has been nominated in the Best Short-Term Loyalty Initiatives in 2020.