Reading that ITV is to donate the best part of its £8m unclaimed 'phone-in bonus' to charity (Mail on Sunday, Apr 6), got me thinking that this general idea is something charities could perhaps capitalise upon: the SP pond is awash with unclaimed prizes, premiums and loyalty points, just waiting for a good home.
In the 90s we linked up one of our clients with Barnados, and all unclaimed prizes from the on-pack instant-win component were directed towards this good cause.
When you consider that it's not unusual for a claim rate as low as 20% (and I've witnessed this TWICE for win-your-mortgage promotions down the years), there's a massive potential prize- pool to go at.
Of course, cynics might say the very reason brand managers opt for instant-win mechanics is the relatively low claim-rate. When you can state 'Win a £ million" in the pretty certain knowledge it'll cost you £200k, it's a temptation hard to resist for the cash-strapped marketer.
Still, if I were in the charity camp right now, I reckon I'd be sniffing around for opportunities. When you think about it, there's a strong case for most campaigns to have a charity 'safety net' - if something goes wrong somewhere in the process, at least a good cause gets the benefit. Maybe one for the Charities Aid Foundation?
