AT&T is promoting its sponsorship of the hit show American Idol this season with a host of text messaging-based offers, including a sweepstakes for a chance to win $1 million.
Fans can enter the sweepstakes by sending the word IDOL to short code 4004. Customers can earn an additional entry for every text, instant, photo, and video message they send.
One grand-prize will be selected in May and fly to Los Angeles to see the American Idol finale live and participate in the Cingular Wireless American Idol event for a chance to win up to $1 million. Twenty five monthly prizes of a Samsung handset will also be awarded throughout the promotion, which ends May 4.
Sweepstakes rules are available on Cingular.com/Idol.
Cingular Wireless merged with AT&T. As a result the telecommunications company rebranded itself to the new AT&T last month. The name may be different, but the text messaging promotions around American Idol remain the same.
To boost trial of its text messaging services, AT&T is also offering bonus entries to customers who opt in for weekly American Idol trivia (text AI to short code 5005) or sign up for vote number reminders.
AT&T will continue its tradition to let fans have a say in the show’s outcome. Viewers can vote for their favorite idol by sending the word VOTE to that singer’s assigned number during the show. Last season, more than 64.5 million text messages were sent tied to the show.
Other show sponsors include Coca-Cola and Ford. The soft drink company has reprised its role on the show this year with new rewards to its loyalty program members (PROMO Xtra, Jan. 18, 2007).
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