Contests And Sweepstakes

Contests And Sweepstakes

Contests and sweepstakes can draw attention to a brand like no other sales promotions technique.

A contest has consumers compete for prizes based on skill or ability. Winners in a contest are determined by a panel of judges or based on which contestant comes closest to a predetermined criterion for the contest. Contests tend to be somewhat expensive to administer because each entry must be judged against winning criteria.

Contests were very often used earlier where people has to write slogans, poems, stories etc. generally “I like the product because …” and the best ones won prizes. But off lately, contests are becoming less and sweepstakes increasing. People are more willing to play on luck rather than participate by showing their abilities.

• Nokia India Pvt. ltd.

Promotion: Nokia Sms Challenge-august, 2001

Objective: To establish nokia phones as the most SMS-friendly phones in the market

City: Delhi

Strategy: Tie-ups with 15 premier outlets preceded and asked them to SMS a pre-decided line to a particular number, the time taken by a participant was the determinant of the contest, the person taking the shortest tome would be gifted a Nokia 3310 phone.

A sweepstake is a promotion in which winners are determined purely by chance.

Consumers need only to enter their names in the sweepstakes as a criterion for winning. Some popular types of sweepstakes also use “scratch-off cards”.

Contests and sweepstakes often create excitement and generate interest for a brand, but the problems of administering these promotions are substantial.

One problem is that the game itself may become the consumer’s primary focus, while the brand becomes secondary. The technique thus fails to build long-term affinity for the brand.

• Britannia khao world cup jao campaign has taken the market by a swing.

Under the offer you collect points available on Britannia biscuit packets and exchange 100 points for a scratch card, which has various gifts and the 100 world cup tickets. The offer was actually introduced during the last world cup and had shown phenomenal results. Sale increased tremendously; there was an increase in the sales by 25%, claims the company.  So it is being done this year too. This year too the contest is showing good results.   

Contests-cum-sweepstakes:

Elle 18

Promotion: Elle 18 valentine’s day promotion, feb 2002

Objective: to use valentines’s day platform to communicate with th etarget audience of Elle 18

City: Delhi, Mumbai, Banglore, Chnadigarh, Pune.

Strategy: Upon the purchase of Elle 18 products worth a certain amount, a scratch-card was given out. this could entitle the person to a number of gifts and hampers. The highlight of this was the ‘Cinderella Activity” which invited those customers who had bought products worth a pre-decided amount to try put a glass slipper. The lucky few, whose feet fit, were awarded dinner dates.