Love is in the air. Or it will be come 14 February. And Valentine’s Day is a lovely theme for a prize promotion, plus it’s a good post-Christmas promotional milestone to mark. All businesses want their customers to feel the love for their brand, but don’t be disheartened if, at first glance, yours doesn’t appear to be compatible with Valentine’s Day prize promotions.
Giveaway secrets
Take the Good Web Guide. A site which curates online content doesn’t seem an obvious fit for those who are romantically inclined, yet it’s currently running a Valentine’s prize giveaway under the headline ‘Win gifts for you & your Valentine’.
Entrants are invited to ‘Win a fabulous selection of prizes worth £540 for a happy couple to enjoy on 14 February’ and the prize bundle consists of a silver heart necklace, a collection of beauty products and a designer clutch bag. I’m not entirely sure my Valentine would be interested in any of those items, but, hey, I would, so I might just give it a whirl.
Anyway, my point is that you wouldn’t naturally equate a guide to the Web and Valentine’s Day, so don’t be put off if your logo isn’t pink and your brand isn’t all about hearts and flowers. The Good Web Guide’s prizes are appropriate for Valentine’s Day and, in fact, the terms and conditions show that the closing date has been chosen so that the prize can be awarded and dispatched before 14 February, presumably in order to maximise publicity and social media declarations on the day itself.
A worthy prize
OK, I sense I’ve won you over with on the Web guide, but a sausage-maker? Surely no-one was ever swept off their feet by a processed meat product? Well, on the contrary, because for the last couple of years posh-ish supermarket banger brand, Heck, has run a Valentine’s Day competition (and my do the same again this year).
In 2019, the winning couple won a trip to Heck HQ in Yorkshire to design and make their own sausages. Admittedly that doesn’t sound particularly glamorous, but the package included an overnight stay at a charming country inn, which moved the prize into the ‘romantic weekend break’ bracket and tied in really well with a Valentine’s Day theme.
In fact, winners Faye and Ben didn’t manage to take their trip until last November. However, they are apparently huge foodies and came up with a Mexican-style burger, that Heck – in a clever move that extends the impact of its original promotion – will be selling as a limited edition this Valentine’s Day.
Perfect match
From a professional prize promotions perspective I can see that both the promotions I’ve highlighted work, but I’m not endorsing either of these brands, just pointing out that opposites really can attract and with the right prize and a creative angle any brand or company can run a successful Valentine’s Day promotion – truly.
If you’d like to partner up with Prizeology for a Valentine’s Day promotion, please call us on 020 7856 0402 or get in touch via email (but sweet as that would be, maybe it’s better not to leave us guessing by sending an unsigned card!).
Sarah Burns is Prizeology’s Chief Prizeologist, and a first-class romantic.
