Here is an overview of the Taylor Swift 1989 SWIFTSTAKES Giveaway (Sweeps) that allowed fans to connect via Facebook and enter a unique code for a chance to win one of 1989 different prizes. This is a category of sweepstakes we like to call the "Gold Ticket" sweepstakes. You can read more about the sweepstakes on Taylor's site and check the rules here.
Unique Code:
The unique code was included as part of the physical album packaging. Fans were encouraged to visit the sweepstakes site and enter their code for a chance to win.
The Sweepstakes Microsite
The first step of the sweepstakes process was connecting via Facebook (or email), this allowed the application to collect valid email addresses as part of the entry process. The activation process was short and simple but could have been enhanced to generate more social media buzz (not that it was needed, but would be helpful for smaller artists).
Enter Your Code
Fans were then asked to enter the unique code from their album. Fans who did not have a code (purchased the album digitally for example), were able to generate a unique code online (this is a known weakness of running "Golden Ticket" sweepstakes and generating online codes for users who either purchased the digital album or didn't make a purchase at all gets around the "No Purchase Required", which is a legal requirement of US-based sweepstakes.
Prizing
The idea behind the Taylor Swift 1989 SWIFTSTAKES sweepstakes was to give away 1989 prizes, and the unique code became more of a gimmick (albeit a good one) to drive album sales, which, in the case of this album, set a record!
Full Screenshot
For reference, here is a full screenshot of the sweepstakes microsite (http://taylorswift.com/1989swiftstakes).
Album Packaging
The packaging includes 65 polaroids,
