Ever wondered when "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & The Comets was first released? Was it 1954 or 1958? Imagine an all-expenses-paid trip to Cuba hinging on your answer. My friend Mark got it wrong (he said '58) live on Chris Evans' breakfast show on Virgin Radio. He called me in tears, and I wept too—he was going to take me with him. Mark is an armchair anti-capitalist guerrilla, entering about 20 competitions a week for exotic and expensive prizes, all while never purchasing the products these competitions promote.
Mark is a marketing executive's nightmare—a savvy anti-consumerist who knows how to game the system. He’s won a year's subscription to a luxury gym (for women only) and a blank video of Bryan Robson's football management highlights. He entered a Safeway competition promoting British lamb 17 times without buying any lamb, simply peeling stickers off packs in Safeway's freezer cabinet. He even impressed his partner by winning a weekend trip to Paris through a local paper competition.
Mark is part of a growing community of "compers" who have their own magazines and clubs. Websites dedicated to sharing competition details, answers, and tie-breaker slogans are abundant. These radical compers understand that competitions are marketing tools designed to entice consumers to try new products. For Mark and his comrades, it’s a badge of honor never to buy the promoted product.
Mark's crowning achievement was winning a state-of-the-art widescreen stereophonic television package worth £1,500. He spends his lunchtimes in WHSmith, flipping through magazines for competitions. One lad-mag advertised a TV competition, so Mark jotted down the details and replaced the magazine. He then walked to Waterstones, found the answers in an encyclopedia, and entered the competition. Naturally, he won, but the TV never arrived. After a series of complaints and a masterful letter to the CEO, Mark not only received the TV but also a £700 video recorder as compensation.
Compers are full of tales like Mark's. Their organization ensures someone always asks for details of prizewinners and winning slogans. Famously, one member spotted her winning slogan in a magazine but had not received the brand new car on offer. An embarrassed marketing manager had to explain that his company had 'forgotten' to notify her of her win.
Most competitions can be entered with 'no purchase necessary.' Mark spent half an hour in Specsavers Opticians confirming he could enter their £2,000 holiday competition without buying glasses. Games of chance must allow 'no purchase' entries to avoid being classified as lotteries, which require a license. This is why many competitions have tie-breaker slogans and are called games of skill.
Guerrilla compers always share news of good competitions—mass action is more effective. Remember the Hoover free-flight giveaway? It almost bankrupted the company. Mark's latest win was a £2,500 bathroom re-fit while he was on a fortnight's holiday in Majorca. He had collected a week's tokens from a local paper without buying it, clipping the coupons from papers in his company's press office. He says the jacuzzi will be useful for keeping coal in.
Encouraged by Mark, I recently won £1,000 from a Guardian cricket competition.
The world of armchair guerrillas is fascinating and filled with clever tactics to win big without spending a dime. Whether it's through strategic entries, leveraging free offers, or sharing tips within the community, these compers have turned the tables on traditional marketing strategies. If you're intrigued by the idea of winning without buying, perhaps it's time to join the ranks of the armchair guerrillas.
By understanding the nuances and strategies of comping, you too can become an armchair guerrilla, winning big without ever opening your wallet.
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