Articles
Cooking Contest Best Practices
A cooking contest is a great way to engage your customers and help people think of creative ways to use your brand’s products, be it the food or kitchen products. Keep It Simple As with any contest, the key to a successful cooking contest is to keep the ask simple and the messaging clear. An open-ended call for entries could create issues if you end up having to judge a simple fruit salad against a complicated stew or a kale smoothie. On the flip side, if you are too specific about what types of recipes can be submitted into your … Continue reading
Promoting “Singles Day” in the U.S.A.
Singles Day originated in China during the 1990’s and is still celebrated on November 11th (11/11) each year. As you can see, the date corresponds with four “ones”, representing four singles. Similar to China’s Singles Day on 11/11, the UK celebrates that day on 3/11 and the U.S.A. on 9/22…this of course is above and beyond our Singles Awareness Day on 2/15, that follows our national Valentine’s Day. According to the U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the number of single adults in our country is growing significantly, almost exponentially, from year to year. And, it has been reported that in 2017 … Continue reading
Can You Use a Coupon as a Prize?
Question: Can you offer a coupon as a prize in a sweepstakes or contest? Answer: It depends. If the coupon or voucher value covers the entire full priced item without any hidden fees (like shipping & handling, etc.) then you can offer it as a prize coupon. But if the coupon offered is for savings on a purchase, or if it does not cover the shipping and handling necessary to receive the prize, then the answer is no. The prize offered and claimed needs to cover an entire product and shipping so that the winner will not incur any expense. … Continue reading
7 Types of Incentives to Use For Your Next Promotion
What motivates customers to interact with your brand? Incentives do! Here are seven types of incentives you can use for your next promotion. 1. Prizes: It should come as no surprise that the #1 type of incentive is a contest or sweepstakes prize. People love to win high value prizes, especially cash, trips, and one of a kind experiences that can be won in a game of chance or a skill-based contest. 2. Discounts: Coupons, vouchers, and “Buy One, Get One” (“BOGO”) type discounts at purchase are another type of incentive that can make the difference between a customer coming … Continue reading
Federal Lottery Laws Explained
According to Federal Lottery Laws, it is illegal to operate a lottery through the mail or over the telephone. Let’s begin by explaining what a lottery is…A lottery is generally defined as a promotion in which all three of the following elements are present: prize, chance and consideration (otherwise known as, the “Standard Lottery Rule”). Most states follow this Standard Lottery Rule; and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have statutes that prohibit lotteries, except those that are state-run. To avoid being classified as an illegal lottery in any State, at least one of the elements noted above … Continue reading
10 Amazing Prizes Under $600 Your Customers Will Want to Win
In the United States, winners are required to pay taxes on prizes they win, but if prizes are valued at over $600 then the promotion sponsor is also required to collect W-9’s and issue 1099’s to each winner. That’s why many sponsors like to find prizes under $600 that are coveted by winners, but don’t require the additional headache of having to collect additional personally identifying information (PII) in order to issue 1099’s. Here are ten prizes under $600 your customers will want to win. 1. A Tool Kit The Milwaukee M18™ Cordless LITHIUM-ION 4-Tool Combo Kit or the DeWalt 20-Volt … Continue reading
How Do I Run a Text to Win Sweepstakes?
A text to win sweepstakes provides your customers with a quick, easy way to enter a sweepstakes from a mobile phone. A text to win can be set up in days instead of weeks. This type of promotions is fast to enter. And it provides a way to collect minimal private, personal information if your brand is privacy focused. Here are 6 best practices to consider when running a text to win sweepstakes. 1. Obtain a Shortcode A shortcode is a short, abbreviated phone number used by mobile messaging providers. You can obtain a dedicated shortcode directly from a cellular … Continue reading
From the MK Promotion Archives: Marden-Kane Advertisements Through The Years
So many marketing models have been developed and advertising messages delivered over these 63+ years. Even though our address has changed a few times and new faces have joined our MK family, our advertisement messaging has been consistent. Our core brand messaging has stood the test of time and we believe that it is still relevant today. Marden-Kane’s experienced staff strengthens relationships over time by offering our clients strategy and service – thinking and doing – across all applications of Promotion Marketing. For more information about Marden-Kane, please Contact us. To read more posts by Marden-Kane, please visit our main blog … Continue reading
From the MK Promotion Archives: Hunt’s Great Recipe Hunt
Hunt’s Great Recipe Hunt The Challenge In 1989 Beatrice/Hunt-Wesson, Inc. wanted to encourage the use of Hunt’s products in new recipes. The Solution Marden-Kane administered and supervised the “Great Recipe Hunt” recipe contest, coordinating all details for a final “cook-off” event held in four major U.S. Cities. MK scouted hotel locations, oversaw the ordering, procurement and set-up for each cook-off location. We rented generators, miles of electrical cords, stoves, cookware, utensils, aprons, banners and of course flowers and balloons! The Results Consumers responded enthusiastically with thousands of new recipes using Hunt’s products. We can help you cook up the perfect … Continue reading
Why Do People LOVE Cash Prizes
When asked what prize they want, most people entering sweepstakes and contests overwhelmingly say they want cash prizes. Why? Why not a trip, or a car, or jewelry? Here are the three big reasons: 1. With cash prizes, you can buy exactly what you want. With most prizes, the sponsor customizes the choices or options for a prize, such as selecting the make and model of the car offered as a prize, or the flights and hotels for a trip. With cash, the winner can control how the money is spent, and whether they take a trip or use the … Continue reading
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