If loyalty marketing were personified, he’d likely be found standing at the water’s edge, reflecting on days gone by as well as his plans for the future. He may even try to skip a stone or two. Before judging where we’ve been and where we’re headed, we usually start with where we are today. That intersection could be marked by acknowledging the presence of the Internet, the panacea of tools available to marketers, and an economic market with a sign “Recession” hanging overhead.

The Internet and related technologies have put consumers in the driver’s seat. We are all spending our time more wisely - in full control of the media we choose. We spend over 30 hours a week online - not to mention the third screen: mobile.

As marketers, we are trying to crack the code of digital and engagement marketing. The good news? There are more tools than ever. The bad news? There are more tools than ever. It may be difficult to prioritize among all the choices. While the tools exist to create and extend loyal relationships, reaching the next level of loyalty and engagement remains elusive to many brands. In loyalty, as in life, setting the right priorities is more than half the battle.

The recession has also changed the way we make decisions – possibly forever. From now on, consumers will spend more wisely. From now on, credit will be different. From now on, businesses will act differently. From now on, our culture will be different.

Read the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/lrzxyb

Are you a Mortal or a Vampire? Choose your side in the HBO ESCAPE THE EVERYDAY SWEEPSTAKES promoting the True Blood^SM Season Two premiere!  Lucky winners will receive $10,000 or True Blood Season One DVD set and a number of other cool Instant Win prizes!

Leave no stone unturned in this interactive adventure as you search through Bill’s Living Room, scour Merlottes’ Bar & Grill, and unearth the unmentionable in the Graveyard.

Score points as you collect objects, enter codes, and recruit friends to play. Plus, play 3 DAILY instant win games and more!

Get the ghoulish good times rolling NOW! Post this link to your Facebook/Twitter page!

http://hbo.eprize.net/trueblood2/?affiliate_id=3d  

Better yet, download the Widget to “suck in” your friends and recruit them to join your Mortal or Vampire side! 

“On March 1, 1999 I filed the paperwork with the State of Michigan to start a company called ‘ePrize’. At that time, internet advertising was booming but there was a big void in terms of internet promotions. In fact, the entire promotion industry was old-school, antiquated and broken. With everyone focused on interactive advertising, there was an opportunity to forge new ground and truly “own” the world of interactive promotions. In 1999, we launched a new industry… the interactive promotion world. We defined the industry.”

Thank you to our clients, partners and team members who have been part of the last ten years. Without your support we wouldn’t exist. Here’s to the next decade of promotion pioneering – together.

The Super Bowl is a great opportunity for companies to debut superb television commercials that make lasting impressions on viewers and are the topic of water cooler discussions everywhere.  Our clients at Universal Orlando Resort newest project will definitely leave an impression on the viewers. 

Given the task of hyping the re-launch of “Heroes” on NBC, Universal used a combination of tactics to help gain attention. Included in these efforts, Universal recruited ePrize to develop the first-of-its-kind campaign to produce high visitation numbers and peak an interest in the resort while gathering leads for future direct marketing projects.  

The final product of the joint effort launched on Sunday, February 1 for one time only during the Super Bowl game. The unprecedented offer was a 2-park/7-day ticket to Universal Orlando for the first 100,000 registrants who visited the website www.universalheroes.com.

Included in this promotion, Universal was also encouraging consumers to enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 28 trips to Universal Orlando. One trip will be given away everyday during the month of February.  

This promotion just might make every child and adult feel “superhuman” again.

Is there an invention you couldn’t live without? Some people would say the computer, others the cell phone, but here at ePrize, there is a little piece of “technical wizardry” that has been impressing the team members every Friday for the entire month of January. The Hot-Dogger. 

The love runs really deep for one of our senior producers who sent this memo to our Client Solutions team (he/she wishes to remain anonymous).  

I wanted to take a moment to express my utmost gratitude.  Gratitude and appreciation for someone I know only as a gentleman, a scholar, a cage fighter, and supreme hot dog advocate.  This man is David Soohoo. On the afternoon of Thursday, 1/8/09, Soohoo changed my life.  He opened my eyes and heart to an ingenious gastronomic device called the “Old Fashioned Pop-Up Hot Dog Toaster”, also known as the “Hot-Dogger”.  This machine is no ordinary food preparation gadget – it is a portal to a dimension of hot dog nirvana that one can only experience firsthand.   Perfectly crusty, toasty buns and juicy, hot franks…all from one countertop appliance.  It MUST be powered my magic.  I used to eat hot dogs, but now I EXPERIENCE THEM.  Thank you, David, for opening this pandora’s box of beefy perfection.  My wife and I will now be strongly considering “Soohoo” as the name of our first-born child. 

