TOPS Markets, LLC was looking for a consumer loyalty-building opportunity that would also drive manufacturer brand sales during first quarter when consumer spending is down. On top of that, TOPS was feeling the pressure of the increased competition from Wegmans and Wal-Mart and seeing flat sales throughout their stores. They wanted to attract new customers and customer segments.

SKM recommended that TOPS run a promotion to strengthen and leverage the TOPS brand by linking it to a household name brand. TOPS signed an agreement with Hasbro to hold the exclusive market rights to the “Monopoly Collect & Win Game,” giving customers over 25 million chances to win almost $2MM in prizes and driving the first quarter of 2010. Monopoly is a well-established brand and has successfully driven traffic for other retail outlets.TOPS’ goal was to leverage the “Monopoly” name and popularity to elevate the TOPS brand, create awareness and excitement for the program with high-level prize opportunities and drive in-store traffic and purchases through game participation. SKM developed and produced creative for a multimedia campaign.The collect and win game pieces included store coupons for various products that TOPS was promoting. We partnered with national brands such as Lays, Oreo, Tropicana, Kraft and Jennie-O. The promotion would increase sales of the co-op products since the customer would also get an extra game ticket with the purchase of these items.

SKM developed a cohesive, eye-catching campaign that combined existing TOPS media vehicles with new tactics to encompass the dynamic of the Monopoly Collect and Win game. The creative was designed to educate customers about Monopoly at TOPS and highlight the large prizes to build excitement for the game. SKM produced television and radio spots along with a microsite to bring together other elements such as a TOPS-sponsored Monopoly tournament, sports marketing, in-store advertising and other media and public relations efforts into a full-blown multimedia campaign.

The campaign consisted of the following elements:

• Television spot
• Radio spot
• Newspaper print ads
• In-store radio spot
• Microsite
• Social media plan and execution
• Billboards
• Full-size branded window signs
• Zamboni wrap at Buffalo Sabres games
• Dasherboard at Buffalo Sabres games
• Public relations effort to coordinate Monopoly tournament
• Mr. Monopoly life-size cutout
• Tent cards
• Floor decals
• Trioramas
• Shelf talkers
• Lapel pins
• Children’s stickers and coloring sheets
• In-store banners
• Winner board stanchions

The campaign was so successful in driving traffic into the stores that TOPS ran the promotion again in 2011.