Did you notice...?

Jaden · **Posted:** May 17th, 2007, 4:47 pm

Did you ever notice that a majority of food products that offer a chance to win a specific contest require you to go to a website, register an account, and enter a pin code. I can remember when I was much younger when pin codes were rarely used and you either got a "no, you did not win, please try again" or "congratulations, you are a winner" etc. I really do miss that; it was exciting to see if you won. Now I don't even bother to buy food products to try and win. It's much to time consuming to go through all that hassel by having to register an account and enter the code. It's not to fun.

Any ideas why they rarely use a simple "congratulations, winner" or "sorry, please try again" anymore?

I think it's because the companies that are hosting these such contests make more money from revenue when people visit their sites.

Adbot · **Posted:** May 17th, 2007, 4:47 pm

Chris · **Posted:** May 17th, 2007, 7:15 pm

I have noticed that, and there aren't many that actually do have the instant win cap anymore. Dr. Pepper is one of the few. I suppose it could be marketing. People acquire the codes, and the curious ones go onto their website, which through ads can help them make money. And I suppose the people that enter the codes will buy more to see if they can get something. But there are probably other money things involved.

I just throw the code caps away myself.

Ranging God · **Posted:** May 17th, 2007, 7:36 pm

Well, I think it is because when you got those caps that said if you win, and if you did when, you would have to mail it into the company right? Well if you go to the website they get ur email = selling to companies more $ for them...

You know what i miss... When you would get a toy in cereal, not some crappy DVD...

Burnt Joint · **Posted:** May 17th, 2007, 9:03 pm

Ranging God wrote:

Well, I think it is because when you got those caps that said if you win, and if you did when, you would have to mail it into the company right? Well if you go to the website they get ur email = selling to companies more $ for them...

You know what i miss... When you would get a toy in cereal, not some crappy DVD...

Yeah, i remember when i used to sit at the kitchen table for hours playing with the little action man figure that i got in a box of coco pops or something

Mike · **Posted:** May 18th, 2007, 2:56 am

Yea I hate those codes, I would prefer they didn't have these stupid contests and the food product was cheaper.

If I wanted to enter a contest to win something I'll buy a lottery ticket. I don't want stupid "everyone wins" contents when the prizes stink anyways.

I personally think it should be illegal to put these contests on food (mostly junk food have them). Lottery tickets have age requirements (at least in many places as far as I know), why not food contests? These contests are just another factor of the obesity problems in the world.

ryan1 · **Posted:** May 18th, 2007, 9:06 am

They basically get information on you when you make the account and then sell it to spam e-mail and mail companies. Also, like other people said, you are forced to go through ads on their website and stuff.

It's all about bigger profit for them, and more nuisance for the customer. They give away 100k to somebody and probly make way more just off the people entering.

Adbot · **Posted:** May 18th, 2007, 9:06 am

- Tom - · 25/11/2006

wow, retro sweet comps and retro cereal toys. what a topic.

i too miss those old competitions, and the sadness that you got when it said "Sorry, you're not a winner this time" for the 1,000th time lol

i remember collecting these wierd troll toys from cereal and cutting their hare with scissors and using elastic to bungee jump them down my stairs rofl. good times, good times. i miss being young