The game is called "Tweet-A-Prize" and the rules are simple: watch @tweetaprize's updates, declare that you're ready to win, and then be the first to decode and follow all the clues throughout the week (directing a final answer to @tweetaprize). If you're first, you win the prize - this week: a pair of Robosapien programmable robots, retailing at $139.99.
The clue-followers see it as a huge value: spend a few minutes every week watching clues, and exploring the web on a scavenger hunt for the chance to win a cool prize. The creator, Alex Linebrink (@alexlinebrink on Twitter), would tell you that the value doesn't stop with the contestants though.
"The idea behind Tweet-A-Prize is to make winners on both sides of the coin," Alex says. "We have minimum requirements to keep the prize interest-level and value high, and exciting scavenger hunts to keep followers drawn in."
"The sponsors are also getting a tremendous value: we're leading contestants through their brand's websites for the hunt," Alex continues. "They already have a favorable view of the sponsor after providing the funds for a cool prize, and then we're putting 100% of the hunt participants on the sponsor's website, digging through the brand info. You can't ask for a better click through rate than 100%!"
One Tweet-A-Prize follower, @phototaylor, didn't win the first week's prize, but seemed to capture Alex's vision perfectly. "It's a blast going through websites trying to figure out what the HECK [the clues] mean! It's a great idea, and I'm really looking forward to sponsoring a prize for my photography business soon."
Not only does Tweet-A-Prize sound good in theory, it also delivers in practice. The sponsor of the first prize week, a band by the name of "The Eastern Gate", was thrilled with the results after seeing website traffic double during the hunt. Band sales often depend on getting users to a website to hear music samples.
The band front-man, Josh Peterson, wrote this: "Tweet-A-Prize enabled the band to share its love of music with others (via the mp3 player) in a fun and new philanthropic manner for which we are quite grateful to be a part of, and we look forward to working with Tweet-A-Prize much closer in the future."
Tweet-A-Prize is a production of its parent company - a web & graphics design, and social media marketing firm by the name of Unstoppable Studios (http://www.unstoppablestudios.net).
For more on the latest prizes and clues, or for information on becoming a sponsor, check out the website: http://tweetaprize.com.
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