COLES: REACTIVATING UNDER-ENGAGED SHOPPERS THROUGH INSTANT-WIN EXPERIENCES
Delivering instant-win excitement that engaged 30+ brand partners and drove seven-figure revenue impact
Our Sectors
Retail
Client
Coles
Solutions
Reward Networks
Location
Australia
Overview
Coles is one of Australia’s largest and most trusted retailers, serving millions of customers every week through a national network of supermarkets, online grocery services, liquor outlets and financial products. Founded in Melbourne in 1914, the brand has grown from a single variety store into an Australian household name.
Yet even for a brand of this scale and familiarity, standing out in a competitive, promotion-heavy category presents a constant challenge. While Coles reaches millions, not every shopper responds to traditional incentives in the same way. A growing segment of customers had become under-engaged with existing promotions, prompting Coles to rethink how value was delivered at the checkout.
To reconnect with these shoppers, Coles partnered with TLC Worldwide to launch an instant-win campaign that replaced predictable discounts with moments of surprise and emotionally engaging rewards – designed to feel premium, accessible and unmistakably Coles.
The Challenge
Coles identified an opportunity to broaden engagement across its shopper base, particularly among adults who were no longer responding to familiar promotional formats. In a category where discounts are expected and easily replicated, the challenge was to deliver something that felt genuinely different.
The campaign was all about rewarding everyday shopping behaviour while tapping into customers’ desire for enjoyment, escapism and memorable experiences. It needed to feel simple, instant, and rewarding, without adding friction to the in-store journey or diluting Coles’ value-led positioning.
Why TLC
Coles partnered with TLC to access their global network of experience partners, strategic campaign thinking, and extensive operational expertise in reward fulfilment. TLC’s proven ability to deliver large-scale, high-perceived-value promotions made us the ideal partner to design and execute a programme that felt both premium and accessible.
The TLC Approach
The national instant-win campaign ran across more than 800 Coles stores, and invited customers to upload their receipt after purchasing a participating product, to instantly unlock a guaranteed reward.
Rather than focusing on cash discounts alone, the programme centred on high-perceived-value experiences. Customers could win from a diverse range of rewards including yoga and wellness sessions, surfing lessons, zoo visits, nature-based activities and even luxury treehouse stays. The experiences were brought together under a calming, aspirational “Treehouse” theme, reinforcing the message of escape and balance.
The journey was designed to be seamless, with clear in-store communication supported by an intuitive digital experience that made participation and redemption effortless.
By shifting the focus away from transactional savings and toward emotional reward, the campaign reframed how value could be delivered in a supermarket environment.
The Results
More than 52% of rewards were redeemed daily, demonstrating strong customer desire and clear relevance of the experiences on offer. Over half of previously under-engaged shoppers were successfully reached and reactivated.
Supplier participation was equally strong, with more than 30 partners engaged, unlocking a seven-figure revenue impact and reinforcing the commercial power of experience-led promotions. Across the board, the campaign generated excitement, participation and renewed engagement, strengthening Coles’ position as a retailer willing to innovate beyond price.
52%+
Daily
Reward redemption
50%+
Under-engaged
Shoppers reactivated
Seven
Figure
Supplier revenue impact
Hear directly from the client
“TLC was able to once again use their unique ability to reward all our customers with fantastic high value prizes.”
Coles
Marketing Manager
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