Campaign Overview

To stand out in the crowded Black Friday landscape and drive early-morning in-store traffic, Kohl’s launched a nationwide gamified sweepstakes designed to make their stores the first stop for shoppers and deal-hunters. The Kohl’s Black Friday Sweepstakes leveraged instant win gameplay tactics to motivate and engage early shoppers.

Starting at 5 a.m. local time, the first 200 customers at each Kohl’s location (300 in select stores) received a peel-and-reveal instant win Game Piece on their way into the store, awarding prizes totaling over $2 million in the first hour of Black Friday shopping. This time-sensitive promotion used the power of gamification to create a sense of urgency and reward participation, driving significant foot traffic and setting Kohl’s apart during one of retail’s most competitive days.

Our Solution

We partnered with Kohl’s to develop a gamified promotion that could scale across U.S. store locations, reward early in-store visits, and create opportunities for ongoing engagement after the event.

Our Approach

• Gamified Prize Redemption at Scale: Each Game Piece was a winner— offering either instantly redeemable Kohl’s Cash or physical and digital prizes with a unique code. After revealing their prize on the physical game pieces, winners were directed to Realtime Media’s redemption site to provide the necessary information. The promotion awarded more than 250,000 prizes nationwide, with a total prize value of over $2 million.
• Incredible Prizes: Prizes ranged from Sephora at Kohl’s gift cards and LEGO sets to Samsonite luggage, Draper James holiday gift boxes, and a grand prize Florida beach vacation— designed to reflect Kohl’s brand partnerships and resonate with holiday shoppers.
• Streamlined Fulfillment and Prize Claiming: Kohl’s Cash prizes were redeemable in-store or online through the end of the day (November 29). Physical prize winners visited a dedicated microsite, developed by Realtime Media, to enter their code and claim rewards within 15 days.
• Second-Chance Entry: Shoppers who didn’t receive a Game Piece could still participate via a second-chance drawing, adding an inclusive layer to the campaign and extending brand engagement post-event.

Key Benefits

• Drove In-Store Traffic and Early Engagement: The gamified, limited-time nature of the promotion helped Kohl’s break through Black Friday clutter and capture first-shop status for thousands of customers.
• Accelerated CRM Growth: The campaign generated a nearly 60% opt-in rate, expanding Kohl’s marketing database with high intent, engaged consumers.
• Enhanced Brand Affinity: By making the Black Friday experience feel fun, rewarding, and interactive, the promotion strengthened positive brand perception and incentivized return visits.

This high-impact promotion demonstrated how gamification can drive measurable results: boosting store traffic, strengthening brand engagement, and accelerating CRM growth. By combining strategy, scale, and interactivity, Kohl’s and Realtime Media delivered a standout Black Friday experience that resonated with customers and delivered lasting value.

Interested in learning more about how we can help with your next Digital Promotion? Get in touch with us today!