Digital marketing ideas with fun branded swag to spread cheer

By Stephanie Lamie

’Tis the season for brands to spread holiday cheer! Positive messaging opens in new window not only shapes perceptions, but it can also enhance loyalty and drive sales. By focusing on fun and engaging digital marketing strategies—like online contests and giveaways opens in new window—organizations can attract more followers, convert leads, increase loyalty and boost awareness. Pair these digital marketing ideas with fun branded swag for a more joyful, engaging and successful holiday season.

Offer a challenge

Spark excitement on social media by creating challenges related to your products, services or a common theme, like the holidays. Invite users to submit photos of their homemade gingerbread house, ornaments or desserts. Or ask them to share pics of their ugliest sweater, best holiday pet costume or random act of kindness.

Motivate your community to participate by offering promotional prizes for top submissions. If your challenge is automotive-related, give winners roadside safety items. If it’s winter- or holiday-themed, give beanie/toque, scarf and glove sets or sherpa blankets. Attach a branded ornament to keep the seasonal vibe going.

Set up a scavenger hunt

Build engagement and grow your audience by launching a social media scavenger hunt. Post a list of challenges to compete for a chance to win fun branded swag. Depending on your audience, your hunt can play out in the physical or digital world.

A physical scavenger hunt might involve hiding promo items like mini mug ornaments or lapel pins in public locations. An online version could include hiding small, themed graphics—like snowflakes or candy canes—on various pages of your website or in social media images for users to find, screenshot and submit. The first to find each day’s hidden graphic wins a Bluetooth^® speaker or fanny pack. Each day, followers can return for another shot to win different social media prizes.

Celebrate a milestone

Whether it’s your 1,000th follower or 25th anniversary, use social media giveaways to mark special milestones. Announce the achievement with an eye-catching post, then ask users to post a memory, tag a friend, share the post or take another simple action. Randomly select winners to receive fun giveaway items, like sunglasses or colour-changing tumblers. Or add intrigue by offering mystery boxes filled with a variety of items from gift cards and discounts to dad caps and flashlights.

Host a trivia game

Launch a daily or weekly social media trivia game to boost engagement and entertain your followers. Choose themes based on your brand, industry or the holidays. Post a question each day or week and invite users to answer in comments or direct messages. Each correct answer earns an entry into a regular prize draw for exclusive offers or promotional prizes. A few lucky participants receive branded bandanas, while one special someone gets a Stanley^® tumbler. Or each winner can receive a small gift basket, which includes lip balm, hand warmers and other personal care items.

Digital marketing ideas make spirits bright

The holidays are a wonderful time to embrace positive messaging in your marketing. Spread joy through interactive strategies like challenges, scavenger hunts, celebrations and games to strengthen connections with your audience. Give fun branded swag as prizes and giveaways to truly embrace the spirit of the season!

Stephanie Lamie

Stephanie Lamie is a senior merchandising category manager who has been with 4imprint for 28 years, including 21 years in her current role. She oversees several product categories, with her largest areas of focus being writing instruments and tradeshow displays. Stephanie enjoys discovering new products, tracking industry and retail trends, partnering with suppliers and learning more about sustainability. She began her 4imprint career as an expediter before moving into sales, claims and corporate programs—experience that gives her a broad understanding of the business. As an expert in all things pens, she uses her deep knowledge of 4imprint’s departments and customer needs to bring the very best writing utensils and tradeshow products to the market.

All marks are the property of 4imprint or their respective owners.

Sources