Record Year for Coupons.com

For the first three quarters of 2010, Coupons.com has shown a 57 percent growth compared to the same period in 2009. The company reported that it has surpassed the $1-billion mark for printed savings for the year.

The growth shows a consumer comfort level in printing and saving coupons to their loyalty cards. This also shows that more manufacturers are getting accustomed to offering coupons online. We wouldn't be seeing this type of interest from both sides if the economy hadn't forced consumers to look for savings and brands to find new ways to promote their product and stand out among the competition.

For the first 9 months of 2010, the following digital coupon categories have been most popular:
#1 Ready to Eat Cereal
#2 Yogurt
#3 Refrigerated Dough
#4 Portable Snacks
#5 Vegetables,
#6 Baby Needs,
#7 Soup,
#8 Nutritional Snacks
#9 Lunch Meats
#10 Cheese

You can find the Coupons.com news release here: http://www.couponsinc.com/Corporate/OurCompany/PressReleases/2010.aspx?udt_447_param_detail=118

Making Sweepstakes Fun

The 20 Pine Tree Air Fresheners in 20 Nights Sweepstakes is an interesting play on words. The actual prize in this sweepstakes is the air freshener carrying case you get if you win - a 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT’s plus $5,000 cash. One prize will be given away each weekday until December 21st.

The use of Conan also makes for added exposure to this sweepstakes. Potential winners are being announced on-air on the “Conan” television show to add more excitement to this program.

Funny how the air freshener is not listed in the actual prize description. I wonder if winners will actually get one.

Entry deadline is 12/21/10.

http://teamcoco.com/chevycruze

Facebook Promotions

Brands are engaging with the consumers in new ways, thanks to Facebook. Instead of putting coupons or sweepstakes offers on brand sites, companies are getting their consumers to interact with these promotions like never before.

ConAgra posted a progressive coupon on their Healthy Choice Facebook page. As more consumers "liked" the offer, the better the offer increased in value. The coupon started as $0.75 off and grew into a buy one, get one free coupon.

Jack in the Box ran a sweepstakes where a virtual nickel was deposited into the prize pool for each new follower of the Facebook page. The promotion ended October 25 and the grand prize winner will get the actual prize pool in real dollars.

As a marketer, you are accomplishing several goals: 1) luring consumers to your brand, 2) getting consumers to interact with your promotions, and 3) getting your consumers to come back to see "where the offer stands today." What a great opportunity to talk to your consumers and offer up new messaging to them.

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/direct/e3i1c1499752deb3a60fd537cddbdaf44b2?pn=1

Poll on Prizes - What would you want to win?

McDonald's is running a poll on their FaceBook site with the question "What would you most want to win?" Who better to decide than their Facebook fans.

A new car, $25,000 cash, and tropical vacation are the choices. As of this morning, almost 93,000 people have taken the survey. Cash is winning by 78%. A new car is second at 15% and a tropical vacation is third with 7% of the votes.

Clients do tend to ask "what do people really want to win?" Here is an informal way to get feedback on options you might be considering. This survey falls in line with other results I've seen with cash being the top prize-choice among consumers. Trips and cars seem to run both 2nd and 3rd. More details about the trip value and car value might have made this poll more interesting.

If you'd like to take part in the survey or see the latest results, go to the official McDonald's page on Facebook and click on the arrows to see the Polls tab.

Allure Magazine Sweeps Results

Allure Magazine has published the results of their mobile barcode sweepstakes.

Every weekday in August, Allure gave away prizes - over 32,000 prizes in all.

Consumers were asked to download the scan-tag app and scan the barcode to enter every sweepstakes. The alternate method of entry was online.

The Results:
1) There were 38% more entries into the giveaways this year than last year, 28% of these entries were directly attributable to barcode scans
2) Mobile users entered more giveaways than PC users – an average of 25 times per mobile entrant, and 9.4 times for PC entrants.
3) 34% of mobile entrants opted in for more information.

