Campaign Overview

The StarKist Summer Sweepstakes invited consumers to share how they "fuel their summer" with StarKist products for the chance to win cash prizes. Over a six-week entry window, the campaign drove authentic user-generated content across Instagram, TikTok, and a dedicated campaign microsite, keeping the brand visible and top of mind throughout the promotion.

By combining a multi-channel UGC approach with a real-time submission gallery that showcased standout entries, StarKist successfully turned everyday consumer moments into scalable brand engagement — generating nearly 50,000 submissions.

Our Solution

Realtime Media partnered with StarKist to design and administer the sweepstakes end-to-end, building a program that maximized participation while maintaining full legal compliance and a seamless consumer experience.

Our Approach

• ‍Five Entry Methods, One Seamless Experience: Participants could enter via Instagram posts, Instagram DMs, TikTok posts, TikTok DMs, or directly through the campaign microsite —lowering the barrier to entry and meeting consumers where they already were. ‍
• Real-Time Submission Gallery: A dynamic gallery on the microsite showcased standout entries as they came in — reinforcing community participation and creating a feedback loop that drove ongoing engagement. Entries could take the form of photos, videos, or short essays capturing summer moments ranging from beach outings to road trips and outdoor adventures.‍
• Compelling Prizing: One $2,500 grand prize and ten $750 prizes, all awarded as prepaid cards, gave participants strong motivation to enter and an immediately usable reward.

Key Benefits

• ‍High-Volume UGC Generation: Nearly 50,000 user-generated submissions over the course of the promotion, creating a library of authentic brand content and sustained visibility. ‍
• Organic Brand Amplification: By encouraging consumers to share how StarKist fits into their everyday lives, the campaign extended brand reach well beyond paid media— turning participants into advocates.‍
• Community-Driven Engagement: The real-time submission gallery turned a one-way promotion into a participatory experience, with standout entries inspiring others to join in and keeping momentum high throughout the campaign.

Conclusion

The StarKist Summer Sweepstakes demonstrated that when you make participation easy, meet consumers on the channels they're already using, and showcase their contributions in real time, a well-structured UGC sweepstakes can turn organic consumer behavior into a scalable brand moment.

Interested in learning more about how we can help with your next Digital Promotion? Get in touch with us today!