Interactive holiday game bringing the Sint story to life

Sinterklaas is one of the most important moments of the year for HEMA.

The TV campaign sets the tone with a familiar story, led by a character people already care about. HEMA wanted that story to continue beyond the commercial and become something people could actively take part in. The ambition was to turn a seasonal campaign into an experience people would willingly return to during the Sinterklaas period, strengthening the relationship with existing customers.

A large-scale TV campaign creates reach, but not interaction. HEMA needed a digital extension that anchored the ATL message and made it tangible. At the same time, the experience had to activate the existing CRM base and support retail goals, without feeling promotional.

The challenge was to design a digital experience that feels playful and familiar, while still driving meaningful engagement in a crowded seasonal moment.

The solution was an interactive game that translated the Sinterklaas story into something people could actively join. Built around Siepie, players were invited to help Sinterklaas by stepping into the narrative themselves.

By turning the campaign story into a simple, playful game, HEMA created a natural bridge between storytelling, interaction and retail activation.

The experience was developed as a mobile-first, browser-based 3D game that could be accessed easily across channels. Social and paid content introduced the game, while the HEMA app, website and email connected it to the existing customer base.

“Created to turn a familiar Sinterklaas story into something people can actively take part in.”

After playing, participants received a reward in the form of a discount voucher and the chance to win a Siepie plush. These incentives were integrated into the experience itself, linking play to real-world value. In-store communication completed the loop by connecting the digital experience to physical retail.

With Siepie’s Sprint voor de Sint, HEMA extended its Sinterklaas campaign into an interactive experience people chose to engage with. The game activated the CRM base, increased brand involvement and encouraged store visits through playful incentives. The case shows how a familiar character and a simple game mechanic can turn a seasonal campaign into meaningful interaction by inviting people into the story.