. The 'missing penguins' promotion is running across 11 million packs of McVitie’s Penguin products before the end of April.
If you’re lucky enough to find a winning wrapper, the top prize means you’ll experience a family holiday in South Africa to see the penguins at Boulders Beach. As a runner-up you’ll win 1 of 200 family tickets to Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Zoos.
The promotion incorporates a partnership with the ZSL, a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. McVitie’s Penguin will donate £250 to ZSL for every winning wrapper found, mounting to an eventual £50,000 to fund the expedition to examine the phenomenon of missing penguins in southern Antarctica.
In a nutshell 'eat chocolate penguins to save real penguins'. The concept is a brave and fun at the same time. The link between the product and resulting promotion is plain for everyone to see and strives to do much more than a run-of-the-mill prize giveaway.
On the other hand does the UK’s youthful, obesity-ravaged society really need more reasons to scoff chocolate?
Interestingly, awareness of the promotion seems to have skipped the radar. This isn’t surprising considering the presence online is a small feature on the ZSL website. An all singing, all dancing targeted microsite would have added an extra dimension to the core idea.
Meanwhile two custom displays have been designed and positioned at zoos (London & Whipsnade) as advertising for the promotion. So, I’ve visited the zoo, I’m aware of the promotion, I’ve purchased my pack of penguins, I’ve won...tickets to go back to the zoo? I’m a little confused.
Overall this is a prize giveaway, given a twist of creativity and rooted in an inspiring cause. But inaccurate positioning, on and offline, and underexposure in the public domain is a going to mean this campaign is constantly fighting to get the credit it deserves.
Now sit-back and relax in the knowledge that the chocolate penguin you’re munching is contributing to the survival of his real-life cousin. Lovely.
Rating: 4 out of 10
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