Promotional Competitions Tip #2: Swipe Right, Match and Win!

Missed Tip #1? Click here to “catch” up.

The Lighthouse team supports many of its clients across Africa and in the United Kingdom to ensure that their promotional activities are compliant with applicable laws and the regulatory landscape of the relevant jurisdiction. Recently, we’ve seen more businesses using social media technology to help capture the attention of the consumer audience and to target engagement by conducting these promotional activities on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even dating sites such as Tinder.

Companies are using mechanisms such as lead generation mechanics and/or user generated content through social media platforms to raise brand awareness, promote conversation around their products and service, and ultimately generate potential sales.

Lead generation mechanics come in many forms and are offered by most social media platforms these days. Promoters can simply choose the audience segment that they want to target and have many options to optimise promotional content reaching the consumer audience in the way they want to. A common example is the use of pop-up ads or reels that appear on a consumer’s feed while the consumer is surfing a particular social media platform, and which promotes a competition or other promotional activity or alternatively, a consumer could simply be swiping for local talent in their area and a pop-up of their favourite drinks brand with the option to win a year’s worth of supply could very well be the most attractive prospect within a 150km radius.

If the pop up is enticing enough, the participants will likely click on the pop up or follow the reel and either be required to fill out a “quick form” or be redirected to a page of the promoter, where the participant will be required to provide certain personal information or data.

The scope of the personal information or data usually includes detail such as names, contact details, birth date, preferences in respect of the promoter’s products and service offerings as well as an offer to opt in to receive further communications from the promoter. Successful completion of the required details will usually constitute a successful entry into the promotional competition or offer of the promoter. Since lead generation mechanics usually provide promoters with large volumes of the participants’ personal information, it is important that the promoter ensures it has appropriate measures to store and safeguard the personal information in a lawful manner.

Stay tuned for ‘Tip 3: Click, enter, what to do with all the data’ to find out what to think about when collecting personal information or data during the course and scope of promotional competitions.

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