The holidays are perhaps the best times to use a sweepstakes or contest to it’s greatest advantage as this is when the public is primed for shopping. At Marden-Kane, we find that holiday inspired promotions pack a powerful punch when it comes to building brand awareness, and purchase consideration.

Whether the prize is a family trip, tickets to a great sporting event, a shopping spree, or a chance to ring in the New Year in Time Square, providing a chance to win something of value is a great way to capture the imagination of consumers. Creating the perfect holiday themed contest and sweepstakes requires being a bit of a psychologist. When you know what people want and what they dream about, you can make the right prize choices.

Marden-Kane experts have helped clients come up with many compelling promotions that can’t be ignored. Some of the most obvious are the best since familiarity provides a direct path to participation.Use heavy doses of holiday imagery in your creative design and you are well on your way to capturing interest.

It is a time to fun with the creative process. Create a Christmas countdown with a holiday game such as a scavenger hunt. Track Santa and his reindeer as they spread holiday cheer, with the chance to enter everyday and win a trip to the North Pole for the whole family, or a juicy cash prize. Offering coupons to participants in your promotion is a great way to add value to a sweepstakes or contest.

Use your holiday promotion to recognize consumers’ compassion by running a sweepstakes or contest to benefit a cause. You can create a sign-in form that gives entrants the chance to select the charity of their choice from a list, whereby you can then make a donation in the name of the winner in additional to the consumer prize structure.

Offer consumers a fun contest where they must enter a photo of the ugliest present they’ve ever received, or the best. Have them submit photos of their best holiday-themed craft project, or their favorite holiday moment. Create a contest just for moms where they submit the funniest photo of their baby, or their worst baby moment.

However you choose to frame your holiday contest or sweepstakes, it is essential that you pay attention to all of the elements that are required for success. This means making sure your rules are clear and compliant with the law, that all of your promotional materials are cohesive and entirely representative of your brand, that you use social media to its fullest, and more. Our Marden-Kane pros will help you stay organized and on track while making sure that every move is bringing your brand closer to mass awareness.

For more information on how we can help you create the perfect campaign, contact us or call us at (516) 365-3999 today!