High profile brands targeting family audiences have, for many years now, relied upon big prize promotions to grab headlines, steal market share and win hopefully the hearts (and pockets) of their core audience.

From high volume redemption mechanics, such as discounted entry to Legoland or Merlin Entertainments, to classic dream holiday packages to Walt Disney World, brands use prize promotions not only to appeal to their audience, but also to persuade key retailers to increase on-shelf visibility and promote the offer through their own various marketing channels.

At NDL Group, we receive regular briefs for engaging family prize promotions. We understand how hard it is for brands to compete over that valuable customer purchase, so we create prizes that stand out from the crowd.

How does an inspirational prize add value to the overall promotion

Initially, the description of the prize helps create a real sense of excitement to prompt entries: ‘I’d really love to win that’ or ‘my friends should enter too.’

During the promotional period, an unusual or inspirational prize theme can keep customers talking and sharing ideas through social media campaigns: How would you use your prize? Who might you invite to join you? Who deserves it the most?

Finally, once the winner has been selected, the prize details then need to deliver long-lasting value for the winning family. We know from years of prize winner management experience that a delighted winner enthuses about the brand, is keen to report back on how brilliant their experience has been, often shares family memories and is generally more loyal to the brand as a result.

Important factors for a dream family prize

When putting together a dream prize package, our team of promotions experts are careful to consider the target audience.  For example, a family holiday will often still need to fit around school holidays, include suitable children-friendly locations and allow for plenty of quality family time, as well as incredible sightseeing and adventure.

However, our prize winners also tell us they want to experience something that lasts as a real memory, to be treasured among the family.  They want to learn or experience something new. And they really want to have fun!   In fact, we often receive feedback on their return including unprompted expressions such as:  ‘once-in a lifetime’, ‘a dream come true’, ‘a totally brand-new experience’ or simply ‘thank you for some amazing memories.’

In simple terms, a dream prize can often be made up of three main areas: adventure, education and fun.

Prize ideas for the adventurous

The adventure market has recently exploded, a great help for anyone putting together a prize promotion for the slightly braver audience.  Children, who are lucky enough to travel internationally, often have a broader view of the world.  Therefore, parents are heavily invested in expanding the borders of their children’s map and enriching their lives through different experiences.

An Africa safari in the Serengeti is typically a child’s first-time witnessing animals in their natural habitat. This larger than life experience obviously comes with a larger promotion budget, however the customer engagement is invaluable for your prize promotion.

Kayaking and wild camping in the Norwegian Fjords make an amazing trip to grow confidence, whilst teaching new skills. Life in the outdoors is also essential for family time away from tablets.

Caving, hiking and biking in Romania may not be a parents first choice, however there a broad number of skills to be learnt by the entire family. Reasonably priced, this is a great prize to both appeal to families and drive brand engagement.

The opportunity to observe Polar Bears in Manitoba, as they wait for the Hudson Bay to freeze, teaches children about the world around them, human action vs reaction.

Rafting the length of the Grand Canyon with trained river guides is safe way to learn about flora and fauna, and thanks to the absence of Wi-Fi or phone signal, the chance to disconnect and engage with the natural world. This has become a real concern for parents.

 

An educational twist

Education doesn’t need to be constrained to book learning; a wealth of development can be found by challenging personal comfort zones and learning new skills. While technology prizes can make popular material possessions, there can be more educational discoveries with an inspirational travel prize that includes a host of new experiences.

For example, learning to rock climb with an experienced guide doesn’t just teach the family to be fearless. As part of the process, everyone learns how to tie knots, belay safely, and climb cliff faces with confidence. There is a whole life education in there too.

A weekend of dog sledding in Northern Norway, helps children learn about animals and nature. Naturally, you can flex the promotion budget to suit the brand message: either resting in comfort in a luxury hotel, or learning how to camp, with a session on survival skills around your tent!

Learning to sail around the Greek Islands also appeals for a summer holiday with an educational twist.  Parents can combine a sunshine break with an experience that educates and keeps the children occupied during the day.

Family fun time

A fun family experience can look very different from one person to the next.  Working together as a unit to overcome challenges, leads to shared experiences and a whole range of new skills.

Take for example stand up paddle boarding. Not an expensive activity but take your lessons in Sardinia in Caribbean style water, and you’ll gain confidence, learn a new skill and relax in some incredible surroundings at the same time.

If your theme is learning to cook, how about the chance to paddle the Saint Anna Archipelago on a culinary kayaking weekend.  Learning to cook what you catch and have fun with the entire family.

Select the right prize for your audience

We’re seeing that traditional family prize promotions are making way for those without the cookie-cutter seal of approval.  To drive new engagement and attract a wider audience to your brand, make sure you select the right prize for to make your promotion really stand out.

Get in touch to discuss our popular charter Lapland trips this December, or beat the rush for December 2019.

Are you targeting families with your next prize promotion?  Run the brief past us at NDL Group, on 020 7428 3090.