WeboCoupons Blog

What Works for Successful Coupon Campaigns

Here is a list of the top coupon campaigns that were both creative and successful:-

McDonalds ran a coupon campaign taking advantage of the Foursquare Day (4/16) giving coupons randomly to people visiting the store. The campaign was successful and had the check-in (people who walked into the store) increase by 33%. Even the media’s attention was grabbed and they had about 50 articles written about the store and its offer. And all McDonald’s spent for this campaign was $1000. Another campaign organized by the fast food store had its customers involved in a game. They had to control the billboard and make it a game in under 30 seconds inorder to win free food at the nearest McDonald’s outlet. The interesting aspect of this campaign was that people could join in using a website address rather than having to download an app.

The Healthy Choice campaign, had a coupon worth $0.75 initially. The value of this coupon kept increasing as more people enrolled for using it and ‘Like’d Healthy Choice’s Facebook page. This proved to be a great success. Facebook Likes reached 60k from 7k and 60% new fans enrolled.

Living Social offered Amazon gift cards at half price, advertising the same on Facebook. The store is said to have made $13 million by selling 1.3 million vouchers in a day.

Apart from all these aforementioned campaigns, this list needs a special mention of Burger King, and their negative publicity coupon campaign. The campaign needed people to remove 10 friends off their Facebook Friend’s list in-order to get a coupon for a free Whopper. The unfriended friends were as well sent notifications of this. While the whole idea might end up creating some bitterness among people, the campaign turned out to be working quite well. It was deemed ‘cocky’ by many and it bore the tagline ‘Friends are strong, but the Whopper is stronger’ indicating that their burgers are better than having friends.

The McDonald’s campaigns show that getting customers involved in a fun activity, like a game, and giving away coupons to winners can prove to be beneficial. The amount of money put in does not really matter. These as well as the Healthy Choice example indicate that making the campaign creative can be very helpful too. The Healthy Choice and Living Social examples prove that social media can play an important role in making the campaign go viral.

The one factor that all these campaigns share in common is that they make the customers feel that the deal is worth it. They make the customers feel good about what they get in the deal, even if they might be spending more than what they would otherwise do.

Summing up, it has been seen that a coupon campaign can work extremely well if people feel that it is worth it or the ‘feel good’ factor. A lot of planning also needs to go into the campaign so that the merchant does not end up in loss. So striking a balance between these 2 aspects is key to the success of a coupon campaign. Even the Burger King example, had something awesome to offer despite the bitter condition involved. Other factors like using social media, using interactive methods, getting people involved in a fun way, using creativity and more are as well essential, but, if the ‘feel good’ factor isn’t there, the campaign can never turn out good.

Coupon Campaigns That Failed and Why

Coupon Campaigns are used as a means of promoting a brand/product so as to increase the customer base or keep customers coming back for more. However, in the history of coupons there have been some campaigns that did not work as expected and resulted in disaster. This survey studied several coupon campaigns that failed and analyzed the reasons for the failure. Here is the list:-

The coupon campaign held by KFC in 2009 turned out to be tragic in the first run. A coupon was advertised on Oprah’s show and the same was put up on her website. People could download it and get a 2-piece chicken meal with two individual sides and a biscuit. However, the number of people that turned up (4 million) with the coupon exceeded the number that KFC expected, who ran out of chicken and could not honor all the coupons. Agitated customers started riots outside some of the stores. Oprah too pulled down the coupon from her website. Finally, the President of KFC returned to Oprah’s show to apologize. The campaign was run a second time, and it ran quite smoothly this time. The number of coupons that were downloaded were 10.5 million and the food sold for free was worth $42 million.

Timothy’s Coffee is a chain of coffee stores which faced a similar situation in one of their coupon campaigns. The chain wanted to spread their wings wider on social media and started giving a coupon for a free K cup to customers who followed them on social media. However, the number of people who turned up with the coupons far exceeded the expected number and within a matter of 3 days, the stock that was meant for the offer was emptied. An apology video was sent out by the brand who realized how viral social media can get and went back to sending out coupons through email.

