About

Arimac Gaming (IMI GAMES) partnered with Keells to launch Keells Millionaire, a large-scale gamified retail campaign designed to transform everyday grocery shopping into a high-engagement, reward-driven experience.

Built as a purchase-triggered digital game, the campaign seamlessly connected in-store transactions with Keells’ Nexus Loyalty ecosystem, giving customers an instant opportunity to play, win, and feel rewarded the moment they checked out.

For Keells, Keells Millionaire became more than a promotion. It introduced a new digital engagement layer that increased basket value, accelerated loyalty sign-ups, and strengthened emotional connection with customers, without relying on heavy discounts or short-term offers.

Challenges

Before Keells Millionaire, Keells faced challenges common to modern retail brands operating at scale:

• Transactional shopping behavior Grocery visits were routine, with limited emotional engagement or excitement.
• Loyalty fatigue Traditional points-based rewards struggled to stand out or drive repeat behavior.
• Basket size limitations Customers lacked a compelling reason to increase spend per visit.
• Low differentiation at checkout The post-purchase experience ended once the receipt was printed.
• Need for measurable engagement Promotions needed to deliver both participation and data-driven insights.

Keells needed a way to reward customers instantly, encourage higher spend, and make loyalty feel exciting again. 

Solution

IMI GAMES designed and deployed Keells Millionaire, a gamified retail experience tightly integrated with Keells’ loyalty and transaction systems.

Key solution elements included:

• Purchase-triggered gameplay – Customers spending above a defined threshold unlocked a chance to play instantly.
• Instant SMS delivery – A secure game link was sent to customers immediately after checkout, reinforcing real-time gratification.
• Digital slot-machine experience – A simple, intuitive game mechanic that required no learning curve.
• High-value rewards – Including a headline grand prize of LKR 1,000,000, creating genuine excitement and buzz.
• Loyalty-first integration – Gameplay exclusive to Nexus Loyalty members, naturally driving new sign-ups.
• Scalable campaign engine – Designed to be reused, optimized, and repeated across campaign cycles.

The result was a seamless bridge between physical retail and digital engagement, turning every qualifying purchase into a moment of anticipation.

Impact

By introducing gamification at the point of purchase, Keells unlocked measurable business and customer experience outcomes:

• Higher engagement Nearly half of eligible customers actively participated in the game.
• Accelerated loyalty growth Significant uplift in new Nexus Loyalty sign-ups during the campaign period.
• Increased basket value Customers were motivated to spend more to unlock gameplay eligibility.
• Stronger brand recall Keells became associated with excitement, rewards, and memorable shopping moments.
• Actionable campaign insights Real-time data on participation, spend behavior, and customer response.

Keells Millionaire demonstrated how gamification can move retail beyond discounts, creating experiences customers enjoy and build loyalty that lasts in the long run.