- Omnichannel sweepstakes
- Purchase-based sweepstakes
- No-purchase sweepstakes
- Retailer-specific sweepstakes
- Instant Win & Sweepstakes
- Gift-with-purchase & Sweepstakes
- Punch Card & Sweepstakes
- Members-only Sweepstakes
- Social & Influencer Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes marketing is an effective shopper marketing tactic that engages loyal customers and drums up awareness with new ones. Sweepstakes are widely used across various industries, including CPG, retail, apparel, travel, and media, to enhance marketing efforts and boost customer engagement – particularly during seasonal promotions.
Digital sweepstakes are especially appealing to consumers because they’re easier to enter and offer richer, more rewarding experiences than traditional mail-in sweepstakes promotions. Digitally focused sweepstakes involve a lot of moving parts, but they’re an important and fun aspect of your marketing strategy.
Digital Sweepstakes Marketing in Numbers
Data shows that digital sweepstakes and contests resonate more than traditional formats. For example:
What You Need to Know About Sweepstakes Marketing
First things first: what do we mean by sweepstakes?
In a sweepstakes, commonly referred to as a giveaway, winners are chosen at random. This differentiates them from traditional contests, which require some element of skill or talent to win.
When it comes to running a successful sweepstakes promotion, there are six aspects you must consider:
- Legal and compliance (sweepstakes laws and rules) which varies by state, region, and country)
- Program build and management (using a sweepstakes administration platform)
- Omni-channel activation
- Prize procurement and fulfillment
- Program amplification
- Data collection and analytics
How to Incorporate Different Sweepstakes in Your Marketing Strategy
Gen Z – the first truly digital native generation – represents an increasingly large percentage of today’s consumers. According to Nielsen, this generation’s spending power will reach $12 trillion by 2030. And with consumers’ use of technology growing, the days of entering a sweepstakes promotion by simply filling out a card and dropping it in a ballot box are far behind us.
Thankfully, there are various ways you can incorporate digital sweepstakes into your marketing and promotional strategies.
9 Types of Sweepstakes with Sweepstakes Examples
1. Omnichannel Sweepstakes
Consumers expect seamless and consistent omnichannel brand experiences across multiple channels – experiences that allow them to interact with brands when, where, and how they choose. Omnichannel sweepstakes use a mix of online and offline experiences with consistent messaging to drive participation and engagement.
Goose Island Omnichannel Sweepstakes Example
Goose Island (AB Inbev), a craft beer manufacturer, wanted to offer consumers a more cohesive, omnichannel shopper experience. And they decided the best way to do this was to unlock their consumers’ transactional and behavioral data from their offline and online UK network. Consumers scan an image of their receipt for any Goose Island qualifying product or upload an image of a Goose Island pint glass to a dedicated webpage. The receipt is then verified by Snipp’s receipt processing and image validation technology. A valid receipt or image gives consumers an entry into a sweepstakes promotion for a chance to win selected rewards.
Promotion Summary
Goose Island bridged the gap between physical and digital experiences with a user-friendly sweepstakes that captured valuable consumer data and boosted engagement across channels.
Key Takeaway
Omnichannel sweepstakes drive deeper consumer insights and stronger brand engagement by combining online convenience with in-store and experiential brand interactions.
2. Purchase-based Sweepstakes
Purchase-based sweepstakes reward consumers for buying your products – whether online or in-store. Would-be winners simply upload proof of purchase (like a receipt) for a chance to win a prize. Incentivizing purchases via a sweepstakes is a tried and tested way to drive sales, increase basket size, and encourage repeat visits. Why? Because it makes customers feel valued.
Bear in mind that, to comply with sweepstakes rules and regulations, you must provide a non-purchase alternative method of entry (AMOE).
Mondelez Purchase-based Sweepstakes Example
Mondelez wanted to drive post-back-to-school sales, secure extra in-store display space, and leverage their Disney partnership to boost engagement. Snipp built a sweepstakes program, Snacktime Stars, where consumers who purchased qualifying Mondelez products could enter their UPC code on a dedicated microsite for a chance to win one grand prize of a $25,000 travel voucher, plus 305 daily Disney+ prizes.
Promotion Summary
Mondelez incentivized product purchases to drive back-to-school sales, secure additional in-store display space, and engage shoppers.
