2026 Big Game Giveaway Results Prove Independent Shoppers Are Hungry to Win

The 2026 Big Game Giveaway once again proved the power of IGA’s shopper marketing platform to drive meaningful engagement, traffic, and brand collaboration during one of the biggest selling windows of the year. Running from January 28 through February 10, 2026, the program delivered standout results for retailers and CPG partners alike, reinforcing the value of integrated, turnkey campaigns executed at the local level.

Designed to capture excitement leading up to the Big Game, the campaign combined National Digital Ad activations, in-store merchandising, and a compelling shopper sweepstakes, incentivizing shoppers to participate for a chance to win one of five TVs while engaging with featured brands across the store.

And capture excitement it did. The Big Game Giveaway generated more than 3.6 million total impressions, demonstrating strong visibility across digital and in-store touchpoints. That awareness translated into 623,961 store visits, showcasing the program’s ability to drive real foot traffic for independent retailers. Meanwhile, digital engagement remained high, with 980,317 sweepstakes page visits and 397,184 entries, highlighting strong shopper interest and participation.

A key driver of this success was the collaboration with leading national brands. IGA extends a huge thanks to the campaign sponsors:

• Coca-Cola
• Coca-Cola Zero
• Chobani
• GLAD
• Hidden Valley Ranch
• Kingsford
• Wonderful Pistachios
• Wonderful Halos

These partnerships highlight IGA’s unique ability to connect national CPG brands with local shoppers through independent retailers. By aligning brand objectives with high-impact promotional windows, the program created a win-win: increased visibility and engagement for brands and increased traffic and basket-building opportunities for stores.

The simplicity and scalability of the campaign made it easy to implement for any size retailer, from single store operators to multi-store regional groups. With ready-to-use digital assets, in-store signage, and promotional tools, retailers and store teams could activate quickly and effectively. This turnkey approach ensured consistency across the network while still allowing stores to tailor execution to their local communities.

The success of the Big Game Giveaway is a clear reminder of what’s possible when retailers fully leverage IGA’s shopper marketing programs.

"These campaigns are more than promotions," IGA VP Brand Development Michael La Kier said. "They're proof points that independent grocers can deliver national-scale results while maintaining their local advantage."

La Kier noted that the success of the Big Game Giveaway campaign serves as a reminder to retailers and store teams to lean into future shopper marketing programs by fully executing in-store and digital elements, engaging shoppers at every touchpoint, and highlighting participation with national brands.

"These programs not only drive traffic and sales," he said. "They demonstrate to CPG partners that IGA stores are powerful and effective marketing channels."

By showing strong execution and results, retailers help ensure continued and expanded investment from national brands, which ultimately brings more value, excitement, and savings to shoppers in their communities.