Contests: Is the iPhone the new iPod?

Jun 14 2007

A client of mine in the beautiful state of Colorado came up with a great promotion to drive new business that was new to these jaded eyes – a drawing for an iPhone.

This contest proved to be very successful for my client – Kudos Heidi, great idea!

The best contests/giveaways build off something that has its’ own buzz, outside of your brand.

Take for example, the iPod (which may be the quintessential giveaway of this decade). The iPod took the world by storm and had an established place as a must-have for anyone who considers themselves as “with it”.

The key to the iPod giveaway is that the iPod is a “tangible” prize. People know it doesn’t cost an inordinate amount, and think they can win it (if you have ever been to trade show, you have probably entered 36 iPod drawings). Think about te iPod giveaway vs. the “new car” giveaway, or “a trip to the Oscars with a meet and greet with George Clooney” – a pipe-dream at best. The iPhone has a similar tangible element and a buzz brewing, along with the voicemail feature – maybe the greatest invention ever.

Be careful, there is an issue with this giveaway though – you must have AT&T wireless as your provider to use your iPhone ( There are strings attached.) – very similar to say a DirectTV dish giveaway or a Sirius Radio giveaway. Are you giving away a year of service of just the device? If you are not upfront with the requirements, you can have an unhappy winner, which can cause brand damage.

As long as you manage the expectations of your prize, you will have a very happy winner, as well as new leads and customers. Why not buddy up with Steve Jobs and his “revolutionary device”. New leads, new customers, and increased interest. You are also giving your brand a new look as cutting edge and with the times. You get it.

So what do you with these contest/giveaway leads that haven’t signed off on your products/services?

Stay tuned….