Key Takeaway
Rewarding consumers for purchasing your products can increase sales and build excitement around seasonal events.
3. No-purchase Sweepstakes
No purchase necessary (NPN) sweepstakes can be just as effective at driving awareness, sales, and engagement as purchase-based promotions. Why? Because it lowers the barrier to entry, simplifies the user experience, and increases engagement. Think simple registration forms and social media sharing.
Beam Suntory No-purchase Sweepstakes Example
Snipp worked with Beam Suntory Hornitos to create a no-purchase sweepstakes that increased awareness of the brand’s status as the official tequila of the Boston Red Sox and Hornitos Cantina. Customers who registered on the promotion’s age and state-gated microsite earned the chance to win four free tickets to a Red Sox game and, best of all, the opportunity to throw the first pitch at the iconic Fenway Park.
Promotion Summary
Beam Suntory built buzz and brand awareness through a high-impact, barrier-free sweepstakes that connected with sports fans and celebrated a major sponsorship.
Key Takeaway
No-purchase sweepstakes with once-in-a-lifetime experiences can generate excitement and engagement while broadening reach beyond existing customers.
4. Retailer-specific Sweepstakes
Whether your brand is breaking into a new retailer or you want to show some love to an existing partnership, retail-specific sweepstakes are a powerful tool for driving store traffic and boosting sales. By adding sweepstakes to your shopper marketing strategy and tying entries to in-store purchases, brands can support their retail partners with added promotional value while gaining visibility on shelves.
Kraft Heinz Retailer-specific Sweepstakes Example
Kraft Heinz Canada created a dynamic, cross-brand sweepstakes promotion with Budweiser and the Toronto Blue Jays to drive sales at Sobeys and Safeway. Customers who upload a picture of their receipt on any Heinz Ketchup 750ml bottle or Budweiser non-alcoholic beer 6-10 packs were entered into a grand prize sweepstakes. At the end of the promotion, the 10 lucky entrants won a once-in-a-lifetime Blue Jays weekend for two.
Promotion Summary
Kraft Heinz launched a powerful co-branded promotion tied to a major retailer and beloved sports team, turning everyday purchases into exciting fan experiences.
Key Takeaway
Retail-specific sweepstakes that combine multiple brands and tap into local passions – like sports – can drive high-impact engagement and stronger in-store performance.
5. Instant Win & Sweepstakes
When you think of a sweepstakes, you might think of a grand prize. But you can layer your sweepstakes promotion with multiple smaller prizes as well for instant gratification and added engagement. Small but relevant prizes – like gift cards – are an opportunity to drive retail-specific sales, while daily rewards keep consumers coming back for more.
Nestlé Purina Friskies Instant Win and Sweepstakes Example
Nestlé Purina aimed to drive sales velocity and consumer engagement for Friskies through their Best in the Bowl campaign. Snipp built a sweepstakes with an instant win component, where participants could register on a microsite, earn entries through daily sign-ins, upload receipts for bonus entries, engage on social media, and refer friends. Prizes included a $5,000 grand prize with a year’s supply of Friskies, weekly prize packs, and daily instant wins.
Promotion Summary
Under Armour incentivized purchases and boosted retailer partnership value through a simple receipt-based sweepstakes offering multiple, high-impact rewards.
Key Takeaway
Pairing sweepstakes with gift card and experience-based prizes can drive both immediate sales and long-term brand excitement, especially when tied to popular retail and sports brands.
6. Gift-with-purchase & Sweepstakes
A sweepstakes is one of the most effective ways to drive consumers to specific products in sample trials. But by pairing it with a classic gift-with-purchase promotion, you can provide customers with additional gratification which helps to increase brand awareness and engagement.
Air Wick Gift-with-purchase Sweepstakes Example
Air Wick worked with Snipp to drive sales at two of the brand’s key U.S. retail partners. Shoppers who spent more than $15 on Air Wick products and uploaded a picture of their receipt to the promotion website earned a $5 gift card. They were also entered into a grand prize sweepstakes for the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Yellowstone National Park.
Promotion Summary
Air Wick combined instant rewards with a high-value sweepstakes prize to drive purchase intent and engage shoppers across multiple retail channels.
Key Takeaway
Pairing gift-with-purchase incentives with enticing sweepstakes prizes can boost basket size and create a compelling reason for consumers to engage.