You can find more info here:
http://www.gomonews.com/mobile-barcodes-allure-results-from-microsoft-tag-725k-give-away/

Eight O'Clock Coffee - Their New Packaging Change

When it came time to update their 150 year old packaging, Eight O'Clock Coffee turned to their consumers for their opinion. And they used sweepstakes to capture their attention.

Interbrand executives had two priorities when developing new package ideas for their brand: 1) design a look that loyal consumers will relate to, and 2) develop a fresh look that attracts new customers.

In 2009, Eight O'Clock ran a sweepstakes where consumers could vote between two new package ideas for a chance to win $5,000 in groceries. Another 2009 sweepstakes ran during Eight O'Clock's 150th Anniversary where consumers voted for their favorite design. This time, prizes included Bed, Bath & Beyond gift cards and free bags of Eight O'Clock coffee.

Now that the packaging is showing up on store shelves, consumers are being educated on the new look via the brand's Facebook page. A game with daily coffee prizes and coffee for a year are getting consumers to take notice of the new packaging design.

Management is using their consumers to manage the risk of the new packaging change and using social media to help educate consumers on that change. We will have to see if the winning packaging choice is a good one for the rest of the brand's users.

http://promomagazine.com/news/eight-oclock-managing-risks-1005/

Using Shazam to Interact with Consumers

Consumers who use Shazam are accustomed to receiving the name of the song and artist when they tag a song on the radio.

Companies are now tying Shazam to tv and radio commercials as well as tv shows.

In September, SyFy partnered with Shazam to provide unique content during the season finales of Eureka and Warehouse 13. They were interested in finding a unique way to get consumers to engage with their television. The episodes displayed the Shazam logo on the screen, giving consumers direction to "point their mobile phones and 'tag' content they were interested in viewing." Consumers were then directed to bonus scenes and a sweepstakes.

Earlier this year, Dockers ran a commercial during the Super Bowl asking consumers to Shazam the "Men Without Pants" song. Shazam directed them to a mobile Dockers website with special offers and a link to a sweepstakes.

According to Shazam, they have more than 75 million users worldwide, with over 20 million of these on the iPhone and iPod touch. They recently announced that they are now adding more than one million new users every week.

http://www.dmnews.com/syfy-to-use-shazam-for-mobile-consumer-interaction-sweepstakes/article/178560/

Lessons in improving sweepstakes response

We see many companies run the same promotion year after year. The key to that next year's success is to take the learnings from the previous year and make the promotion even better. Marketers win when those companies share those learnings with other marketers.

Take, for example, the Subway Scrabble Game. It launched in 2007 and ran three years in a row. Their marketing agency shares how they made the sweepstakes successful by building on the following points.

1) Boost odds of winning by offering more lower level prizes. Consumers will enter if they have a chance at winning.
2) Communicate number of prizes and odds of winning at all touch points. Consumers want to win so communicate those chances everywhere.
3) Give away a free code. Get consumers to register to try the promotion for free.
4) Collect only the necessary data up front during registration. Collect the detailed redemption information when needed, when consumers actually win. This will help with privacy concerns.
5) Offer multiple ways to enter. Consider text. Some 10%-50% sweeps entries now come in via SMS.
6) Consider virtual prizes – music downloads and ring tones can be won instantly online. They are cheap, easy to redeem, and create instant gratification.

Check out the full article here:
www.chiefmarketer.com/disciplines/tips/contests/ways_win/index.html

Mobile App Contest

Have an original mobile app idea?
This contest allows you to enter your idea. If it wins the most votes, the app will be built for free.

You own it.
You publish it.
You keep the revenue.

Entry deadline is September 26, 2010. This contest is sponsored by IphoneAndroid.com their development partner Persource.

http://theunlockr.com/2010/08/31/contest-have-a-mobile-app-idea-get-it-built-for-free/

Cash Prizes are Enticing in Tough Times

Cold hard cash.

