Top energy drink brand Rockstar Energy is rewarding every single customer with a new promotion aimed at gamers and powered by Ardagh Group’s Coded Tab technology. Rockstar’s ‘every can wins’ giveaway ties in with the hotly anticipated release of Xbox game Gears 5, and is marked with a series of striking collectors’ edition cans. The special designs are inspired by characters from the Gears of War series with a unique look for each of the four different flavoured energy drinks, encouraging customers to buy again to complete the whole set.

Ardagh’s value-adding Coded Tab technology is the key to the promotion. An alphanumeric code on the tab underside is revealed only on opening, requiring customer purchase to participate in the promotion. The unique code ties each can with a specific reward, from in-game bonuses like multi-player boost, custom lancers, exclusive banners to premium prizes such as limited-edition Xbox One X consoles and even a Gears 5-liveried Ford pick-up truck.

Unusually, the tab features two contrasting colours. A bright yellow topside attracts the eye from above and once the can is opened, the dramatic black underside is revealed. The tab topside folds around the edges of the underside, framing the promotional code to ensure the customer cannot miss it and highlighting the moment of winning.

Ardagh developed the coating material required for the two-tone tab as a special customisation for Rockstar. The code itself, an easy-to-read format comprising two lines of six characters, is indelibly marked into the tab by precisely removing the colour coating using laser ablation.

Consumers must enter their code onto the promotional website to discover exactly how lucky they have been. The interactive nature of the promotion, requiring customer action to reveal the code by opening the can and then discover their prize, encourages the consumer to associate the product with winning and fun.

The promotional cans feature artwork by British illustrator Luke Preece. They deploy the skull and gearwheel “Crimson Omen” imagery of the Gears of War series against background prints representing the characters’ attributes, while still foregrounding the iconic Rockstar branding. The result is a bold, edgy and exciting aesthetic across the range of 500ml cans.

In the German, UK and US market the promotion features up to four flavours and therefore up to four Gears 5 designs. The Guava flavour is illustrated with the character JD Fenix and the Supersours Blue Raspberry showcases Del, while the classic Original flavour is appropriately tied to Gears 5’s main protagonist Kait Diaz. Lastly, Rockstar’s Xdurance drink uses a scorpion concept, representing the new ‘Escape’ mode feature of the forthcoming game.