Category: Marden-Kane

Best Practices for Running a Pet-Themed Promotion

When running a pet-themed promotion, you are tapping into a deeply emotional space. For many, pets are family members, and the stakes for health and safety are much higher than a standard giveaway. Here are the essential do’s and don’ts for a successful and ethical pet promotion: The Do’s: Focusing on Health and Safety DO prioritize safety standards. Ensure any physical prizes (toys, treats, or gear) meet rigorous safety certifications. Avoid

April 30, 2026

Everybody’s Using Social for Everything! But Are They Really?!?

There’s basically no such thing as doing any type of marketing without social platforms being part of the grand plan. Their reach is undeniable. While social platforms are an integral part of today’s marketing landscape, each one of them has their own restrictions and rules to abide by, and they’re not always easy to figure out. Platforms such as Instagram & Facebook (Meta) specifically state that they will not provide

April 22, 2026

Are Rules Drafted with the Help of AI Safe?

The question is… is it OK to rely on AI to draft rules, are they “safe” to use, are they “accurate,” are they “legally compliant?” I think we can agree that AI is fast and efficient. It is exciting to see your rules complete in just a few seconds – a huge windfall that you can produce a set of rules in a matter of minutes and the cost benefit

April 21, 2026

Data Privacy Framework (DPF)

In July 2023, the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF) was created to replace the invalidated Privacy Shield for enabling legal, secure data transfers from the EU to the US. Privacy Shield was the original mechanism established in an attempt to meet GDPR regulations, but it failed to meet all requirements. The end goal of these regulations is to protect individuals’ right to privacy, how their personal data is collected, processed,

February 4, 2026

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

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,

June 3, 2020

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

August 8, 2019

20 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contest Vendor

Before hiring a contest vendor you should ask lots of questions. Not all vendors are created equal. Some may be technically proficient but lack legal expertise. Some have the legal credentials but can’t build a website or do registration and bonding. Here are twenty questions you should be asking before you select your contest vendor: How well do they know sweepstakes law and advertising and mobile? A top notch promotional

March 10, 2017

6 Ways to Spot a Sweepstakes Scam

The sweepstakes scam is one of the biggest challenges of running a legitimate promotional marketing company. It can sometimes be hard for us to get people to enter a promotion, award prizes, or even send email notifications to winners because people are unsure if the promotion is on the level. Here are some quick tips to be able to spot a sweepstakes scam from a real one. Are they asking

October 11, 2016

Privacy Shield Lists Marden-Kane, Inc

Marden-Kane, Inc. has met the requirements to be listed on the Privacy Shield list. The EU-US Privacy Shield Framework was developed by the US Department of Commerce and the European Commission to meet the data requirements of the EU for safe, secure data transfers of personal data from the EU to the US. The Privacy Shield Framework was approved earlier this year, and the web site was launched on

August 15, 2016