Tag Archives: Photo Contests

Inc. Magazine: Pongr Photo Marketing is the “Best For Creating Loyalty Campaigns”

Brand Loyalty, Brand Rewards, Direct Response Campaigns, Pongr for Small Businesses, Pongr in the Media, Shopper Marketing | by

    Monetize Your Customer Photos — Businesses of all sizes use Pongr for direct response marketing campaigns and to maximize the value of user-generated photos by connecting them to their CRM databases.

    Inc. Magazine, best known for its focus on America’s fastest growing privately held companies and its coverage of entrepreneurs, explores the photo marketing landscape for brands and small businesses in its May issue — which is on the newsstands now.

    The magazine examines the business value of four competing photo sharing platforms and their comparative marketing strengths. Highlighting both Pongr’s free photo marketing tools for small businesses and organizations, and its premium services for brands, the Inc. story names Pongr the “Best For Creating Loyalty Campaigns.”

    You can read the full story, “4 Ways to Market With Online Photos,” here.

    We’re honored to be recognized for our shopper marketing loyalty programs, which award points for taking and sharing pics and giving consumers opportunities to redeem their points for prizes.

    For small businesses and organizations, having access to a sleek-looking software platform and a fan leaderboard is priceless — given how tight IT budgets are these days.

    For local, regional and global brands, Pongr’s image recognition and direct response system allows campaigns to be automated at any scale. The natural consumer act of taking a picture is their entry into a contest, promotion or sweepstakes. Our computer vision “sees” when customers have interacted with the desired product, packaging or store display — and filters out incorrect images.

    Pull out your camera phone and check it out for yourself. Snap a pic of your company/brand logo and send it to (brandname)@pongr.com. Check your inbox and see what happens!

    (Pongr shopper marketing campaigns can be used for new or existing brand loyalty programs. Drop us a line here to learn more.)

    Picture Sharing Miracle: Lost Soggy Hawaii Vacation Photos Resurface in Taiwan

    Photo Sharing | by

      Missing Memories: Do YOU know the identity of this scuba diver, who lost her camera five years ago off the coast of Hawaii?

      This spirited scuba diver never got to share her coral reef adventures off the coast of Hawaii because her waterproof Canon camera got lost in the ocean.

      Happens all the time, right?  Which is why many of the camera companies sell those bright orange floating wrist straps.

      What doesn’t happen all the time is having the camera get found six years later — and 6,200 miles away in Taiwan!

      According to Hawaii News Now, an employee of China Airlines found the barnicle-encrusted Canon on a beach and discovered that the memory card was still intact.

      Bruce Chen, General Manager of China Airlines‘ Honolulu office, says the pics are from an August 2007 vacation in Kaanapali Beach on Maui. China Airlines is hoping that sharing the vacation photos through social media will identify the divers and reunite them with their memories.

      “I don’t know how this camera goes to Taiwan, but I believe it’s God’s arrangement,” Chen told the Hawaiian media outlet. He said that China Airlines will fly the camera’s owner to Taiwan for free if he or she is identified.

      It’s a visual twist on the classic Message in a Bottle story.

      And it’s also confirmation that whether you snap pics on a $5 plastic disposable camera, your high-end smartphone or a pricey SLR, those cameras can always be replaced. It’s the memories inside that matter most!

      Lost Vacation Photos: This mystery family lost their camera but could possibly be reunited with their memories. If you know who they are, China Airlines wants to surprise them.

      If you know who these vacationers are, make their day by sharing their names with Hawaii News Now or China Airlines. We love happy endings.

      (As the only mobile direct response Photo Marketing platform especially built for shopper marketing, CPGs and brands, Pongr looks forward to one day launching its first underwater photo contest. Learn more about how we can help you.)

      Brand Mascot Salute – The Android Robot Has Veins of Steel

      Advertising, Brand Ambassadors, Brand Mascots, Photo Contest Ideas | by

        Sub-Zero Greetings: Whoever is on mascot duty for our local Verizon Wireless store must be wearing three layers of long underwear today! (Double click to see Pongr’s full Fan Photo Gallery for Android.)

        You don’t have to be at Disney World to enjoy the perfect photo-op with a costumed mascot. Many consumer brands have characters just as entertaining as this internationally savvy Donald Duck or these loveable superheroes.

