Digital Santa at MEGA Khimki

Digital Santa at MEGA Khimki:

How an Online Santa’s Workshop Drove 3,000 Visitors During the Pandemic

Reading time: 5 minutes

Client

MEGA Khimki

One of the largest family-oriented shopping centres in Moscow, where the core audience consists of families with children.

During the pre-holiday season, MEGA traditionally becomes a place not only for shopping but for shared experiences — family events, festive installations, and collaborations with key tenants such as IKEA and Stockmann.

Challenge

The pandemic stripped people of the feeling of a real New Year celebration.
MEGA Khimki wanted not just to bring the festive spirit back — but to double it, following the global IKEA Group campaign slogan "Let's Double the Holiday."

Objectives:

Increase foot traffic in December-January
Stimulate purchases and participation in the MEGA Friends loyalty programme
Create unique emotional experiences for family audiences
Provide both offline and online formats in case of lockdown restrictions

Idea

We proposed two interconnected storytelling lines built around the symbol of the circle — representing the New Year, family, and recurring joy:

An offline interactive game built around real handmade wreaths — symbols of comfort, nature, and new beginnings.
An online magical experience — Digital Santa’s Workshop, where children could interact live with Santa even under restrictions.

The result was a campaign that combined warmth, tradition, and digital innovation.

Execution

The Wreath Game

Step 1

To receive a gift — a natural spruce wreath — visitors made purchases, scanned receipts via the MEGA Friends app, and filled in a game-postcard. The more purchases they made, the more elaborate their wreath became — from basic to fully decorated. Guests could gift the wreath to loved ones or keep it for themselves.

Excitement grew with "extra décor challenges" — such as taking a photo in the holiday zone or shopping with partner stores.
Enter Digital Santa

Step 2

Children interacted with Santa Claus live on-screen.
He greeted visitors, commented on their good deeds, and reminded them he was watching preparations for the holidays — without forgetting about MEGA’s guests. For every kind word, kids received an IKEA Beloning bar, which "magically teleported" through a mailbox connected to the screen.

Behind the scenes, a live promoter interacted with the children, ensuring the illusion of real-time magic.
Even under restrictions, the format remained interactive, emotional, and safe.
Festive Space Design

Step 3

In the mall’s centre, we created a cosy outdoor-style photo zone — a welcoming porch with a wreath on the door, as if New Year’s Eve had just knocked.
The promo desk was shaped like a wreath, visually tying the theme together.

Throughout the upper floors, decorated fences and walls became living installations — adorned with the postcards used in the game, transforming the mall into an evolving festive gallery.

Partner Integration

Step 4

A Christmas tree market joined the project, providing natural branches for the wreaths — reducing costs and enhancing the sustainability message. Mall tenants added their own bonuses: gift certificates, branded ornaments, and discounts.

It was a real win-win — the wreath didn’t replace the Christmas tree, it complemented it. Visitors still flocked to the market.
Backup Scenarios

Step 5
We designed contingency plans for all levels of restrictions:
- In case of full lockdown — focus on Digital Santa and contactless gift pick-up zones.
- Under partial restrictions — transition the wreath game into a digital version integrated with the loyalty app.

"This project proved that even in times of uncertainty, you can create a truly warm, soulful experience for families. We merged offline atmosphere with digital magic — not just to bring back the feeling of celebration, but to amplify it. The Digital Santa concept became a real discovery: kids genuinely believed they were speaking with the real Father Frost, while parents eagerly joined in. The key to success was uniting all partners — tenants, IKEA, and MEGA itself — around one shared goal: to give people joy."

Yulia Filatova

Project Director, Sichkar Group

Results

+3 000

visitors experienced the holiday magic firsthand — many adults among them, joyfully receiving gifts delivered by a toy train.
+1 500

natural wreaths distributed.
~2 000

new users joined the MEGA Friends loyalty programme.

Project Team

MEGA Khimki

Client
Ekaterina Sichkar

Founder of «SICHKAR GROUP»
Valeria Kuzma

CEO of «SICHKAR GROUP»
SICHKAR GROUP

Team

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