In the year 2006, Starbucks started their Summer campaign which wanted to populairze their iced beverages. Coupons were offered which was meant for employers. They could give them to friends and family. However, the coupon went viral and Starbucks could not control the spread. The brand went on to announce the following:- “[the coupon] has been redistributed beyond the original intent and modified beyond Starbucks’ control”.

The main reason for coupon failure is thus found to be misestimation of the reach of the campaign and hence unpreparedness to serve the people that turn up.

This is mostly true for large merchants who have franchises across the country. Smaller merchants generally face failure in such campaigns due to poor handling of the discount offers. They sometimes might not think it through, completely. When running a coupon campaign, a merchant might take the help of some third party services. These services need to be paid too. Hence if the campaign needs to work out really well, all the different investments need to be considered. If this is not done, it can end up causing a lot of harm, sometimes even closing down the store. Drew’s Eatery in Chicago is an example.

Some campaigns do not reveal terms and conditions completely at the beginning. A customer might enthusiastically participate in getting the coupon, but when he learns about some constraint or hidden condition later, he might feel cheated. One of Office Max’s customers had a similar story to say. She was asked to take up a survey, for which she would get $5 off her next purchase which amounted to $25. Only after she got the coupon did she get to know that there were hidden conditions – a limited validity time frame and limited products on which she could use the coupon. Also the mail that gave the coupon seemed spammy and did not clearly show that it was from Office Max.

A rare case with franchises and coupon campaigns was reported from a Monfort Grill House franchise. A coupon was offered to be used at this eat-out. However, the manager of the store did not accept the coupon saying that he was not informed about it. He also mentioned that he would be closing down the store very soon. Hence, it is unclear whether he really was unaware of the offer or he wantingly did not want to accept it. Keeping franchises informed is thus extremely important.

Ambiguous and unclear information on the coupon can make customers skeptical about its credibility. A Dominoes Pizza coupon had 2 different validity details mentioned in 2 different places on the coupon, once.

Thus the main reasons for coupon failures as per this survey are:-
- misestimation of reach and unpreparedness to serve the people who turn up
- hidden terms and conditions that make customers feel duped
- ambiguous information on the coupon
- poor handling of the offers
- miscommunication with franchises.

American Girl

American Girl is a one of a kind store, which celebrates girls and all that they can be. This store aims at helping girls become their very best. They develop products and experiences for helping girls grow up in a wholesome way, making their girlhood and growing up real fun.

The American Girl store stocks dolls, a large library of books and magazines, and other fun stuff. The merchandise is essentially for girls aged 3 and above. The dolls are in the form of historical American Girl characters as well as contemporary ones. There are a variety of experiences on board this store too, which can be fun and insightful at the same time. The store also stocks similar clothes for girls and dolls, furniture for the dolls, accessories and more.

The My American Girl dolls section lets girls create their own online dolls, which can then be used to access the Innerstar University, for taking part in games, quizzes, challenges, and making loads of friends. This program has been designed for girls aged 8 and above.

The Bitty Baby collection which has been designed for girls aged 3 and above, includes high quality dolls, story books, out fits and accessories. Bitty Baby is a 15 inch soft-doll who has a 5 inch bear, called Bitty Bear for company. There are accessories for pastimes like dressing, playtime, bathing and meals. There is a pair of twins called Bitty Twins in the collection too.

All you proud parents of little girls, make sure you use the coupons from American Girl available at RetailMeNot, so that you can save money when shopping for your little girls at this store. You can also land yourself some exciting gifts or free offers and other exciting deals using these coupons. So never miss the opportunity; hop on and find those wonderful coupons at RetailMeNot.

JC Penny Coupon Codes

Shop at JC Penny to get really affordable merchandise of all kinds – clothes and accessories for all at home; electronics, home decor and furniture for the home.

