How many gumballs are in that virtual machine? The three people who come closest to guessing will win brand-new Dell Inspiron notebooks.
That’s the crux of an online promotion launched by Dell Canada for its new laptop. Budgeted at less than $200,000, part of which has been contributed by Dell partner Intel, the effort is designed to put to put a new spin on the old “guess the number of jelly beans in the jar” game.
The gumballs and computers each come in eight matching colors. Players can rotate the gumball machine by rolling over it with their mouse to get a better view.
The contest at www.winwithDell.com runs through Oct. 11. Only Canadians are eligible.
But this isn’t only a game. Players can earn more guesses in exchange for their personal information.
To what end? So Dell can capture e-mail addresses for its newsletter and SMS list. Dell normally gets a pass-along rate of 15% to 30%.
But that’s not the only way to expand one’s chances. Additional guesses can be earned by posting a banner or link to the Web site in blogs or e-mails. Every time the link is clicked, the player gets another guess. What’s more, the original entrant who referred the winner will also receive a Dell notebook.
“If you cast your net out wide enough, you can win by involving as many people as you know,” says Shane Cameron, Dell’s senior manager of online marketing. “It’s a fun incentive for people to interact with the brand.”
The game, created and hosted by interactive promotions agency Launchfire, is one of several Dell runs to reach its target audience. In this case, the back-to-school timing is geared toward people 15 to 24.
“With a lot of contests these days you basically enter the information and you are done,” says John Findlay, Launchfire CEO. “Often consumers won’t remember the sponsor. This promotion encourages daily visits and viral marketing. And, more than likely, the consumer will remember who ran the promotion and some of the messaging.”
The game is being promoted entirely on www.Facebook.com through subtle Dell-branded stories aimed at high school and college students. Some 3.1 million Canadians belong to the social networking site, Cameron says.
Session: Building Your Own Brand Ambassador Network www.thepromoevent.com
A STAR IS BLOOMING
Hundreds of images of blossoming posies have been submitted to a contest that will help 1800Flowers.com create a new product line.
The company has launched an online photo contest asking people to submit ideas for its next Fields of the World bouquet.
The winner’s photo will appear on a world stage: a CBS billboard in New York City’s Times Square. The prize package also includes a trip to see the unveiling and a flower design class with expert Jane Packer.
The images, along with short stories, can be uploaded to www.1800flowers.com/fotw through Sept. 3. The top 10 will be placed on a billboard in each finalist’s hometown. Visitors can vote for their favorite from Oct. 8-31 on the site.
“This is really about getting our customers to engage with us and participate in our product design,” says Karen Fiore, director of customer engagement and promotional partnerships, 1800Flowers.com. “User-generated content gives our customers a fun opportunity to spend time with us.”
The campaign is run in partnership with CBS Riot, a cross-platform division of CBS Corp. Eprize handles the contest, which is being promoted online, via TV and radio spots, e-mail and direct mail.
— AJ
Network
