Topaz, the country’s largest fuels and convenience retailer, is to invest €3 million in a new interactive loyalty game for customers called PLAY or PARK.

The Company expects PLAY or PARK, the first retail based loyalty programme in Europe to use an ongoing game mechanic, to attract over 250,000 members in its first year.

To enter the game customers collect points which enable them to PLAY for an experience of a lifetime prize every month –or they can choose to PARK them and carry them forward to participate in a following month’s game.  The key difference with other loyalty schemes is that everyone who plays each month is eligible for a complimentary Topaz Treat eg: coffee and muffin, car wash etc
Paul Candon, Marketing and Corporate Services Director at Director said the objective was to come up with a unique and fun way of rewarding customers for their loyalty.

“Irish people are very interested in loyalty schemes. Ninety three per cent of them carry one loyalty card while almost two thirds have three. However they only actively participate in half of them. Our customers told us they wanted something that was fun, engaging and interactive and that’s what we’ve done” Candon said.

Every month customers stand the chance of winning an experience of a lifetime. The prizes include a luxury holiday in the Maldives, a tour of various Michelin starred restaurants around Europe, shopping in New York with three friends (with €8,000 spending money), a trip to Thailand, a new car (with free fuel for a year).

Candon pointed out that there is also a very important charity element to the game; “Every quarter players can opt to play for a donation to a local charity of their choice and a cash prize for themselves. Topaz will match all those donations with a donation to our own charity partner Aware, which is doing tremendous work helping those suffering from depression” he said.