The least recent marketing methods are not necessarily the least effective. All solutions to increase your presence among customers can bring their share of advantages and disadvantages. And the good old competitions, which might seem outdated, are not necessarily from another age and their interest no longer needs to be demonstrated: in 2026, more than 78% of brands will continue to integrate competitions into their annual activation plan.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this method of communication? Is there still an interest for your business in implementing this type of commercial action or have new technologies definitely taken over from these good old methods?
Timeless advantages
Different prizes to be won, each more interesting than the last, participation forms to fill out for each customer wishing to participate in this game, a court commissioner (formerly a bailiff) to verify and approve the proper conduct of the game in accordance with the law. This is the recipe for seriously and effectively organizing a competition and promoting your business.through this.
This method might seem obsolete, in the age of digital technology and artificial intelligence, but nevertheless, many brands, not the least of which (supermarkets, large companies present throughout the country), no longer hesitate to set up a competition to meet numerous objectives: increase sales (up to +25% turnover over the period of point-of-sale animation), improve the company’s presence and visibility among customers.
The effectiveness of the competition no longer needs to be proven. In 2026, nearly 68% of consumers declare that they regularly participate in competitions organized by their usual brands. Simplicity, efficiency, interesting prizes and attractive winnings, these are the main motivations of customers when organizing this type of event. It is then up to the company to ensure that this game is sufficiently attractive to its customers and correctly established to meet the needs of the company (need for visibility, need for notoriety).
Significant disadvantages
Despite everything, it is clear that with the constant evolution of new technologies and the growing importance of the Web, new methods have gradually emerged to increase the visibility of companies. Thus, social networks today offer numerous possibilities for organizing competitions and implementing targeted commercial actions. The objective? Meet the company’s expectations, achieve its objectives and capture the attention of different customer profiles, whether young people, CSP+ or other audiences.
For comparison, a 100% paper competition organized in store today has an average conversion rate of less than 3%. Conversely, an interactive mechanic or one accessible on a smartphone can reach 12 to 15% participation. The traditional physical competition therefore seems less attractive compared to digital devices. In fact, it assumes that the customer goes to the point of sale to discover the operation and participate in it.
Furthermore, digital technology has profoundly transformed relationships between customers and professionals, by promoting their dematerialization. In this context, the traditional in-store competition can be seen as a step backwards. Certainly, some see it as an opportunity to renew a human bond between the seller and the customer. Others, on the other hand, criticize it for its lack of modernity. Especially since the manual processing of paper ballots remains expensive, with an amount estimated at more than €1.50 per contact collected.
Finally, the main disadvantage lies in the sometimes austere image of this device. In the eyes of certain customers, the paper competition appears less attractive and less adapted to new uses. It is therefore up to managers and business leaders to define their priorities, evaluate their commercial objectives and, above all, measure the relevance of such an operation with regard to their customers.
The competition, with new technologies
New technologies have given a real revival to the competition and have made communication with customers easier. The integration of touchscreen terminals or QR codes on shelves now makes it possible to multiply by 3 the volume of qualified data collected at point of sale.
However, data protection rules must be respected (in particular those governed by the CNIL and the GDPR, which penalize the absence of clear consent) in order not to find yourself in difficulty. The ease of use of the hybrid and digital versions has also been a great success with 84% of participants in 2026.