        I never miss an opportunity to snap “action shots” and photograph friends with mascots — recent random discoveries include the Michelin Man and Little Caesar.  The charm of these photos is twofold:

        1. Seeing a “live” cartoon character in a “real” life setting catches you slightly off guard and is always amusing.
        2. Because the facial expression of the mascot is always fixed and upbeat, it’s fun to watch the varying reactions of the humans.

        Unlike most forms of advertising, consumers naturally gravitate to mascots. They want to share these kind of pictures (with no incentives necessary). Doesn’t matter if the character is cheering for a sports team, is promoting dental hygiene or is a walking bottle of laundry detergent, they are all paparazzi magnets ideal for launching photo contests.

        Which brings us back to the DROID Android whom I saw waving to motorists yesterday in the most brutal New England wintery conditions. These pictures can’t capture the bone-chilling temperatures, which were definitely flirting with zero if you take the wind chill factor into account.

        Our Unsung Hero Braving the Cold Outside Verizon IM Wireless. (Double click to see Pongr’s full Fan Photo Gallery for Verizon.)

        I was so excited to see the DROID that I trudged through a three-foot snowbank to see him. The robot’s smile was constant, his posture remained strong and he just exuded a cloud of mobile pride. (We’ve long been paying attention to the Android mascot’s cult following).

        Memo to the Verizon IM Wireless store that employs this amazing DROID: He (she?) deserves a raise!
        **
        See any brand mascots in your world lately? Send us pics at (brandname)@pongr.com.

        Talking Candy: Still Time to Snap Away in Pongr’s Valentine’s Day Photo Contest!

        Mobile Marketing, Photo Sharing, Pongr Contests | by

          Coming Soon: Pongr Conversation Hearts? (Click here to make your own customized messages).

          WHO DO U LUV?

          Historians will debate this for ages, but a strong argument can be made that Conversation Hearts, pioneered by NECCO, is the original inspiration for texting — and maybe even Twitter?

          For men and women who have difficulty expressing their true emotions, these candies are a godsend on Valentine’s Day or for school dances, wedding proposals, anniversaries, etc.

          SweeTarts, under its Willy Wonka sister (brother?) brand, makes message Hearts, too. But the entire Valentine’s “conversation” candy genre has just exploded. For all you bashful types, there are now:

          Papa Gino’s restaurants just jumped into the Valentine’s arena with their clever Conversation Pizzas!

          We love the creativity of Papa Gino’s restaurants, which have taken pizza to a whole new level. Click to see their full gallery of Conversation Pizzas!

          Lastly, there’s the message candy for the outsiders — those who despise the very idea of Valentine’s Day still have wallets. BitterSweets candy, created to share disappointment and rejection, is from the same folks behind Despair business humor products.

          Valentine’s Candy for Bitter People — The candy itself isn’t bitter, but Despair.com is marketing its sugary tins to those of us who have experienced one too many heartbreaks. (Click to learn more).

          Did we miss any foods that talk back?  What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?

          Pongr’s mobile photo contest software is usually used behind the scenes by brands to engage with fans at supermarkets, convenience stores, retailers and Quick Service Restaurants. But in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’d love to hear from you directly!

          Snap a pic of your favorite Valentine-themed item and send it to us (insert-brand-name@pongr.com) for a chance to win gift cards to H & M, Old Navy, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.

          Love, Pongr

          (You have until Feb. 17 to play. Click here for contest details.)

          Explore Darth Vader’s Adorable Side — Share Your Favorite Candy in our Valentine’s Day Photo Contest!

          Photo Sharing, Pongr Contests | by

            The Evil Empire Has Just Gotten Sweeter. These Darth Vader candy mugs grimace at Target shoppers.

            You know that scene in the original Star Wars (or “A New Hope” to you kiddies) when Darth Vader is sitting around a conference room table and some underling says the wrong thing and then gets suffocated by the mere pointing of Lord Vader’s finger?

            You don’t get more badass than that. But seeing Darth Vader’s helmet serving as a candy dish filled with pink, yellow and lavender conversation hearts neutralizes that tough guy vibe for me. I now picture him shaving his legs and watching Downton Abbey.  Seeing Darth Vader in rhinestones on this box of Star Wars candy further cements the image.

            On the flip side, R2D2 is supposed to be cute — and he looks even cuter staring out a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

            Along with Halloween, Easter and Christmas, Valentines Day is one of the four Super Bowls of Candy Creativity.  V-Day candy alone is a $2.89 billion industry!

            Is it us, or is Ms. Brown M & M looking sexier and sexier?

