The Curious Case of the Comper: When the Prize Matters More Than the Product

I’m a regular reader of Compers News. I’ll admit, I have mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, it’s a brilliant resource. It gives you a real insight into how and why people enter competitions, the problems they face, and how they navigate the promotional landscape. It’s also a reminder of just how passionate people can be about this as a hobby. The Chatterbox forum (which is part of Compers News) is full of feedback—often complaints, but always valuable. And let’s be honest, I enjoy it. It’s fun. If I wasn’t running campaigns myself, I’d probably be entering a lot more of them.

But on the other hand, I do wrestle with the focus being only on the prize. For many compers, it seems the brand behind the promotion is barely a footnote. They’re not buying the product out of interest or loyalty—they’re buying it for the barcode or receipt so they can enter. I’d love to know the stats on how many of these entrants go on to become genuine, long-term customers. But I’m not sure those numbers even exist. And perhaps it’s best not to speculate.

What we can measure, though, is something powerful: data capture. These entrants may not have set out to become loyal customers, but if they’ve opted in, you’ve already nudged them one step further down the path to conversion. That opt-in is an open door. And if your product delivers—and your follow-up marketing is strong—there’s a real chance to turn a prize-seeker into a repeat buyer.

Recently, we’ve had to run extra security checks on a couple of live campaigns due to suspicious entry patterns (hello, AI bots). In some cases, we’ve contacted winners directly to validate their entries. These are genuine people who bought the product… but what they told us was eye-opening. Some couldn’t recall the name of the product they purchased. Others had no memory of entering at all. Why? Because they enter competitions daily. It’s a volume game for them.

This isn’t a criticism—it’s just a reality of the comping world. And while it can feel disheartening to think your brand is being lost in a sea of prize draws, there are two important takeaways for marketers:

1. Compers aren’t the enemy—just a different audience segment.

They’re still buying the product. They’re still opting in. And they’re still giving you an opportunity to build a relationship—if you know how to follow up.

2. Promotions must be built for more than just reach.

To create real brand impact, you need to think beyond the initial entry. Is your prize relevant to your brand? Does your landing page reinforce your message? Are you collecting data you can use to nurture leads post-campaign? These are the touchpoints that matter if you want to convert a comper into a customer.

At Epic Activation, we work hard to design mechanics and journeys that deliver both impact and insight. Promotions aren’t just about getting someone to enter—they’re about giving them a reason to remember you after they do.

And if we can get even a fraction of compers to become true customers, that’s a win worth celebrating.