You can buy products for your bed and bath at this store. There are bedspreads, quilts, mattresses, pillows, blankets and more. Bathroom scales, furniture, curtains, bath rugs, bath mats, bath towels and more are as well available. The ‘window treatment’ section in this store, provides a wide range of curtains, drapes, valances, blinds, shades for the windows. Shop for furniture specific to each room in the house. There’s an ample collection of attractive furniture for the living room, kitchen, baby’s room, kids’ room, teen’s room and so on. Even if you want to have a home office, you can get apt furniture for setting this up.

For women, JC Penny stocks dresses, tops, sweaters, coats, jackets, pants, jeans, shorts, capris, skirts, pajamas and more. Apart from activewear and casual-wear, there are clothes for work too. A swimsuits collection is available as well. You can also have a look at the lingerie collection on board here. In most of these clothing lines mentioned above, you can get plus sizes, petites, talls and maternity. You can as well have a look at the fashionable collection of handbags of different sorts at this store. Jewelry from various designers are present too. There are rings, necklaces, pendants, earrings, bracelets, charms and more in gold and silver and also diamond studded. Watches are available too.

The store has left no stone unturned to get all kinds of clothing and accessories for men as well. The range of clothing for men includes – casual shirts, graphic t-shirts, dress shirts, ties, suits, sport coats, pants, jeans, shorts, swimwear, coats, jackets, athletic clothing, pajamas, robes and work wear. Undergarments, hats, belts, socks, wallets, shoes, watches, men’s jewelry and more are stocked too.

Clothing and accessories for teens, kids and infants are available as well.

DHR – Australian Hotel Deals

DHR offers profitable hotel deals around the world with exclusive deals in Australia, Malaysia United States and many other crucial places in the world. Enjoy DHR Coupons and many other beneficial offers when you want to travel abroad and want to make use of the services offered by dHr.

Here are few top deal hotels in Malaysia

Sofitel Melbourne hotel

Melbourne is known for its number of A-star lodges and hotels that have been made to facilitate a number of tourists coming here to spend their vacation. It facilitates travelers to enjoy the number of wonders that the city of Melbourne has got to offer.

Lilianfels Blue Mountain resorts

This hotel is a heaven of luxury and relaxation in Australia. This Orient-Express five star hotel is located in historic county set among two acres of lush green gardens.

Vic Hall

Located in the heart of Melbourne city, this hotel is one in which guests can have fun and relax. It offers all luxuries and comforts that you can expect and provides the much needed space for you to watch movies, play games, lounge around and workout.

Citadines Melbourne on Bourke

Located in the centre of Melbourne is this 4-star hotel. Started in the year 2010, this hotel is close to the MCG – Melbourne Cricket Ground and its closest station is the Parliament station.

DHR – Malaysia Hotel Deals

DHR offers excellent hotel deals across the world with special deals in US, Malaysia and many other places of tourist interest. Enjoy exclusive DHR Coupon Code when travel abroad and want to use one of the services of dHr.

Here are few top deal hotels in Malaysia

Hard Rock Hotel Penang

The hotel is the most luxurious one in Malaysia with 250 guestrooms. All the rooms here are well furnished and designed with you and your guests in mind. With a number of facilities like Wi-Fi, iPod docking and many more the hotel is the perfect choice for travelers.

Traders Kuala Lumpur

Located in the centre of Kuala Lumpur Traders Kuala Lumpur hotel is a 4-star hotel. This hotel is located very near to the city center and features a bar, restaurant, a coffee shop and a conference room.

Parkroyal Penang 

The 5-star hotel is situated in the coastline of the city of Penang and was started in the year 2003. It is very near to the Tropical Spice Garden. This hotel features 2 bars, 3 restaurants, a coffee shop, a conference room, a fitness centre and an outdoor swimming pool.

There are few more hotels in Malaysia that are featured in dHr and all of them are luxury hotels with everything you can ask for.

DHR – USA deals

DHR offers you exclusive benefits when you make your travel abroad with coupons and discount codes like the DHR Discount. It also finds you the best in-class hotels and helps you choose the right ones to make the most of your money.