            Now it’s confession time. Is it okay to find the girl M & Ms physically attractive?  Particularly the sultry and sophisticated Ms. Brown, played by former Miss America Vanessa Williams?  Here’s predicting that Ms. Brown/Ms. Williams sells a lot more candy this year.

            Target has turned its shopping aisles into a magical storybook land.

            One of my favorite places to hunt for Valentine’s Day candy is Target, which as usual has taken holidays and special occasions to the next level with fun graphics and plays on words.  Welcome to the world of VALENTOPIA!

            On my most recent Target scavenger hunt, I stumbled across some exclusive Disney candy, Russell Stover Billion Dollar Bills, and SpongeBob hamburger-like Gummy Krabby Patties. The weirder the name, the more likely kids want to gobble them up.

            I have no idea what a “Midgee” is, but I love Tootsie Rolls and how they have adapted their packaging to serve as a fortune cookie — and a much chewier and long-lasting one at that.

            Tootsie Rolls That Talk Back — Special edition Valentine’s Day wrappers have special romantic messaging.

            So what’s your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?  Where’s your favorite place to shop? While you’re in the supermarket or department store aisle this week, snap a pic of any Valentine’s Day-themed item and send it to us (insert-brand-name@pongr.com) for a chance to win gift cards to H & M, Old Navy, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.

            Pongr’s Valentine’s Day Photo Contest runs from Feb. 4-17. To get started, click here for contest details.

            Valentine’s Photo Sharing: What kind of cards did you give out in elementary school?

            Photo Sharing, Pongr Contests | by

              “Be My Valentine Or I’ll Beat You to a Pulp!” The stars of World Wrestling Entertainment get into the ring of elementary school Valentine’s Day cards.

              Despite stories like Charlie Brown waiting by his mailbox for Valentines that never come (see “Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown“), most elementary school kids experience a utopian flood of “likes” and love that will unlikely ever happen again in life.

              In grade school, giving your classmates positive affirmation in the form of a store bought Valentine (sorry, but the kids who give out handmade construction paper ones get made fun of) is mandatory.  Even if you got in a fistfight with the class bully on Feb. 13, the next day is all lovey dovey — delivered through the mouths of SpongeBob, Batman, Spider-Man, Justin Bieber and Barbie.

              Particularly amusing is the effort to make Valentine’s Day appealing to boys, stripping the holiday of its pinks and reds and sending in an emergency crew of pumped-up World Wrestling Entertainment stars, Angry Birds and the Star Wars gang.  What? You didn’t know that a light saber these days is far more romantic than a dozen roses?

              Also surprising is the Goth-like turn some of the girls’ cards are taking. It’s tempting to think that the Monster High teen vampires might be after Barbie’s throat, but both doll brands are owned by Mattel.

              Not all little girls are into cutesy characters like Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony. The Monster High zombie girls, a fashion doll line by Mattel, lets kids explore their inner Goth.

              Just as kitschy are the choices in the grown-up greeting card aisle.

              Nothing is more romantic than plumber’s butt jokes, right?

              Not So Classy — Would you be smitten by a matchmaker in these shorts? Recycled Paper Greetings wants you to reconsider.

              Based on first impressions, which inscription below do you think goes inside the plumber card?  The scary one, right?

              Now You Get to Play Greeting Card Editor: Which Valentine’s Day Message Belongs with the Tacky Cupid?

              Wrong. The scarier reference goes inside another Recycled Paper Greetings card with a Valentines-decorated White House. If you’re a Washington lobbyist or just want to be a political namedropper, you can also send the card below to yourself.

              Cupid-in-Chief — President Barack Obama takes a few moments away from leading the Free World to wish you a Happy V Day. Inscription inside: “Thought you’d like to put this up where everyone could see it.” (via Recycled Paper Greetings).

              So what’s your favorite Valentine’s card memory?  While you’re in the supermarket or department store aisle this week, snap a pic of any Valentine’s Day-themed item and send it to us for a chance to win gift cards to H & M, Old Navy, Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.

              Pongr’s Valentine’s Day Photo Contest runs from Feb. 4-17. To get started, click here for contest details!

              Don’t Just Spread The Love, Pongr It!

              Brand Ambassadors, Brand Loyalty, Pongr Contests, Shopper Marketing, Uncategorized | by

                We’re well on our way into winter, and love is in the air. Flowers, gifts, and candy are being purchased. Pink, red, and white decorations are hanging, and this can only mean one thing: Valentine’s Day is approaching.

