Brands are always looking for new ways to drive traffic, incentivize loyalty and increase brand love with their target consumers. One innovative tactic for achieving these strategic objectives: branded collectibles. These are give-away or purchase-with-purchase items that are brand-building, joy-enducing and incentivize customers to come back over and over again to collect the whole set.
They’re not just for kids
Collectibility has long been a tactic of restaurants as a feature of kids’ meal premiums to encourage repeat visits, but collectibles are not just for children. From coveted designer toys like Mini Brands and Funko Pop, to McDonald’s Cactus Plant Flea Market collab for their adult Happy Meal, to Raising Cane’s limited-edition celebrity-designed cups, tokens and collectibles are everywhere, and consumers of all ages enjoy the excitement of collecting.
How it works
Keys to a successful traffic-driving collectible program
1. Tap into an existing fandom (your brand’s and/or a licensor’s).
2. Increase allure by curbing availability (e.g., a limited time offer, availablity only with a purchase, exclusivity for loyalty members).
3. Keep them coming back for more (i.e., collectible series, intermittent drops to create anticipation, rare and ultra-rare designs).
Why it works
A collectible program has the power to drive new and repeat visits to your brand
It creates a tangible emotional connection.
- A collectible program has the power to delight guests with physical and fun tokens of your brand. It makes guests feel like brand insiders, and that super-charges their fandom.
It differentiates your brand.
- What makes customers choose you and not a similar brand down the road? You stand out when you provide a unique experience they can only get at your brand.
It creates conversation.
- A collectible program can make your brand newsworthy. Tangible activations are buzz-worthy on social media and through earned media.
What would a collectible program look like for your brand?
We at C3 are experts at designing tangible activations to appeal to your target consumers that reflect — and even amplify! — your brand’s personality, all while encouraging repeat visits and brand loyalty.
Interested in hearing more about what C3 can do for your brand?
CONTACT US
ABOUT C3
C3 is a Kansas City-based marketing and design agency that brings brands to life for families with children through experiences and entertainment. C3 uses insights, strategy and expertise to produce award-winning programs and custom products to help major restaurant, hospitality and service industry partners connect with families wherever they are—in person, at home or in the community at large.
There’s a trend in the marketplace of brands targeting their young adult customers with innovative, collectible promotions, such as collectible figures, cups, stickers and
Read more
Brands are targeting adults with collectibles and giveaways. Recently, we’ve seen restaurants offering toys and other tangible brand-building collectibles as incentives to drive traffic
Read more
Restaurant meals are time-honored opportunities for families to bond, enjoy family time and forge new family traditions. Whether in-restaurant, at home, or on-the-go, and
Read more
Families are a valuable market for convenience stores, especially for retailers looking to grow their foodservice business. We at C3 know that one of
Read more
Check out these industry articles and reports to see what we've been up to lately. We’re experts on families with children, so we’re always
Read more
The third edition of our How To Be Kid-Friendly infographic series. Download as a PDF and check out the QSR edition here or CDR edition here.
Read more
At C3, we lead with data and insights. One of our favorite data sources is Circana (formerly NPD Group), which provides us with regular
Read more
It comes as no surprise that fast casual restaurants are a growing segment of the restaurant industry. According to NPD Group/CREST®, while overall restaurant
Read more
Every day, we at C3 design, safety-test, produce and deliver engaging entertainment solutions for our clients’ family customers. Once in a while, we step
Read more
In February of 2022, C3 was proud to host a webinar in partnership with Nation’s Restaurant News’ CREATE the future of foodservice series entitled
Read more
Grow sales and delight families with brand-tailored off-premises solutions Take-away is here to stay. As we know all too well, recent years have turned
Read more
You know how great pizza is for families, but what about how valuable families are for pizza? Our latest research has confirmed what many
Read more
C3 has always been a strong advocate for giving back. It’s a part of our company’s DNA! We’ve seen the impact this kind of
Read more
From the C3 dictionary: Kids’ Cup, Noun A perfectly kid-sized drinking vessel used by casual dining, fast casual and QSR brands to make families
Read more
Spring has sprung, COVID-19 vaccinations are rolling out across the U.S., and C3 has the latest insights from families on indoor dining. During the
Read more
Crayons are a perfect symbol of the joys of childhood: creating, playing, learning. They’re classic; they’re inexpensive ... They are timeless. As basic as
Read more
There’s no question that off-premises dining has become an essential part of people's lives. During the pandemic, it was a necessity. After the pandemic,
Read more
One of the many things that’s been upended in 2020 is how families experience casual dining and fast casual restaurants. With the shift towards
Read more
Download as a PDF. The Art + Science of Kid + Family Marketing Get the latest kids and families insights delivered directly to your
Read more
UPDATED APRIL 2022 Part 2 of our 2-part infographic series. Download as a PDF or check out part 1, the Fast Food Edition here.
Read more
UPDATED APRIL 2022 Part 1 of our 2-part infographic series. Download as a PDF or check out part 2, the Casual Dining edition here.
Read more
Why isn’t it over yet? When can things go back to how they used to be? Like a kid kicking their feet in the
Read more
We know kids. What they like, how they spend their time… and their favorite places to eat. We know that when families go out,
Read more
There’s something beautiful about human nature in the face of adversity, seeing people rally behind causes that appeal to the good in all of
Read more
C3 Brand Marketing launches kids’ meal entertainment program, prioritizing family-owned restaurants. Independent restaurant owners can now elevate the family customer experience with tailored, kids’
Read more