Some of its United States hotel deals includes hotels in Anaheim CA, Boston MA, Austin TX, Chicago IL, Burbank CA, Clearwater FL, Dallas TX, El Portal CA Fort Lauderdale FL, Fort Myers FL, Grand Canyon AZ, Honolulu Oahu HI, Key West FL, Las Vegas NV, Los Angeles CA, Maui HI, Memphis TN, Miami FL, Miami Beach FL, Napa CA, Naples FL, New Orleans LA, New York NY, Newport RI, Orlando FL, Palm Springs CA, Philadelphia PA, Phoenix AZ, Providence RI, San Diego CA, San Francisco CA, Santa Monica CA, Sarasota FL, Scottsdale AZ, Seattle WA, St Petersburg FL, Washington DC, Yosemite National.

With a lot of breath taking offers and discounts, dHr is almost preferred by all travelers in modern times. This is also owing to its excellent customer support and its ability to discover and deliver just what a traveler is looking for. With a choice of hotel reservations and a lot of optional facilities, dHr is here to stay.

DHR – Your Dream Hotel Deals

Next time you make a travel, do not forget to make use of the dHr’s services. With DHR promotion code 2013, the facilitator helps you find the best negotiated hotels with a discount of upto 70% in some of the greatest destinations throughout the world.

These great deals are on offer only for a limited time Book them today with immediate confirmation. Some of the top deals include London deals, San Francisco deals, Paris deals, Singapore deals, Athens deals, Orlando deals, Sydney deals, Istanbul deals, Rome deals, Dubai deals, Miami deals, Hong Kong deals, New York deals, Nice deals, Beijing deals, Antalya deals, Washington deals, Barcelona deals, Shanghai deals and Cairo deals.

Get upto 70% off on most of the hotel deals like the Russell Hotel in London, Concorde La Fayette Hotel in Paris, Grand Hyatt hotel in New York, Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Golden sands Hotel Apartments in Dubai, Porto Bello resort and spa in Antalya, Hyatt Regency Cancun hotel in Cancun, The Fullerton Singapore hotel in Singapore and many more.

With lots of special and promotional offers, tours and other activities, group booking facilities and advance reservation facilities your journey is just going to be great thanks to the fantastic customer support.

Get social with ZAGGdaily

Zagg offers exclusive protective measures for your hard-earned gadgets. Get the best for your gadget protection solutions for displays and other expensive gadget makeup parts. With a number of discounts and user friendly purchase methods, Zagg also allows you to enjoy its excellent Zagg coupon code. As a buyer, you can enjoy these offers thereby also enjoying great savings.

And now you can also get social with ZAGG services. Be a part of 1000s of Zagg customers that have been loyal for years and they also get routine updates on Zagg discounts, news, giveaways and contests. Every day Zagg gives you a chance to win and pays you for a chance to get social using Zagg. You can be a part of Zagg with facebook, twitter and tumblr. By subscribing yourself to the services you will never have a chance to miss anything happening around.

With its exclusive help and support and its genuine return back policies, ZAGG is completely dedicated to giving you the best solutions for a secure handling of your beloved gadgets. Get the best protective measures for your audio solutions, variety of keyboards, Zagg power solutions, Zagg cleaning solution and so many other accessories belonging to Zagg.

Zagg offers gift cards on your old products

Zagg provides exclusive solutions for your gadgets and other electronic stuff. Now protect all your beloved gadgets with fantastic offers like the zagg coupon. Zagg has been successful in serving a number of satisfied customers over these years. With its distinctive protective measures and with designing that is specially made to suit every single model, the facilitator covers up all the modern and popular gadgets available today.

And now with the option of trading your old electronics for new Zagg gift cards with which you can purchase a Zagg product of your choice. This option has even increased the demand of Zagg’s products and services. Some of the gadgets that you can exchange for your new Zagg gift cards are video games, mobile phones, laptops, movies, digital cameras, mp3 players, PDAs, other gaming consoles tablets and many more.

Zagg makes it easy, fair and fast for you to recycle or sell your old electronics. Zagg will pay a decent amount for your old products or help you in recycling them. Most of these orders are in for free shipping.

With so many irresistible offers and user friendly policies, Zagg is the ultimate solution for taking care of your beloved gadgets.