IGA’s Big Game Giveaway Scores with Shoppers

This past January and February, IGA scored a major win for independent grocers across the country with its Big Game Giveaway Shopper Sweepstakes — a dynamic promotion designed to engage shoppers, drive in-store traffic, and build excitement around the biggest sporting event of the year at no cost to IGA retailers.

Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, and Impossible, this inaugural event ran from January 22 to February 11, 2025, and delivered strong results:

• 5.27 million digital impressions
• 155,154 views of the national digital ad
• 989,024 verified store visits

For independent retailers, these numbers speak volumes.

"The Big Game Giveaway is the perfect example of the high-impact, low-effort marketing opportunities that IGA is creating and making available to our members to use," IGA VP Brand Development Michael La Kier said. "These campaigns are proven to drive traffic and shopper engagement, which means sales dollars for our stores. They are no- or low-cost to the retailers as they are funded by IGA and our Red Oval Partners."

The best part? IGA has an annual calendar of these campaigns so there is always another opportunity to participate around the corner. La Kier noted that IGA will run the Big Game Giveaway in 2026 at the request of even more Red Oval Partners. In the meantime, let's examine what made the Big Game Giveaway a success and preview upcoming campaigns.

What Was the Big Game Giveaway?

The promotion was simple: IGA shoppers could enter for a chance to win five brand-new TVs by scanning a QR code or visiting a custom web page during their store visit. IGA bought media in the U.S. markets for all IGA stores, promoting the sweepstakes and offers in the National Digital Ad, featuring it in the shopper-facing Recipe Club eNewsletter, and creating graphics for stores to use in their social, email, and website marketing.

This plug-and-play program made it easy for store teams to get on board without adding significant workload or straining budgets. And the best part? There was no cost for IGA retailers to participate.

Why It Worked

"IGA's Big Game Giveaway hit on several key marketing principles that made it successful for both retailers and shoppers," La Kier noted. Those principles are:

1. Simple Execution
Retailers were provided with everything they needed — QR codes, digital graphics, and promotional timelines — so store teams could implement the campaign quickly and effectively. For independents who are often short on time and resources, this kind of support is a game-changer.

2. High Shopper Engagement
Who doesn’t want a new TV for free? The sweepstakes created a buzz in stores, got customers talking, and provided a memorable experience that helped local IGA stores stand out from the competition.

3. Traffic-Driving Results
With nearly 1 million store visits attributed to the promotion, the campaign proved its ability to drive foot traffic. It also helped participating stores boost basket size, increase engagement with loyalty programs, and deepen customer relationships — all while building brand visibility on a national scale.

Above is one of the graphics created for the Big Game Giveaway.

A Playbook You Can Use Again and Again

One of the biggest takeaways from the Big Game Giveaway is that these types of promotions are easily repeatable and customizable. Independent grocers can take the framework and adapt it for:

• Local sports team giveaways
• Concert or event tickets
• Holiday-themed promotions
• Seasonal sales incentives

Grocers can personalize the approach to resonate with their specific communities. For example, a Wisconsin store might offer tickets to a Green Bay Packers game, while a Florida grocer could run a beach getaway giveaway. The mechanics stay the same — what changes is the localized flavor that makes each promotion feel unique and relevant.

For IGA retailers, the Big Game Giveaway was more than just a fun promotion — it was proof that national-level marketing can deliver real local results. With more than 5 million impressions and close to 1 million in-store visits, the numbers show what’s possible when independent grocers come together under a unified brand with shared goals.

Coming Up

What's next? IGA is currently running the Celebrate Summer Grill Giveaway Sweepstakes through July 8, 2025, which gives shoppers the chance to win three grills of their choosing (valued at $1,000). This year's Celebrate Summer Grill Giveaway Sweepstakes is sponsored by Coca-Cola Company®, Grab a Boost of Blue®, Glad®, Go Grassfed®, Gold Peak®, Hellman's®, Hidden Valley Ranch®, Kingsford®, Knorr®, Powerade®, smartwater®, vitamin water®, The Hershey Company®, Potatoes USA®, and IGA®.

The Celebrate Summer Grill Giveaway graphic for the popular sweepstakes.

In August, IGA will launch a Back to School shopper sweepstakes, followed by a Family Meals Made Easy campaign, and the popular Holiday Ugly Sweater Sweepstakes. Each of these opportunities will continue to help retailers drive traffic, engage shoppers, and grow sales.

So, whether you participated this time or are looking to get in on the next sweepstakes, remember: IGA’s playbook is open and ready — just plug in, personalize, and watch the results roll in.

Are you a CPG who would like to be involved in upcoming shopper sweepstakes? Contact Michael La Kier directly. Grocers, want to ensure your store takes advantage of each shopper sweepstakes with custom signage? Subscribe to the Quarterly Marketing Kit here.