New Distribution has learned that Lay's recently launched a new 'Open Bag, Win Prize' campaign—'Eat Lay's, Win Cash, Weekly Draws to Meet Stars.' Unlike previous campaigns, this year Lay's integrates the 'star meet-and-greet' experience into the activity, replacing a single reward model with a dual-track grand prize of 'cash red packets + star meet-and-greet'[1], giving consumers the chance to have a unique face-to-face experience with celebrity figures. With the unique combination of millions of cash red packets and star meet-and-greet grand prizes, Lay's has created a distinctive, brand-differentiated campaign that stands out from numerous promotions. This is not only Lay's way of giving back value to consumers but also a major annual move that the brand, together with channels, is making during the year-end peak season to create a campaign that is both buzz-worthy and effective in driving sales.

Insight into Trends, Reshaping Consumer Experience

In recent years, consumers, while being more budget-conscious, have increasingly sought experiences and value. Their expectations for snacks go beyond just satisfying cravings; they hope to gain added brand experiences. Lay's keenly captured this trend and launched the 'Eat Lay's, Win Cash, Weekly Draws to Meet Stars' campaign, turning every purchase into a journey full of anticipation and strengthening the emotional connection between the brand and consumers. Cash red packets, with their certainty of 'immediate reward,' have always been one of the most universally applicable incentive methods in the FMCG industry. Last summer's 'Open Bag, Win a Gift Voucher for Another Pack' campaign received positive feedback, but Lay's also noticed that as consumer expectations rise, cash alone is no longer sufficient to satisfy all demographics; brands must create unique experiences to fulfill consumer expectations. Against this backdrop, Lay's this year's 'Open Bag, Win Prize' campaign, while continuing the broad coverage of cash rewards, innovatively adds the deep experiential reward of 'star meet-and-greet,' simultaneously reaching new customer segments and boosting engagement. From a consumer experience perspective, this dual design makes 'winning' more than just a one-time reward; it has the potential to become a deep interaction between consumers and the brand. New Distribution believes that behind this 'cash red packet + star meet-and-greet' reward mechanism, designed based on consumer insights, there are three core logics:

  • Scarcity Experience: Exclusive seats at various entertainment events, including concerts, are scarce resources for ordinary people, often hard to come by. Now, with just a bag of Lay's, consumers can obtain such a precious opportunity, making it easier to drive purchase decisions among the general public.
  • Social Sharing: Consumers' social sharing after winning can generate a secondary communication effect, further amplifying brand voice and campaign heat.
  • Instant Gratification: Providing millions of cash red packets, with the highest prize reaching ten thousand yuan, allows consumers to experience the joy of 'a bag of Lay's turning you into a tycoon,' a proven driver of purchases. Through the dual incentive of 'cash + star,' Lay's transforms a common promotional activity into a more strategic and value-driven long-term experience, thereby more comprehensively meeting consumer expectations.

Boosting Sales, Empowering Channel Win-Win

The 'Eat Lay's, Win Cash, Weekly Draws to Meet Stars' campaign covers 20 core Lay's products, with over 100 million bags, and lasts for six months with a 100% win rate, continuously stimulating nationwide participation. With a 'consumer-centric' philosophy and strategic layout, the brand empowers channels to ignite sales. Offline, Lay's makes the 'joy of winning' tangible. Terminal stores create an on-site atmosphere through activity shelves, display stacks, and lucky posters. Some stores will also post congratulatory notices for winning customers, quickly spreading the real scene of 'someone winning,' creating a 'lucky store' feel, thereby stimulating consumer purchase interest and giving stores stronger sales momentum and trust. At the same time, Lay's has a systematic deployment in campaign communication. The 'weekly draw' rhythm keeps the campaign heat simmering, evolving from a one-time promotion into a periodic, social participation scenario. Customized star meet-and-greet experiences and peripheral interactive activities will continue to be intensified through April next year, constantly refreshing consumers' sense of novelty and anticipation, thereby helping terminals maintain strong sales momentum. New Distribution has learned that distributors and retailers generally express that seeing Lay's such a heavy-investment, truly innovative campaign gives them confidence—when the brand puts in effort, business becomes more vigorous. Mr. Li, a distributor from Shanghai, said that this year-end wave of creative activities has instantly activated Lay's 'brand momentum.' 'With the dual activities combined, sales will significantly improve, and inventory turnover has also accelerated.' In his view, such heavy investment not only makes products easier to sell but also shows the channel the brand's determination to continuously drive business. Mr. Chen from a store in Guangzhou emphasized the importance of offline atmosphere creation. Posting winning notices in the store not only increases customer curiosity and dwell time but also drives more people to visit and purchase. 'When consumers see someone winning, they are more willing to try, and repurchase rates significantly increase.' Meanwhile, distributor Mr. Wang from Henan believes that the combination of 'cash red packet + star meet-and-greet' is extremely captivating, not only enhancing consumer participation but also making Lay's stand out among similar snack categories. 'Such activities reflect brand strength, and channels sell with more confidence.' Overall, Lay's, by stacking cash incentives and star resources, has created a campaign that is both buzz-worthy, social, and sustainable. Precisely because it captures consumers' expectations for experience and value, it effectively helps distributors and retailers alleviate promotional pressure while driving sales and distribution. During the year-end peak season, this mechanism is expected to help channels acquire customers, improve efficiency, and achieve dual growth in sales and brand voice.

Final Thoughts

New Distribution believes that Lay's 'Eat Lay's, Win Cash, Weekly Draws to Meet Stars' campaign goes beyond simple promotion; it is a heavyweight investment by Lay's to increase market share and a strong empowerment for channels. In the context of rational consumption and fierce market competition, simply lowering prices is no longer enough to sway consumer purchase decisions. Lay's, through the dual incentive of 'cash red packet + star meet-and-greet,' on one hand meets consumers' expectations for value, and on the other hand creates a scarce brand experience. This stacking of value and experience is the key to truly igniting consumer enthusiasm and driving channel sales. For distributors, this is a rare window of opportunity. As the peak season approaches, the resources and topic orientation invested by the brand will directly translate into store sales capability and traffic return. Whoever acts first will be the first to capture consumer attention and secure the growth point for year-end sales! Notes: [1] Campaign period: October 20, 2025 to April 30, 2026. For specific mechanics, refer to the campaign mini-program.