More and more sponsors are offering cash as the draw to lure consumers to their product and enter their sweepstakes. It is a trend during these economic times.

This article references multiple sweepstakes offering cash prizes -prizes ranging from $125 gift cards to a $9 million annuity. The 2010 Dream Home sweepstakes, sponsored by HGTV earlier this year, attracted more than 40 million entries. The prize was $500,000 cash, a home in NM, and a SUV.

One interesting point noted in this article is that there may be a limit to the amount of cash needed to attract consumers. “We even experimented at the end of last year with a million-dollar giveaway,” said Mr. Wilkes, VP of Hearst Magazines, “but the response wasn’t as much as we thought.” Consumers apparently had to “pause and think” more about the implications of winning $1 million than of winning $250,000, he added, and some believed it would be harder to win the bigger prize than the smaller one.

This also holds true with the number of prizes offered. Do consumers feel they have a good chance of winning 5,0000 prizes when 2500 prizes might offer the same response? It's worth considering the idea of testing ideas ideas prior to just spending money unnecessarily.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/business/media/22adco.html?_r=1&ref=media

First Stickybits Sweepstakes

Campbell's Soup Scan Sweepstakes is the first sweepstakes to use the Stickybits mobile application. Their goal is to provide a fun and interactive way to build awareness of the brand's redesigned label.

Consumers enter the sweepstakes by using the free application to scan UPC codes from labels of redesigned Campbell's Condensed soup cans and sharing their impressions of the new designs by adding a photo, which is then posted on the Campbell's Condensed soup Facebook page.

Check it out on Facebook.

Article found here http://www.marketwatch.com/story/campbell-soup-company-launches-soup-scan-sweepstakes-using-new-stickybits-app-to-promote-revamped-label-designs-shopper-experience-and-soup-selections-2010-08-10?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Mobile Bar Codes

This article was written by Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk. This article is a great resource in explaining the differences in the various types of mobile bar codes being used by various companies.

With the number of bar code options, there can be confusion about the terminology and the technology needed to work the code. Some codes can be customized and some have the same general appearance. Certain codes can be sent via email or text while others need a specific bar code reader application.

It can be a bit confusing and her chart explains the variations out there with the pros and cons of each type. Take a look:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/4809.html

53 Million Prizes

Let's talk prizes.

Heineken's Plug Into Summer Sweepstakes is offering "over" 53,000,000 (53 million) prizes worth a total of $29,405,000.

This promotion has a primary sweepstakes (prizes include trips, Fender guitars, tshirts), a secondary sweepstakes (prizes include Fender guitars and tshirts) and an instant win portion (53 million music downloads, valued at $0.55 each).

To play, consumers can find codes under caps of specially marked bottles of Heineken and Heineken Light beer. CA residents can participate in the instant win portion of the promotion only.

Check out the sweepstakes rules here - You must be 21 or older to play and win.

http://sweeps.usa.heineken.com/sweeps/

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/database-crm/6148.html

M&M's Coupon Sweepstakes

Here is a good example of a sweepstakes with a lot of prizes. As we have learned, consumers want to WIN.

The M&M's Brand Coupon Sweepstakes offers consumers a chance to win one of 507,878 free M&M’s coupon prizes. You must be 13 or older to enter and there is a limit of one entry per email address per day. Sweepstakes ends 8/27/10.

I was, however, disappointed in the site itself. It was very bland and had no graphics. I was looking for a better user experience. It wasn't there.

I do have one question - how did they come up with the number 507,878?

Go to: http://www.mms.com/us/couponsweepstakes/ to enter.

Domino's Show Us Your Pizza Contest is a very simple and engaging contest.

Domino's wants the world to know that their consumers are the best source for Domino's pizza pictures and they don't need a special photo shoot to get a great pizza shot.

To enter, order a Domino's pizza. Second, take a photo of your pizza and upload it to the contest site. Judges will select the best top four photos. Winners will receive $500 with a chance that their photo will be used in an actual Domino's commercial.

