Saba and emoji brand: interactive consumer challenge in Mexico
Saba and the emoji company are joining forces once again to launch an interactive consumer promotion in Mexico, combining shopping, music, technology and emoji brand icons in a race against the clock.
The interactive promotion
Running throughout September and October 2026, the campaign invites consumers to “BUY, REGISTER, DECODE and WIN,” with 214 prizes awarded every week.
For every MXN $250 spent on Saba products, consumers can participate by registering through WhatsApp and submitting a photo of their purchase receipt. The receipt is automatically validated using optical character recognition (OCR) technology.
Every day from 8 p.m., participants receive a song encoded in emoji brand icons. They must arrange the icons to decode the song and submit their answer. Correct answers are timed down to the minute and second, with the fastest participants winning prizes.
Selected Saba products can act as “time reducers,” helping participants improve their times and compete for higher-value prizes. One of the campaign’s top prizes is MXN $20,000 toward tickets for concerts and other events.
An innovative and playful space
Paulina Pérez, VP of Licensing & Operations at emoji company, said the collaboration brings the partnership into an innovative and playful space, using emoji brand icons as the language of the promotion.
Holbein Mata Gasca, Trade & Shopper Marketing Head at Essity, said the campaign combines participation, excitement and competition through WhatsApp, automatic receipt validation, music and emoji brand icons. The time-reducer mechanic adds a strategic element and gives shoppers an additional reason to engage with the Saba product range.
Following several successful collaborations, the activation demonstrates how the emoji brand can create interactive consumer experiences beyond traditional licensing.
The promotion runs throughout September and October 2026 in Mexico, supported by point-of-purchase materials and activations at retail locations.