Even if you don’t like hot dogs, I’m sure you’d still appreciate this handy device. Maybe you should bring one into your office, seems to make ours a happier place!

Is your biggest addiction shopping? If you’re a true online shopper, you’ve probably heard of Bluefly. Bluefly is an online retailer known for being “the ultimate hook-up for the fashion obsessed.” As you can imagine, the site is complete with  the latest designer clothing & accessories  from Gucci, Prada, Theory, Michael Kors and many more…starting at 40% off retail.   When ePrize and Bluefly joined forces to mix online shopping with online promotions, it seemed a natural fit to tie it to the upcoming movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic.”   The fashion obsessed will be given the chance to win the weekly prize of a $5,000 guilt-free shopping spree.  That’s over $20,000 in prizes!  

The Bluefly promotion encourages consumers to come clean about their shopping addictions with a polling sweepstakes featuring the similarly themed movie,”Confessions of a Shopaholic.” Consumers get the opportunity to enter their shopping confessions. The cathartic, guilt-free confession shows readers how their addictions compare to those of other shoppers.  No judgment, it’s shopaholics anonymous, we’re all guilty as charged! Everyone who participates gets the chance to win a $5,000 guilt-free shopping spree. 

So what’s your obsession?

 

ePrize held our first annual “How Many Sliders Can you Eat in Six Minutes” competition on Friday, January 16. The event was masterminded by Sagar Parvataneni, who served as the official judge.  When asked about his inspiration Sagar said,  “I was watching a hot dog eating contest on TV and thought to myself, what could possibly be more disgusting than this?  And then it hit me…”  

The crowd began to gather a little before 3:00PM, all waiting with the anticipation of whom would come out victourious. The event consisted of six contestants armed with a bag of 25 sliders and the goal of consuming as many as possible in just six short minutes. If no one had the stomach or the speed to eat all 25,  the winner would be the contestant that ate the most.  

Nick Soulliere, who devoured 11 sliders in six minutes, used such tactics as smashing the slider and folding it in half to place first in the competition.  On his win Nick said, “I am still waiting on Gabe to give me the championship belt.”  I don’t believe Gabe Karp,  who only managed to consume 6 sliders, will be giving up his championship belt anytime soon.

Mardi Gras is February 24^, 2009.   Even if you can’t make your way to New Orleans, Universal Studios® and ePrize are giving you the chance to partake in one of the biggest and best parties of the year. 

Universal Studios® decided they not only wanted to celebrate with the spectacular parades, masked balls, movin music, amazing food and beads but also with their own “Let the Music Move You” promotion. 

Included in all of this celebrating, players are given the chance to instantly win a Universal Orlando® 2009 2-Park Season Pass, AND the opportunity to win one of five 46″ Sharp Aquos LCDs in the grand prize drawing.  This game uses ePrize’s instant win technology which gives the customer the ability to immediately tell if they are a winner.

Check out the Let Music Move You promotion and enter for YOUR chance to win and celebrate Mardi Gras in style!

ePrize was lucky enough to have an amazing guest speaker at our 2009 Roll Out held at the MotorCity Casino in Detroit.  

Jeff Hargett, the Corporate Director of Learning and Content Delivery for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, educated and entertained our team with his presentation on Ritz-Carlton’s world famous service. Through examples and comparisons to the business of ePrize, Mr. Hargett allowed the team to envision taking our service and client devotion to the next level. 

He inspired us by saying, “The philosophy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company not only guides me in providing world renowned service but also helps me on a day-to-day basis to evaluate my personal commitment to life.”  Click here to view Jeff Hargett’s profile and contact information.

 

Movember began on November 1^st with clean shaven guys committing to grow their moustaches for the entire month.

Participants, better known as “Mo Bros”, weren’t doing this to impress the ladies, their goal was to raise money and awareness for men’s health and the fight against prostate cancer. Movember concluded at the end of the November with the “Gala Partés.”  Last year the event raised $21 million!

The Prostate Cancer Foundation receives 100% of all donations made to the charity event.  In turn, this money is used for research in an effort to improve treatments and hopefully find a cure for prostate cancer.

A few good ePrizers decided to be active participants in the festivities and had an office party kit sent over. They took full advantage by having a silent auction to raise money as well as a “Best Mo” contest!  Click here for the ePrize team’s official site.