Being a Eurovision fan who has tasted the delicious banquet that is the on-the-ground live-show contest, it’s hard when you have to stay at home and feast on lean pickings served up by your mates who are all enjoying themselves in the land of Pastéis de Nata for May 2018. Rather than suffering serious FOMO or forcing myself to adopt a European timezone for the next fortnight (cause one actually has to work and earn a proper living), I’ve been seeking out ways to enjoy the contest here at home and take a whole bunch of people along with me for the ride.
One of the best ways to share the love, introduce your some of your non-fan colleagues to the contest and have them feel invested in the results is to run a sweepstakes.
Download your ESC Insight Eurovision 2018 Sweepstakes Kit here
Sweepstakes aren’t about betting or strategy, but about a game of luck. For a small investment, you stand the chance to win a significant amount more. It doesn’t require entrants to necessarily know the songs, the history of the contest or the artists. But rest assured they will be more keen to follow along when they think that doing so could be to their monetary benefit.
The potential of having your workplace or other organised environment (perhaps a class or another social group) are endless. Working in the travel industry, I use a sweepstakes to encourage my colleagues to learn more about the countries they have drawn and then share their tourism knowledge with others as part of the experience.
In addition, you can use it to run some related events – perhaps a screening – or write some emails or newsletters to entrants where you can share your knowledge of this years contest.
Eurovision is about bringing people together. I highly recommend using a Eurovision sweepstakes as a launchpad to not only create new fans, but to create conversation in a positive and culturally embracing way. And if it makes your working life more bearable and helps you get through the season whilst remaining separated from your mates all in Lisbon having a good time, all the better.
Sharleen, when I read your article I was in the throws of organising my very own workplace sweepstake. I’ve had a look at your very helpful sweepstakes kit and I’m proud to boast that my sweepstake is even bigger and more geeky than yours! Now in its third year of existence, it’s a four person operation. I have the help of a money man, an artistic director and a colleague who supplies the bingo machine for the draw.
We have 43 slots – all snapped up within a few days. We do a live draw during the lunch hour. When each participant draws their entrant they are presented with a miniature flag of their country complete with their song’s betting odds. All participants receive a spreadsheet (with we Eurovision obsessives there is always a spreadsheet!) giving details of each entry – Running Order, Song Title, Artist, Potted Description of Song and Staging, Prediction, Betting Odds, Sample Lyric and You Tube link to the official video of the song. Everyone also gets an email previewing and reviewing both semis and the final complete with updated predictions
We even give prizes for last in each semi which means this year that those picking Iceland and San Marino are virtually guaranteed their stake back.
I’m sure many (no – make that all) of my colleagues think I’m bonkers – but it’s safe to say that knowledge of and interest in modern Eurovision at my place of work is a lot higher than it was 3 years ago. If you’re going to convert the world sometimes you have to do it one person at a time.