For decades, mailed surveys have relied on a simple motivator: put a couple of crisp dollar bills in the envelope and watch response rates rise. More recently, that approach evolved to making the dollar bills visible in the envelope window, an effective way to increase response rates. Showing the cash through a windowed envelope proved to be an easy and effective way to capture attention and boost participation. Visible cash versus hidden cash—it’s easy to see why it works.

But as consumer expectations evolve and technology reshapes how people interact with brands, cash incentives deserve a digital-era rethink.

The concept received a modern makeover when NPC, one of the nation’s largest mailing and paper-based survey distribution companies, teamed up with NeoCurrency, a leading global digital rewards distributor, and KnowledgePanel, the original and most well-established online research panel, to reimagine a tried-and-true approach by using the NeoCurrency Reward Choice card.

The Partnership: Tradition Meets Innovation

NPC has long been a trusted partner to research organizations, mailing millions of surveys and survey-related communications each year. Historically, their go-to method for encouraging participation has been a visible $1 or $5 cash incentive placed in the envelope window—a simple, tangible motivator that proved effective for years.

But as response behaviors shift and as data collection becomes increasingly digital, KnowledgePanel and NPC saw an opportunity to innovate. What if, instead of a static bill, recipients were greeted by a Reward Choice card, a new physical-digital hybrid incentive that opens the door to over 100 leading brands like Amazon, Google, Home Depot, Starbucks, Uber and Walmart?

That’s where NeoCurrency entered the picture. NeoCurrency’s Reward Choice platform enables companies to deliver rewards across more than 100 countries and 50 currencies, offering participants choice, convenience, and transparency—all while giving organizations measurable insights into redemption behavior.

The Test: $1 Cash vs $5 Reward Choice

The KnowledgePanel team, always exploring new engagement methods, partnered with NPC, who engaged NeoCurrency to conduct a controlled test. The objective: measure whether replacing a visible $1 cash incentive with a $5 Reward Choice card would improve survey participation and recruitment among U.S. households, and/or see if this would lower costs, i.e., having a lower response rate could be acceptable if it came along with lower costs that would make up for the reduced response rate.

Each mailing followed NPC’s trusted distribution model, but instead of showing a dollar bill through the envelope window, recipients saw a sleek black Reward Choice card—complete with a QR code on the back. When scanned, the code directed them to NeoCurrency’s secure redemption portal, where users could instantly select a $5 reward of their choice from more than 100 brands.

The Results: Visibility, Insight, and Engagement

Unlike cash, which loses trackability the moment the cash is inserted into the envelope, Reward Choice cards deliver data-driven insights at every step of the incentive experience.

NeoCurrency’s platform allowed the partners to track:

• Activation rates – how many recipients scanned and redeemed their Reward Choice cards.
• Reward selection – which brands participants chose most often.
• Redemption timing – when participants redeemed their incentive relative to when the survey mailing was received.

These metrics create a feedback loop that help researchers understand not only whether incentives are working, but how and why they drive engagement. This represents a leap forward—from passive visibility to actionable analytics.

Why It Matters: The Power of Choice

Behavioral science shows that autonomy and perceived value increase engagement. Giving respondents control over how they are rewarded taps into both principles. With Reward Choice, participants can pick a gift card that fits their lifestyle, whether it’s fueling up at Starbucks, shopping online at Amazon, or stocking up on essentials at Target or Walmart.

Meanwhile, the modern design of the Reward Choice card plays a key role. Its sleek black aesthetic adds credibility and intrigue, while the visible $5 value immediately tells recipients that it is worth opening. Plus, the QR-driven experience signals a forward-thinking approach that aligns with today’s digital expectations.

Looking Ahead

As the initial tests continue, KnowledgePanel and NPC are already exploring expanded use of Reward Choice in broader survey recruitment and panel engagement efforts. Early data suggest that the type of people who respond to either mode of incentive—cash or Reward Choice card—are relatively similar, but those who receive the card incentive appear to be more likely to complete the panel enrollment process.

For NeoCurrency, this partnership is a powerful example of how branded digital rewards can transform traditional engagement models. By combining NPC’s physical distribution expertise, the research rigor behind KnowledgePanel, and NeoCurrency’s reward technology, the three organizations are redefining how incentives can both motivate and measure human behavior.

Innovation doesn’t always mean going fully digital. Sometimes, it’s about reimagining a trusted format through the lens of data, flexibility, and choice. The Reward Choice card bridges the physical and digital worlds—turning a once-one-way incentive into a two-way conversation that delivers insights for brands and a more rewarding experience for participants.

Join Us at MAPOR 2025

Want to hear the results firsthand? Join Eric Thiegs, Head of Strategy & Growth at NeoCurrency, Nick Bertoni, SVP at Ipsos Public Affairs, and Jamie Eichenlaub, Senior Account Manager for Survey Solutions at NPC, for a panel discussion moderated by Doug Easly, Senior Business Develop Executive at NPC, as they present the initial findings of this Reward Choice incentive study at the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research (MAPOR) 50th Annual Conference. The session will take place Saturday, November 22, at 8:30 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown, 600 N. State Street.

Come see how data, creativity, and collaboration are shaping the next generation of market research engagement.