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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.
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:
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:
The result was a campaign that combined warmth, tradition, and digital innovation.
- 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 GameStep 1To 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 SantaStep 2Children 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 DesignStep 3In 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 IntegrationStep 4A 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 ScenariosStep 5We 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.
Results
- +3 000visitors experienced the holiday magic firsthand — many adults among them, joyfully receiving gifts delivered by a toy train.
- +1 500natural wreaths distributed.
- ~2 000new users joined the MEGA Friends loyalty programme.
Project Team
- MEGA KhimkiClient
- Ekaterina SichkarFounder of «SICHKAR GROUP»
- Valeria KuzmaCEO of «SICHKAR GROUP»
- SICHKAR GROUPTeam
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