Sweepstakes
From the MK Promotion Archives: Tigerino – the First Scratch-Off Game Card
Marden-Kane originated the first scratch-off game card with Tigerino. The Tigerino promotion was designed for Humble Oil’s ESSO and ENCO gas stations in 1966, to capitalize on the already popular “Put a Tiger in Your Tank” ad campaign. The idea was simple: if you purchased gas you could get a game card. Every game was a winner, but some game cards awarded big cash prizes depending on the letters revealed. You can read more about how the game worked here. The first Tigerino scratch-off game cards debuted in Buffalo, New York. Gas sales sky-rocketed as a result of the … Continue reading
How to Run a Legal TikTok Contest or Sweepstakes
TikTok does not currently have any posted contest guidelines, but that doesn’t mean that there are no rules. To keep your TikTok Contest or Sweepstakes legal you should adhere to these seven basic recommendations for running a promotion on a social platform: Use a unique hashtag to track entries. The best way to track entries for a TikTok contest is by using a unique hashtag. Any post that is made during the posted timeframe of the promotion that has the pre-determined hashtag is considered an entry. Include official rules. Official rules are what protect you in court should … Continue reading
You Don’t Have To Reinvent the Wheel to Run a Digital Scratch-Off Game
Did you know what creative development and animation for a digital scratch-off game or other instant win game can cost thousands of dollars? And that does not even include legal fees to write official rules, procure and fulfill prizes, or programming. Why not use a budget-friendly, pre-built game, customized with your brand colors and logo(s), to execute your next digital scratch-off game. Why should you run an instant win game? Here are 5 reasons: Instant gratification for your customers Brand awareness — daily entries equate to daily traffic to your company Generate sales leads and email opt-ins Increase brand … Continue reading
Avoid Clickbait Tactics to Make Your Social Sweepstakes a Success
Take a look at your social feed right now. Look on any platform — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat — and start scrolling. How long does it take for you to find a post or story or tweet running a “giveaway?” The “giveaway” is everywhere on social. Mommy bloggers, Instagram dogs, major brands, and influencers are all running giveaways. And while the chance to win some swag might be appealing to some, the giveaway sponsors need to avoid clickbait tactics as social platforms have had so many bad actors and fake giveaways that a legal social sweepstakes could get … Continue reading
5 Reasons to Use Electronic Gift Codes as Prizes
Electronic gift codes, or e-gift codes, are a great option instead of traditional prizes or plastic gift cards in your next Sweepstakes or Contest. E-gift codes can be purchased from big retailers or restaurants and usually consist of a link with a redemption code and/or a confirmation code, or simply as a URL with the code embedded in the link. These e-gift codes can be redeemed online, and the codes and instructions can all be delivered via an email from your brand directly to your winners. Here’s why electronic gift codes make sense: 1. Lower Fulfillment Costs Electronic gift cards … Continue reading
How to Create Sweepstakes and Contests So Easy Anyone Can Enter
One of the biggest problems we see with online sweepstakes and contest concepts is that they can get overcomplicated or are run on platforms that the target audience is not using. When that happens, people get confused and do not enter — or worse, start bad-mouthing your brand. It’s time to start creating contests and sweepstakes so easy anyone can enter. As we like to say, don’t set the bar too high for entry or entrants will drop off. Here are four things to remember when planning your next sweepstakes or contest: Keep it simple. Limit yourself to no more … Continue reading
Marijuana Marketing Making Us Dizzy and Confused
This post on marijuana marketing was contributed By Fae Savignano, EVP, Marden-Kane Digital. In the United States the use and possession of marijuana/cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose. However, the legalization of marijuana by U.S. jurisdiction (State law) is on a roll! As of this date, the medical use of marijuana (with a doctor’s recommendation) is legal in 33 states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts. Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, … Continue reading
Tear Pad Entry Form vs Online Registration Form
Cheryl Thornton, Account Supervisor, contributes this post about tear pad entry forms vs online registration forms. Long before the start of internet promotions, the ways to enter a sweepstakes were either to 1) mail a 3X5 card to a designated P.O. Box, or 2) to complete a tear pad entry form found on displays in stores or other establishments and deposit it into a ballot box provided. In some cases, the drawings from tear pad entry forms were conducted onsite, while for others the drawings were conducted at a later date. Fast forward to the birth of the internet … Continue reading
How to Spot a Sweepstakes Scam
A sweepstakes scam, or poorly run promotion, gives legitimate sweepstakes agencies and promotional marketing companies a bad name. Know what to look for to spot a sweepstakes scam, or a company that runs them. Here is a list of things to look for in a sweepstakes, or game of chance, that you should avoid, or at least be cautious of: 1. Super low odds: Any sweepstakes where there will be millions of entries but only one winner may be a waste of your time. Think of the lottery – many will play and one will win – but if the … Continue reading
Content Moderation: A Requirement for Social Posts and Contests
Content moderation has made the headlines lately as social channels like Facebook and Twitter tried to deal with “fake news” stories and inappropriate content. There is a torrent of video and written content being produced and distributed through the various social platforms, and content moderators work around the clock, deciding what needs to be taken down and what can remain. But what about content moderation for your brand’s social channels, or for your sweepstakes and contests? The overwhelming volume of social interaction on most brand social channels may have us believe it is impossible to keep watch over it … Continue reading
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Recent Articles
- From the MK Promotion Archives: Tigerino – the First Scratch-Off Game Card
- How to Run a Legal TikTok Contest or Sweepstakes
- What You Need to Know About Using the Tokyo Olympics in Your Advertising and Promotion
- You Don’t Have To Reinvent the Wheel to Run a Digital Scratch-Off Game
- Facebook Custom Application Changes for Brands
