Category: Articles

What is Promotional Marketing?

Promotion marketing is any message that includes an incentive to persuade the target audience to take immediate action, thereby driving some form of brand interaction that leads to a current or future purchase. Promotion is different from advertising and other forms of marketing in that the goal is to drive immediate behavioral change. Promotional marketing is an often-misused tool when placed into inexperienced hands. You must ensure that any promotional

May 4, 2025

How to Do a Giveaway on YouTube

Brands and influencers have learned that the best way to build their YouTube audience is to run a sweepstakes or giveaway on YouTube. A giveaway is the perfect opportunity to ask people to like, comment and share your content with the world in exchange for an entry. You must use caution when running a giveaway, however, to ensure you do not get into any trouble with YouTube or the law.

April 7, 2021

Instagram Giveaway Ideas

This post on Instagram Giveaway Ideas was written by our newest Marketing Coordinator, Cassie Alaimo. What would your customers say to this question: “If you could win one thing through an Instagram Giveaway, what would it be and why?” Before you can get to the fun part of deciding on what to give away in your brand’s next promotion, you must do a few things. When running a promotion that

April 5, 2021

5 Ideas for a Successful Cinco de Mayo Promotion

Cinco do Mayo has become a huge party day in the bar and restaurant business. You can take your party – whether it be in your restaurant or via a takeout box — to the next level with these five ideas for a Cinco de Mayo promotion. 1. Run a Cinco de Mayo Social Sweepstakes or Contest Run a social sweepstakes or contest on Twitter or Instagram for a chance

March 19, 2021

5 Ideas to Boost Virtual Event Engagement

Since live events have been sidelined for most of 2020, virtual events are having their moment. To keep attendees engaged at virtual events takes lots of preparation and a good plan for virtual event engagement! Here are 5 ways you can boost engagement at your next virtual event: 1. Engagement = Points Towards a Large Sweepstakes Prize Run a Sweepstakes for a chance to win one large prize, like a

October 8, 2020

Best Practices for Creating Instagram Giveaway Rules

Running a giveaway on Instagram is an easy way to engage and build followers, but if you aren’t creating Instagram giveaway rules, you might get into hot water. Here are some best practices: Have actual legal, official rules. Your rules will help protect you in case of a legal dispute. Include all entry criteria in your rules. Without entry criteria, your entrants get to make them up – and you

October 2, 2020

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

September 17, 2020

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

July 24, 2020

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

June 26, 2020

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

June 24, 2020