I saw this headline and all I could do was sigh.
Artesian Builds’ CEO Receives Backlash for Refusing Giveaway Winner for Their Follower Count
When are companies going to realize that running a sweepstakes is a legal undertaking? Sweepstakes rules are a legal and binding contract between the sponsor and the entrant that would stand up in a court of law. Once the rules are created and the giveaway starts the rules should not be changed.
Normally, when I get a message asking what should a winner do if they don’t get their prize, my answer is to first reach out to the agency running the sweepstakes, or the marketing department of the sponsor, before contacting the Attorney General of their state. In most cases, the issue is resolved or the prize is so small that the winner gives up.
In this case, this CEO publically humiliated the potential winner during the live stream drawing as she had a small social following. No further steps were needed as the public backlash was swift and fierce. The CEO made a public apology, which seemed to carry no weight, offered the winner her prize, which she turned down, and from all accounts I could find, they lost a lot of fans, customers, and affiliates. After all that, her social following (on Twitch) shot way up! HA!
Giveaways are a marketing tool as they are an exciting way to connect and engage with customers and potential customers. Clearly, the CEO forgot that while he was spewing unkind words towards the winner. He appears to have learned his lesson quickly and will conduct himself accordingly in the future, however, the damage is done and it will take time to return to grace, and business levels.
Have you ever turned down a prize?
Yes, only because I didn’t realize that the prize what something I could not use.
WAS something I could not use.
I guess they did not realize that even though she had a small following that it would have gotten larger with the win. She also would have advertised their product with thanks and admiration .
They did not.
I would have still accepted the prize. Refusing it was stooping to their level and showing poor gratitude
I disagree. I would have refused the prize also. It wasn’t poor gratitude. She didn’t want a computer, and every time she used it, she had poor feelings towards the company and the experience.
Last year nestle held a contest to win 100,in sobeys card. I emailed sobeys they said they had nothing to do with it. i emailed 3 times and no response. So i never got it.
I also won a Sobey’s prize last year and haven’t received it. Bad marketing doesn’t make for good brand promotion.
If the company isn’t responding, you need to escalate your request. Either within the agency or with the sponsor. I will blog about this and how to chase a prize.
Yes I turned down my ‘free’ prize when they said I had to pay the taxes and the shipping.
You mentioned about contacting the Attorney General of their state – is it just for US ? How about Canada ?
Yes, that is for the US. We don’t really have anyone to contact. We can reach out to the Competition Bureau, but I have found they don’t really do much …
Great blog post. Would love it if you could write about how to follow up or take legal action against a company withholding a prize. I’m currently trying to get a prize I won 2 yrs ago (a cruise). The company never responds to me on social media and when I called they said they would get back to me but never did. They said they are trying to offer an alternative prize (maybe cash?) but they never get back to me so I called again and theh rudely said were still talking with their legal team. I’m not confident that they will follow through and I’m wondering how I should escalate it.