What I particularly like about the contest site is the behind-the-scene video of what it really takes to make the perfect pizza photo shoot. You can understand the reason behind the contest after watching the video. It's entertaining.

http://www.showusyourpizza.com/

Thanks to the economy, coupon use is on the rise. Consumers are looking for more ways to save money than ever before. In 2009, package goods companies saw an increase of 27% redemption over the year prior. But with the increase also comes fraud. As a manufacturer, you take steps to control fraud the best you can with the parameters you have. But some consumers clearly abuse the system. This article is targeted to the coupon users and what they should know about redeeming and using coupons.

http://www.nj.com/shopping/index.ssf/2010/06/the_8_rudest_coupon_sins_you_c.html

Bring the Promotion to the Consumer's Hometown

AMP Energy and the WEC are givings consumers the opportunity to bring a WEC fight to their hometown with the WEC Hometown Takedown Contest and Sweepstakes.

Consumers go to the website to vote for the city closest to where they live (there is a map of cities to select). Consumers can also vote by text. The city with the most votes by July 31 will host the WEC December bout. Plus one consumer will win a trip to the fight location including tickets to the event.

I like this promotion because consumers will determine the outcome of the host city. That's powerful. Fans can rally their friends to make a difference and drive more interested consumers to this site. The sponsors are giving the consumer a chance to make a difference and they are connecting with their target market. They are also building a database of those interested in future information on AMP Energy and the WEC.

Check out the site here while the promotion lasts (ends July 31, 2010) : http://promo3.cfapromo.com/wec_maverik/default.asp

At my local grocer, I found this shelf card with an actual Ziploc bag sample attached to the card.The shelf card reads - "New Smart Zip. Protection you can hear. Try it for yourself."

Now, we all know how a Ziploc bag works, and I've tried the cheaper brands, which don't seem to work as well. Regardless, I found myself trying the Ziploc sample right there in the store just to see if I could hear the difference.

In the book Brand Sense - Sensory Secrets Behind the Stuff We Buy, by Martin Lindstrom, brands need to 1) take advantage of all available sensory touch points 2) find an innovative sensory mind-set that sets it apart from its competitors 3) find a way for the consumer to associate these sensory signals with this particular brand.

Ziploc has creatively found a way to do this for a very basic, rather simple product. They have focused on two sensory touch points by promoting touch and sound. And I got to sample the product in the store, right next to the actual product on-shelf.

With five senses to explore, what can you do with your brand to promote it's brand sense?

Coupon Articles of Interest

Ten tips for curtailing online coupon fraud.

http://multichannelmerchant.com/retail/news/0308-curtailing-online-coupon-fraud/

Coupons can be loaded with a startling amount of data, including identification about the customer, Internet address, Facebook page information and even the search terms the customer used to find the coupon in the first place. Check out this link. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/business/media/17coupon.html?pagewanted=2&emc=eta1--

Making your promotion relevant to today .....

Tying your brand to what is happening "today" makes for an interesting promotional concept.

Icelandic vodka, Reyka Vodka, is promoting a contest that encourages travelers to enter their personal story about how the volcano eruption affected their travels. The winner will win a trip to Iceland.

Check out the article here:
http://promomagazine.com/news/0422-icelandic-vodka-trip-offer/

One piece of advice, if you are going to advertise a contest, your website should be updated. The promotion they have online (Win a trip to Iceland) is no longer available and there is nothing noted about the contest above.

Cheerios - Disruptive Packaging

General Mills has truly created a well rounded promotion with their latest Cheerios packaging.

Inside 2.2 million Cheerios boxes is the winning book written by the second Cheerios® New Author Contest, Lori Degman, a 52-year-old teacher for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. "1 Zany Zoo," is actually showing through a cutout on the package itself.

What I love about this:

1. When I saw this package on the cereal shelf, I actually touched it to see if it was a real cutout in the box. It grabbed my attention. It was disruptive.

