From Scratch Cards to Digital Wins

Back-to-School season is one of the most important commercial moments of the year in Ecuador. For neighborhood shopkeepers, it means high traffic, fast decisions, and strong competition. For Arca Continental, through its dairy business unit Tonicorp, it was also an opportunity to rethink its relationship with trade partners.

Instead of running just another promotion, the team decided to take a step forward: transform a traditional mechanic into a digital experience capable of generating sustained engagement. The idea was simple yet powerful: bring the classic scratch card into the AC Digital app, powered by Braze.

A Traditional Challenge, A New Perspective

Trade marketing in Ecuador has historically relied on physical mechanics: paper-based promotions, manual validations, and limited performance visibility. In a short season like Back-to-School, this restricts the ability to scale, learn, and personalize.

The challenge was not only technological, but human. How do you invite shopkeepers, accustomed to offline interactions, to embrace a digital experience that feels just as simple, trustworthy, and attractive?

The answer was rooted in familiarity. Scratch cards were already part of the channel’s everyday experience. The goal was to modernize the mechanic without losing its essence.

Building Anticipation Before Playing

Before launching the gamified mechanic, a strategic preparation phase was designed within the AC Digital app. The objective was clear: anticipate the experience, educate users, and build trust before activating the digital scratch card.

To achieve this, three key Braze features were used:

In-App Messages
Messages displayed while users were active inside the app.

They served as the first point of contact, introducing the new dynamic clearly and directly. Rather than simply announcing a promotion, they aimed to spark curiosity and signal that something different was coming.

Content Cards
Persistent content pieces within the app feed.

They played a critical educational role, explaining step by step how the digital scratch card worked, which products participated, and how rewards were unlocked. By remaining available for consultation, they reduced doubts and reinforced understanding.

Push Notifications
Messages sent to users’ devices even when they were not actively using the app.

They acted as strategic reminders, driving traffic back to the platform and reinforcing a sense of limited-time opportunity to encourage action.

The combination of these three touchpoints allowed for a progressive user journey. By the time the digital scratch card launched, shopkeepers already understood the mechanic and knew how to participate. This preparation proved decisive: pre-launch communications achieved an average 75% conversion rate, validating both interest and adoption.

The Digital Scratch Card Comes to Life

At launch, the experience felt simple and intuitive. Shopkeepers who purchased eligible products automatically unlocked a digital scratch card inside the AC Digital app and, with a quick interaction, revealed instant rewards. The excitement of the traditional mechanic remained, now in digital form.

Behind the scenes, Braze orchestrated the entire flow: eligibility logic, automatic reward assignment, real-time triggers, and follow-up messaging. For users, it was a seamless experience. For internal teams, it was a fully automated and measurable process.

The true impact went beyond prizes. Many shopkeepers participated for the first time in a fully digital loyalty mechanic, experiencing a coherent, frictionless omnichannel journey.

For Tonicorp and Arca Continental Ecuador, the pilot confirmed that trade marketing can evolve digitally without losing proximity, while gaining efficiency and scalability.

What the Pilot Delivered

The results were clear:

• High engagement driven by a familiar mechanic
  
• Successful migration from physical promotions to a digital environment
  
• Execution with zero manual intervention
  
• A scalable foundation for future trade activations 

Beyond the metrics, trust was strengthened. The experience was simple, transparent, and rewarding.

What’s Next

Following the pilot’s success, the next step is scaling. A national rollout is already underway, with broader coverage, expanded reward mechanics, and more advanced segmentation and personalization. Future campaigns will further integrate marketing, sales, and field teams around a unified digital strategy.

This Back-to-School activation marked a turning point. By combining a traditional mechanic with technology, Arca Continental Ecuador paved the way for a smarter, more connected, and more sustainable relationship with its shopkeepers.

It was not just about digitizing a promotion. It was about starting a new way of engaging.

Ready to Create Your Next Success Story?

This project was made possible through the collaboration of strategy, creativity, and technology. Together with Minders, Arca Continental Ecuador transformed a traditional mechanic into an omnichannel experience with real impact.

If you’re looking to transform your promotions, better connect your channels, or maximize platforms like Braze, get in touch with us and let’s start designing your next digital activation.