                Now, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be dedicated exclusively to those in romantic relationships. Valentine’s Day is a time when you can express your love to anyone, such as a family member or close friend… and the only thing that is just as important as spreading the love, is capturing it.

                With that being said, it’s time for the Valentine’s Day photo contest!

                 Here’s how it works:

                1)   Take Valentine’s Day inspired photos.

                2)   Send them in, either by MMS or email, to “brandnamehere”@pongr.com!  Make sure to put #VDay in the subject line to be entered in the contest.

                3)   Share, share, share! Share your pics with family and friends. Share them on Facebook or Twitter. Sharing is caring, and you’ll only be gaining more Pongr points, Facebook likes, and Twitter favorites!

                The contest starts on Monday, February 4 and ends on Sunday, February 17. We’re giving you some extra time after Valentine’s Day in case you’re celebrating with your loved ones over the weekend! Three very lucky winners chosen at random will be revealed on Monday, February 18th and will receive gift cards to their choice of H&M, Old Navy, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts.

                So whether you’re spending your Valentine’s Day with your spouse, friends, family, or a bottle of merlot, don’t forget to take some pictures and send them our way!

                Shopper Marketing: UNREAL Candy Celebrates Target Partnership With $10K Sweepstakes

                Brand Photo-Sharing Games, Featured Posts, Pongr Contests, Shopper Marketing | by

                  PLAY FOOD — It’s amazing how long a few UNREAL candies can keep a baby amused. Photo credit: Douglas L. (Double click for more candid UNREAL baby pics)

                  Happiness is… eating candy with your feet?

                  For this youngster, it’s just as enjoyable to play with UNREAL Candy as it is to eat it. UNREAL began as a family project — a 13-year-old boy asking his dad, “Why does the junk food we love have to be so bad for us?” — so it’s only fitting that the start-up brand’s first photo contest would generate tons of fun family moments.

                  To celebrate its nationwide distribution in Target Stores, UNREAL is giving away a $10,000 Target shopping spree as the grand prize in its “Unjunk Your 2013 Sweepstakes.” Ten additional winners will receive a year’s worth of UNREAL Candy.

                  To enter, UNREAL fans need to snap a pic of the candy — or preferably of themselves, family or friends enjoying the candy — and email it or picture-text it to unreal@pongr.com. Aside from the customary kids with chocolately faces, shoppers have been getting extremely creative with their contest entries. Here are a few unexpected gems:

                  1. An UNREAL parakeet.
                  2. Cute dolls with a preference for candy made without artificial ingredients or preservatives.
                  3. A unicorn who loves candy that has a low glycemic index.*
                  4. Spelling the futuristic UNREAL logo with candy-coated chocolates.
                  5. Balancing UNREAL on a pregnant tummy!
                  6. UNREAL school teachers.

                  The asterisked unicorn entry was done by a fan with a chroma key and green screen, an additional effort that’s appreciated but not necessary to enter the contest. The beauty of all Pongr-powered photo contests is that there is a very low “Snap and Send” barrier for participation. No apps to download. No codes to scan.

                  “Our big challenge is how do you capture taste in a photo?” asks Alan Ringvald, UNREAL Candy’s head of digital and social media. “We’re trying to prove our unjunked candy tastes just as good without any of the bad stuff in it.”

                  UNREAL has been giving away tons of free candy samples each month, sharing the sweetness at art festivals, street fairs, concerts, sporting events, college campus and 5K races. New York’s recent Jingle Ball concert with Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber was also joined by four UNREAL “Morph Men,” silent Blue Man Group-like creatures who surprised fans with UNREAL treats.

                  But the next best thing to actually eating candy is showing the world how much fun candy can be — and that’s where the photo contest comes into play.

                  “Picture sharing is booming,” Ringvald says. “Photos are all about instant gratification, and we’re hoping people will want to share some of their most enjoyable UNREAL moments.”

                  “The Pongr system is just so easy for our customers to use,” he adds. “It’s streamlined for sharing on Facebook and Twitter and it’s a great way for people to interact up close with the product.”

                  HERE I AM!  To kick off its distribution of UNREAL, Target has been showcasing the product on end cap displays in all of its U.S. stores. Photo credit: Arnold F. (Double click to see other Target shoppers discovering their favorite candy).

                  Amidst the piles of smiles being collected in the photo contest, UNREAL is making an astonishing pitch for a consumer brand. The company wants you to enjoy their candy, but not too much of it.

