Recently, savi welcomed Neil Sharp, Senior Shopper Marketing Manager at Müller, to discuss the learnings behind two very different shopper activations: Müller Corner Gingerbread Run and Müller x MyProtein Perfect Match.
At first glance, the campaigns couldn’t have been more different. One focused on deep engagement through a festive game-of-skill. The other was designed to create a quicker, simpler route to product trial.
Yet together they revealed three important lessons for brands looking to drive engagement, trial and conversion.
1. Different Objectives Require Different Mechanics
The first lesson was simple: the mechanic should fit the objective.
Gingerbread Run was designed to create attention and engagement, generating more than 600,000 plays and delivering almost two minutes of interaction per session.
As Neil explained:
“That’s one minute 51 seconds worth of attention that we had every single time someone played this game.”
By contrast, Perfect Match prioritised simplicity, reward accessibility and product trial.
Neither approach was right or wrong. They were simply designed to achieve different outcomes.
2. The Route to Reward Matters More Than You Think
Perhaps the biggest surprise from the session was that the most important optimisation wasn’t the game mechanic itself.
It was the route to redemption.
The learnings from Gingerbread Run helped Müller simplify the reward journey in Perfect Match, making it easier for shoppers to claim and redeem rewards.
For marketers, it was a valuable reminder that engagement alone isn’t enough. The experience after engagement can have just as much influence on campaign results.
As Neil put it:
“Make sure that you really optimise that path to redemption as easily and quickly as possible.”
3. Smart Rewards Connected Engagement with Trial
While the mechanics evolved, one constant remained: Smart Rewards.
Both campaigns used Smart Rewards to connect shopper engagement with a tangible product experience, helping Müller turn participation into product trial.
Just as importantly, Smart Rewards provided visibility across the shopper journey, helping the team understand what happened after the game ended and informing improvements for future campaigns.
Rather than choosing between engagement and conversion, Müller used Smart Rewards to connect the two.
The Key Takeaway
The most successful campaigns don’t stop at engagement.
They create a clear, frictionless path from participation to action.
For Müller, that meant combining engaging experiences with Smart Rewards to drive product trial, gather insight and continuously improve performance.
Or, as Neil concluded:
“Just try it. It’s the only way we learn things in this industry.”
Watch the Webinar
Missed the session or want to revisit the discussion? Contact us for for the recording link now or take a look at the Gingerbread Run case study here →
Could Smart Rewards Work for Your Brand?
Whether you’re looking to drive product trial, increase repeat purchase, build your CRM audience or create more rewarding shopper experiences, Smart Rewards can help turn engagement into measurable action.
Book a Smart Rewards discovery session → Contact savi
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