2. This contest is part of Cheerios' ongoing Spoonfuls of Stories® program to nurture children's love of reading. They are now running their fourth new author contest.

3. Each winning book will be offered in packages of Cheerios.

4. This promotion has a never ending life cycle......

See more info here:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/talk-about-a-bestseller--winner-of-cheeriosr-new-author-contest-has-her-childrens-book-1-zany-zoo-featured-inside-22-million-cereal-boxes-this-spring-87769492.html

Multiple Prizes or One?

I ran across this article that is still very relevant, even one year later. It discusses the question of whether to offer one big prize or multiple smaller prizes in your sweepstakes.

What motivates a consumer to take action? And how do you know if you have captured their attention with the prize(s) that you are offering?

This article suggests that offering multiple smaller prizes to a greater number of winners is the key for the following reasons:
1) consumers are likely to enter if they feel their odds of winning are enhanced
2) more winners means more people to feel good and promote your brand
3) with today's economy, more people are actively looking for a chance to win prizes
4) offer smaller logo'd items as prizes - enforce your brand.

Another key element is to find a prize that is relevant with your brand's target audience's interests and aligns with the consumption of the brand. You should see greater participation.

To read this article - click here http://promomagazine.com/contests/0301-beat-recession/

Private Labels Running Promotions?

I was looking for coffee at my local grocer and found an interesting package-label design. Kroger’s private-label coffee packaging with race cars and a Daytona 500 logo caught my eye. I turned the can around to find Daytona 500 facts and a message driving consumers to a Web site for recipes, games, and prizes.

Two things about this really stood out to me.

First, private labels are generally all about price, which means they don’t usually have fancy packaging and don’t cross promote. I could imagine the cost to borrow equity from a strong brand like Daytona 500 could be substantial.

Second, grocery shopping is predominantly done by women, especially in the coffee category. So a racing promotion on the packaging was really disruptive from a female perspective. Female racing fans are on the rise. Maybe Kroger is taking advantage of that insight.

I went to the promotional Web site, http://www.racefans.daytona500.com/, and found racing news, downloads, and partner information. And, if you sign up as a member, you get special deals including:
-Chances to enter sweepstakes and giveaways
-Comment on your favorite drivers’ blogs
-Receive discounts on racing merchandise and travel packages
-Play exciting games to win unique prizes from monthly sponsors
-Download recipes and coupons that are only available to members

Posting this Web site on their packaging allows Kroger to change up the content at any time and drives loyal consumers back to retail with coupons and special offers. Will we see more private labels moving in this direction as private-label share tends to grow in this price-conscious economy?

I wonder what insight they latched onto that drove this promotion. Was it the collaboration with a disruptive partner for this consumer? Is it a value-add for a brand that targets a value-focused consumer? Or is it simply the fact that executing a cross-promotion with a private-label brand was disruptive enough? Whatever their strategy was, it caught my attention.

iPhone Sweeps Application

Due to changes in Apple's iPhone Developer policy, sweepstakes and contest applications are popping up in the App Store.

I ran across this interesting application and downloaded it for $0.99.

Although the sweepstakes ended March 15, here's how it worked:

Every hour, for twenty-four hours, registered users were allowed to push the Kaching button for a chance to win up to $1000. One prize was awarded per day. Although there was a no-purchase method of entry, I'm not clear on how they managed the free entries since winners were posted the next day for the previous day's drawing (meaning there was no time for those free entries to get into each daily drawing which is illegal). Regardless, I was interested in seeing how this sweepstakes played out. I played every day on a somewhat regular basis. And the result, I won. I got a notice that I won $100.

It will be interesting to see what kind of future consumer promotions come about with this new type of technology.

http://www.kachingbutton.com/were-giving-away-1000-per-day-for-30-days/

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/The_KaChing_Button_iPhone_Application_Gives_Away_up_to_1000_each_day_in_Sweepstakes,201030673.aspx