Val-Pak Giveaways GIVING OUT FREE MONEY is a hard act to follow. But Val-Pak is trying. In August, the Largo, FL-based co-op mailer, which had great success giving away $100 checks placed randomly in its coupon packs in 1998 and 1999, started the Cool Back-to-School Giveaway.
This time, Val-Pak sent out 50 million envelopes, inserting special certificates that awarded computers to 25 winners. The machines, manufactured by Val-Pak advertiser Patriot Computer Corp., are a $600 value. Winners may choose a model displaying either a pink Barbie or blue Hot Wheels insignia.
A second chance to win goes to another lucky 20 participants, who can then register at www.valpak.com for a shot at a $1,000 shopping spree at one of www.mall.com’s retailers. Getting recipients to register is a way to drive traffic to the Val-Pak site and add to the 200,000-name e-mail database for people who want to receive information about new offers. Mall.com, another Val-Pak advertiser, features retailers such as Talbots, FAO Schwarz and Sharper Image. Everyone who signs up gets a $100 voucher that they can cash in for discounts at Mall.com stores.
Patriot and Mall.com sponsored the promotion.
“We are really looking to make our advertisers happy because they have offers in the envelope,” says Chris Bilotta, promotions manager at Val-Pak’s parent, Cox Target Media.
Bilotta adds that the winners of the $100 giveaway are still calling to thank Val-Pak.
The contest ran from Aug. 7 to Sept. 18.