The Walkers TXT2WIN programme rolls out from this week on 270 million packs of Walkers Snacks and runs for five months. It dwarfs the previous biggest instant-win text programme, which was operated by Cadbury two years ago on 65 million chocolate bars and offered prizes totalling more than £1m.
The promotion will tap into the massive growth of text messaging among children and teenagers, but is likely to heighten concerns among food industry lobbyists about the aggressive marketing of foods with high salt content, in the light of criticism over the Walkers 'Books for Schools' cause related marketing scheme.
Walkers is the first company to offer branded text credits direct to consumers' mobile accounts, worth £5 or 50p. Walkers has also struck a deal with Sony to offer instant-win prizes comprising LCD TVs, DVD players, PlayStation2 consoles and Sony Ericsson mobiles. Smaller prizes include flashing mobile stickers and ringtones.
The promotion will appear on packs of Quavers, Monster Munch, Wotsits, French Fries and Squares, and is supported by a £750,000 three-week TV ad campaign by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, which breaks on June 25. There will also be in-store point-of-sale activity.
The Marketing Store has created the campaign's concept, while wireless marketing agency 12 Snap is responsible for managing the promotion.
"This is the biggest promotion we have ever undertaken," said Samantha Green, brand manager at Walkers.
Walkers TXT2WIN runs until October 31 and requires customers to text a nine-letter code found on-pack to a five-digit number. They receive a text back to inform them if they are a winner. Customers can also enter the code online at www.walkerstxt2win.co.uk.
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