🎯 Use What You’ve Got: How a Treasure Hunt Led to a Loyalty Revolution

james tipple
6 hours ago
2 min read

A Treasure Hunt to Launch a Loyalty Brand

In 2014, when I secured the original investment from Sir Richard Branson for Virgin Red, he mentioned his love of the book Masquerade by Kit Williams—a beautifully illustrated British treasure hunt in book form, which led readers on a search across the UK for a hidden golden hare. That little anecdote became the spark.

A year later, the Virgin Red launch campaign became a real-world and digital treasure hunt. Custom coins were hidden across the UK—from Virgin Trains to Virgin Media vans to Virgin Money Lounges. The 10 most dedicated members were then flown to Necker Island to complete the final treasure hunt for a chest of treasure literally buried in the sand.

We had no traditional budget. But we had imagination, a powerful brand family, and an owner with a soft spot for treasure hunts and saying "yes."

Loyalty Is More Than a Stamp Card

That campaign taught me something that’s stuck with me: loyalty isn’t about transactions—it’s about connection. About stories. Play. Access. A reason to return.

Fast Forward to Dine & Play

That thinking is now baked into our new product, Dine & Play—a hybrid loyalty and membership app for the world of competitive socialising, casual dining, and immersive experiences.

We know that many venues don’t have the bandwidth to build sophisticated loyalty journeys in-house. So we’ve built one for you— connecting people who love going out with the brands that make it great—food, drink, action, community. From darts to food halls, karaoke to axe throwing, this is loyalty for the modern experience economy.

Let’s Talk

If you’re an entrepreneur with a venue (or a country estate, frankly) and want to explore partnership opportunities, or if you just want to see what Dine & Play could do for your brand—we’d love to chat.