Tag: Sweepstakes

How to Avoid Deceptive Advertising

In the context of sweepstakes, deceptive advertising occurs when a promotion uses misleading statements, omissions, or visual trickery to give a participant a false impression of their odds, the prize value, or the requirements to win. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state Attorneys General monitor these closely. If a “reasonable consumer” would be misled by the advertisement, it is considered deceptive. Common Forms of Deceptive Advertising 1. The “False

May 20, 2026

What is Equal Dignity in Sweepstakes?

In the world of sweepstakes, Equal Dignity (also known as the “Equal Dignity Rule”) is a legal principle ensuring that people who enter for free have the same chance of winning as those who pay. Because “paying to enter” a game of chance constitutes a lottery—which is illegal for private businesses to run—companies must provide an Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE). The Equal Dignity Rule dictates that this free entry

May 20, 2026

What is a Potential Prize Winner?

In lawful and promotional contexts, a potential prize winner is someone whose entry has been selected in a contest or sweepstakes, but whose eligibility hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. Unlike how many onlookers have speculated on message boards that it seems to be a scammy term, rest assured, it is not (unless being used by a scammer, of course!). Think of it as a “pre-verification” stage. If you get a

May 15, 2026

Why You Should Run a Memorial Day Sweepstakes

Memorial Day is, primarily, a solemn occasion to honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. It is a day of reflection and gratitude. Simultaneously, Memorial Day weekend serves as the unofficial kickoff to summer. It’s a time when families take advantage of the long weekend for quick getaways, backyard barbecues, and quality time together. For brands, this creates a unique dual-natured

May 15, 2026

Creative Mother’s Day Promotion Ideas

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate and say “thank you” to all the moms and motherly figures in your life than with a great gift! Here are a few sweepstakes and contest ideas to help generate engagement and excitement from your consumers: Mom’s Best Recipe Instagram Sweepstakes: We all have that special dish that no one makes like Mom does. Ask people

April 8, 2026

The Difference Between Sweepstakes and Contests

The words “promotion,” “sweepstakes,” “contest,” and “giveaways” are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are a few very distinct differences between sweepstakes and contests. To start, the word “promotion” can be used to describe many different marketing tactics including Sweepstakes, Contests, Instant Win Games, Continuity and Loyalty Programs. Two of the most common promotions are Sweepstakes (games of chance) and Contests (games of skill). The major difference between sweepstakes and

May 2, 2025

Use Unique Codes for Your Next Instant Win or Sweepstakes

Use unique codes can enhance your next sweepstakes, giveaway, or instant win game. With unique codes incorporated into your promotion you can: Provide tracking of entrants back to a region or store. Give your sales team a specific range of codes that can be tracked back to their sales, which can give you the opportunity to reward the highest producers. Pinpoint game participation to a specific geographic area. Determine

February 28, 2020

Social Contests and Sweepstakes: Favorite (and Least Favorite) Platforms to Use

Social contests and sweepstakes are currently the most popular tactic that we are seeing our clients use to increase brand awareness and reach. The Marden-Kane team has some strong ideas on what social platforms work, and which ones can cause headaches. We compiled this list of pros and cons to use when evaluating social platforms for your brand’s next social promotion. Remember: If you are thinking of running social contests

April 4, 2017

FTC Updated Guidance for Social Contests

Last week the FTC updated their guidelines for endorsement. This included a small, but very important, piece on social media contests. You can read the full updated “What People are Asking” question and answers here: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking The part most relevant to contests and sweepstakes is the Social Media Contests part: ********************************* SOCIAL MEDIA CONTESTS My company runs contests and sweepstakes in social media. To enter, participants have to send a Tweet or

June 1, 2015

Sweepstakes Promotion Trends in 2013

2013 revealed some interesting trends in how sweepstakes are used and how they are implemented. Who ran sweepstakes promotions? The easy answer is everyone. From mass market products such as soft drinks and fast food to niche products such as commercial cleaning supplies marketers of all varieties have embraced this tactic because of several core benefits. Relative ease to implement and quick to market are of course important but

December 10, 2013