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/