Brand Partner: Jameson Irish Whiskey
Media Partner: iHeartMedia
Markets: Three Florida Markets

Objective

Jameson Irish Whiskey wanted to deepen its connection with consumers at the retail level during the peak summer months. Their goals were:

• Increase in-store foot traffic
  
• Boost brand loyalty
  
• Capture at least 15,000 contest entries
  
• Build a scalable first-party database for future campaigns

To achieve this, Jameson needed a way to turn everyday shoppers into engaged participants and drive foot traffic to off-premise retail locations.

Strategy

Jameson and iHeartMedia launched The Jameson Summer Hangout Sweepstake, giving shoppers a chance to win a Big Green Egg grill, an incentive that aligned perfectly with the brand’s social, backyard-friendly identity. The campaign utilized an in-store branded QR code, allowing shoppers to connect directly to the sweepstakes via Scan.

How It Worked

In-Store Activation

1. QR codes were placed on bottle neck hangers, end caps, and POS displays in participating liquor stores.
   
2. Shoppers scanned the Jameson-branded QR code using their mobile device.
   
3. Scan redirected users to a sweepstakes entry form.
   
4. Entrants could enhance their chances by joining Jameson’s email list.
   
5. Winners were chosen weekly, keeping engagement high and entries consistent.
   

Media Amplification

iHeartMedia layered a powerful multi-channel promotional strategy on top of Scan’s in-store conversion engine:

• Broadcast Radio: On-air mentions and promotional spots drove awareness and reminded listeners to scan in-store.
  
• Station Social Media: Posts, stories, and countdown reminders boosted participation.
  
• Location-Based Mobile Display: Geo-targeted ads reached consumers near participating stores.
  
• Digital Display & Targeted Ads: Reinforced the sweepstakes across the campaign timeline.
  
  

Together, this created a closed loop from hearing about the sweeps → walking into the store → scanning the QR code → entering on the spot.

Results

The campaign not only hit its goals, it smashed them.

Performance Highlights

• 21,000+ total sweepstakes entries (surpassing the original 15K goal)
  
• 12,810 new email opt-ins
  
• 35,833 tracked retailer visits
  
• Strong engagement across all three Florida markets
  
• Weekly winners kept the excitement alive and consistently drove repeat scans

Jameson loved the results so much that the campaign was duplicated three more times, leading directly into a fall sweepstakes featuring YETI gear.

Takeaway

iHeart Media successfully utilized sweepstakes content and QR codes to drive significant engagement and collect first-party data. And the best part is this campaign is scalable for any category, from alcohol brands to grocery, retail, hospitality, professional services, and beyond.

‍

‍