7. Punch Card & Sweepstakes
Combining your sweepstakes promotion with a traditional punch card program is a great way to increase engagement and sales over time. The punch card layer rewards consistent buyers, while the sweepstakes adds an extra layer of excitement to attract occasional or undecided shoppers
Danone Punch Card Sweepstakes Example
Danone partnered with Snipp to expand its successful Crave & Save promotion at Publix, aiming to drive cross-portfolio sales and secure additional in-store displays. The campaign used a digital punch card format, allowing shoppers to earn a $5 Publix Gift Card for every $20 spent on Danone products. Consumers could track their progress on the site and earn up to six Publix Gift Cards – encouraging repeat purchase. They were also automatically entered into a grand prize sweepstakes for the chance to win a Vitamix blender and an additional $200 Publix gift card. To make submission as effortless as possible, consumers could send receipts using text, email, or direct upload. These were processed automatically using our receipt validation platform.
Promotion Summary
Danone combined a digital punch card with a high-impact sweepstakes to drive repeat purchases and boost visibility at Publix.
Key Takeaway
Layering sweepstakes into punch card programs, or similar programs, adds an element of excitement that can boost participation, deepen engagement, and turn routine purchases into compelling brand experiences.
8. Members-only Sweepstakes
Running a sweepstakes for loyalty program members is a powerful way to reward your most engaged customers. These promotions are only open to those who’ve signed up for your loyalty program, adding an element of exclusivity that’s hard to resist. Members-only sweepstakes are also a simple way to gather more information about your best customers which, in turn, allows you to deliver more personalized offers.
Members-only sweepstakes strengthen brand loyalty by offering perks that go beyond discounts – like early access to new products, limited-edition merchandise, or VIP experiences. The exclusivity not only increases program sign-ups but also deepens emotional connection with your brand.
Blue Buffalo Members-only Sweepstakes Example
Blue Buffalo wanted to build awareness and drive sales and loyalty for their Blue Wilderness line of dog and cat food. Snipp built a customer loyalty program, where pet parents could register and submit receipts of their Blue Buffalo purchases via web upload, email, or SMS. This earned them points for every dollar spent on Blue Wilderness products. The application included a PetSmart-exclusive sweepstakes, where people who shopped at the retailer earned an entry for a chance to win a Petsmart gift card in a monthly random drawing.
Promotion Summary
Blue Buffalo blended loyalty and sweepstakes to drive repeat purchases, reward engaged customers, and strengthen retailer partnerships.
Key Takeaway
Integrating sweepstakes into a members-only loyalty program can boost engagement, increase retailer-specific sales, and reinforce customer loyalty.
9. Social and Influencer Sweepstakes
Social sweepstakes create excitement and engagement for your brand. The right prize can incentivize sharing and make your promotion go viral. The key is to simplify the entry process. A like, share, or comment should be all that it takes to participate. 68% of U.S. adults participated in a social media-based contest or sweepstakes in 2023.
Influencers can also enhance your sweepstakes. 69% of consumers trust influencers, friends, and family recommendations more than brands. Take advantage of this to create promotions that resonate with your customers.
GSK Influencer Sweepstakes Example
GSK used stories of celebrities who’ve quit smoking to help drive awareness and sales for their Nicorette products. Their influencer sweepstakes promotion encouraged friends and family to connect with their loved ones through inspirational stories. GSK asked friends and family to register on their website to enter the sweepstakes and nominate someone in their life who wanted to quit smoking. At the end of the program, winners received a personalized video from a celebrity to encourage them to stop.
Promotion Summary
Nicorette combined emotional storytelling with influencer appeal in a sweepstakes that connected participants to the brand in a personal and impactful way.
Key Takeaway
Influencer-led sweepstakes that tap into personal relationships and emotional resonance can strengthen brand affinity and inspire meaningful action.
Bringing Your Sweepstakes Strategy Together
Sweepstakes have evolved into powerful, data-driven marketing tools that attract new customers, deepen loyalty, and drive measurable sales. From omnichannel activations to members-only rewards, they can adapt to different business goals and audiences.
The most successful campaigns combine a clear strategy, audience-focused experiences, and expert sweepstakes administration – often guided by an experienced sweepstakes agency – to ensure flawless execution and long-term engagement well after the promotion ends.
