Winning promotional prize ideas

Fun and games help two organizations boost engagement

By Carrie Kramer

Organizations are always looking for new ways to engage with audiences. Whether its employees, volunteers, clients or customers, tapping into individuals’ competitive spirits can bring results. Judevine^® Center for Autism opens in new window and Prime Independent Living opens in new window are two organizations putting creative promotional prize ideas into action and reaping the benefits. Find out how each harnesses the psychology of winning to achieve its goals.

Judevine leveled up its employee engagement

A play for attention

Judevine Center for Autism is a Missouri nonprofit that provides services to individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its employees work in multiple locations. Some are at service community portals, known as hubs, while others are regularly out in the community working one-on-one with individuals.

When Jeff Thompson joined the Judevine team as executive assistant, he launched an internal monthly newsletter to increase engagement and foster a sense of community among statewide employees. “I think it’s important for everybody to feel like a team,” Thompson said. “It can be easy for an employee to just think of Judevine as the few people they see every day, but we really are about 250 people all working toward the same goal. We want employees to know one another and know about the amazing things everyone is doing.”

Thompson used gamification opens in new window—the practice of bringing game elements and principles into non-game contexts—to elevate engagement. Research shows a gamified work experience can boost employee engagement by 48% opens in new window.

In the newsletter, each of the company’s four hubs spotlights an employee of the month. Spotlighted employees are entered into a drawing to be named employee of the quarter. Quarterly winners receive a water bottle and food container with cutlery, chosen by Thompson “so employees can take their lunch to work in style.”

Build awareness with style while having fun

While those stylish promo prizes are getting more eyes on the Judevine brand, employee engagement is climbing. The newsletter open rate has increased (and continues to climb each month), and every edition is a topic of conversation.

Prime Independent Living found the right game plan

Another way games can form connections

Prime Independent Living develops and operates independent living communities for people ages 55 and older. Its newest community—Prime Carolina Coast in Conway, South Carolina—features more than 130 apartments plus amenities like a movie theater, pickleball courts and putting greens.

Debra Haywood, president of operations, used fun and games to promote the newest apartment building at the area’s senior centers. Prime Independent Living hosted bingo games with promotional prizes, including tote bags, hand fans, pens and jar openers.

Promotional products help build relationships

Each item was carefully selected. Fans, for example, prove useful in beating the South Carolina heat. And jar openers—shaped like a chef’s hat—bring awareness to Prime Carolina Coast living community’s on-site chef. They’re also handy for older adults who have dexterity challenges. Marketing collateral accompanied each prize to give prospective residents more information.

While the ultimate goal was to attract new residents, Haywood said education was an important part of the strategy. Many people don’t know the difference between independent living and assisted living or skilled-nursing facilities. The collateral and in-person conversations helped clear up confusion.

“We wanted to build a relationship with the participants,” Haywood said. “The senior center bingo games are the most well-attended events they have. They’re fun, they’re energetic and playful. And that’s what it’s like at Prime Independent Living—it’s about living your best life.”

Sponsoring a game night with fun promotional prizes can tap into our brains’ dopamine reward system opens in new window. Each time a person reaches a goal or earns an award, dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and satisfaction, is released.

With each “Bingo!” comes a dopamine rush encouraging participants to continue playing in hopes of winning another promo prize. Over time, this can lead to big results: “We’ve definitely had move-ins from the senior centers,” Haywood said.

“We wanted to build a relationship with the participants,” said Debra Haywood. “The senior center bingo games are the most well-attended events they have.

The more you play, the more you win

The teams at Judevine Center for Autism and Prime Independent Living have learned that when they combine fun marketing strategies with creative promotional prize ideas, their audiences respond. The results are a true win-win.

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