                  The year’s supply of candy is worth $500, roughly enough for a few bags each week.

                  “We don’t want people to gorge on candy — any candy, even ours,” says Ringvald. “We want you to unjunk with a reasonable amount.”

                  That message coincides with the company’s insistence that its customers eat more of nature’s candy, i.e., fruit, on all of its nutritional comparison charts on the Web.

                  FASHIONABLE CANDY — Fruitella 14′s funky fingernail polish complements UNREAL’s colorful packaging! (Double click for the full Pongr UNREAL Photo Gallery)

                  UNREAL’s commitment to providing a better candy option makes it a natural pitch to mom bloggers, who are a big part of the company’s promotion effort. Bloggers who are sharing the 2013 Sweepstakes have asked their readers to hashtag their blog name in the Pongr photo gallery.

                  “We’re a small part of a much bigger movement,” says Ringvald. “We believe in sourcing ingredients responsibly and improving nutrition rather than to sacrifice quality for cost.”

                  UNREAL has been promoting its Pongr-powered photo contest on its Facebook page and through outreach to mom blogger networks. (Double click for your chance to win before January 20.)

                  You can find UNREAL Candy at Target, Staples, CVS, Michaels, Market Basket, BJs, Tedeschi Food Shops and other fine stores.

                  (Hungry? To find the nearest UNREAL Candy retail location, click here.)

                  The Grocery Experience

                  Featured Posts, Pongr Contests | by

                    Let’s face it: grocery shopping is kind of fun. There’s something to be said for going up and down the aisles and filling your cart with all your favorite foods. What, you don’t think it’s fun? Well, we’d like to make it a little more fun.

                    For our next photo challenge, we’d like you to send in pictures of your groceries at each step along your shopping journey. Show us the groceries on the shelf, in your cart, snap a photo of yourself checking out, show us your fridge or pantry, and finally, we want to see you and your family enjoying a meal together comprised of everything you just bought. We want to see it all, from start to finish.

                    This contest is a bit more involved than our past contests, and so we’d like to offer some more substantial rewards. We’ve got a whole slew of prizes lined up to give to the winners. Here’s the catch: for every 4 users who enter the contest, we’ll choose one more winner. If only 4 users participate, we’ll pick just one winner. If 8 send in photos, we’ll pick two, and if there are 12 people who enter, we’ll pick three winners, and so on. So spread the word and tell everyone you know! The bigger this gets, the more prizes we’ll give out!

                    To enter, email or picture-text your photos to [BrandName]@pongr.com. For your entry to be valid, you must include the hashtag #grocery in the description of every photo. You can submit as many photos as you want, but please only send each picture once, even if there are multiple brands in the photo. The contest will run for one month, starting today and ending on September 10. And have fun with it! Take interesting and exciting pictures that you’re proud of. We’re always on the lookout for the Picture of the Week.

                    Good luck and may the best shopper win!

                    No purchase necessary. Standard text and data rates may apply. Participants must be legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and DC, and 18 years of age or older. In order to qualify, participants must submit a minimum of five (5) distinct photos, and the description of each photo must include “#grocery”. Participants must have an account on www.pongr.com that includes their full name, email address, DOB, and complete mailing address in order to be eligible to win. The easiest way to provide this information is by connecting securely via Facebook and/or Twitter. All entries must be received by 11:59:59 PM ET on September 10, 2012. To enter without submitting a text and/or photo, send your name, address, DOB, email, and phone number on a plain 3×5 card by 9/3/2012 to: Pongr, Inc., P.O. Box 990011, Boston, MA 02199. One (1) winner will be chosen by a panel of judges for every four (4) eligible participants. Combined value of all prizes will not exceed $500.

                    Better Safe Than Sorry: OAuth2 Security and the Pongr Platform

                    Brand Loyalty, Mobile Marketing | by

                      Online security is a major concern. Internet users need to be increasingly careful with their information, and brands that run online promotions and contests have to take steps to protect users’ privacy at every stage of the process. Pongr’s platform ensures security with OAuth2, the industry standard used by sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and foursquare to allow users to grant third-party applications access to only their relevant information.

                      OAuth2 works by assigning every user an access token when they authenticate the app. Any requests made to the Pongr API—such as uploading a photo, liking a photo, or commenting on a photo—must have this access token to let the system know that the user has approved the app to act on their behalf. This protects against any unauthorized activity that could expose the user’s personal information.

                      1 2 3