Unboxing December 2017

I'm delighted to report that December turned out to be much more exciting than the last few months and I had real fun putting this month's video together. Of course, the inevitable homage to Monty Python may have had something to with that...

Best wishes for an awesome 2018!

The wider world in 2017

It’s that time of year again: the point when you’ll surely split your seams if you so much as think about tackling another competition - or am I thinking of mince pies?! In either case, it’s time for a cup of tea and nice sit down, while we reflect on what has happened in the wider world of comping this year.

My sole prediction for 2017 was that we’d probably be saying hello to Roady McRoadface. As ever, the inevitable came to pass. Specifically, a 10-block section of the I-80 in Salt Lake City was officially adopted by one Roady McRoadface in June this year.

Closer to home - by which I mean slightly closer to the world of comping - the highest-profile competition of the year was surely the raffle to win a truly unique, money-can’t-buy experience: a Valentine’s date with Idris Elba. (I confess, I did think of entering, but didn’t want my wife to get jealous!) Bonus points were definitely scored for the video released alongside the campaign, where a room full of children advised Mr Elba how best to handle himself on said date.

Speaking of competitions I didn’t enter, it would be remiss of me not to mention one of the most eye-catching prizes of the year: an 8-foot bust of Jeremy Clarkson. Kudos to the winner for finding one of the lowest-entry comps of the year!

I’ll be honest, I also didn’t enter the South Park ‘I am the Fart’ competition, which required entrants to submit a video of them breaking wind. Much as I fancied being flown to San Francisco to have my Bronx cheer made into 'the official in-game fart' for the latest South Park video game, I'm sad to say that the voting element of the comp hit a real bum note…

Finally, that leaves the lamentable tale of the prankster who, on at least two occasions, convinced members of the public to lick the feet of complete strangers in the hope of winning an imaginary £3000 prize. In the first case, this was in addition to letting Poundworld staff draw on their faces and ride them like ponies. That the Iceland staff merely had to hide under tables and pretend to be vacuum cleaners seems pretty mild by comparison.

There's probably a lesson to be learned from that last story, but I think my tea needs topping up. Oh, and did someone mention mince pies?

What were your favourite comping stories from 2017? Let me know in the comments below!

2017: How was it for you?

Now that it’s all over but the unboxing, it’s time for a quick glance back at the last 12 months.

For me, it’s been a year of two halves. By April, I’d won a GoPro camera, four bikes and VIP tickets to watch Norwich City play - prizes with a grand ticket price in the region of £1900. At that point, In needed only to maintain a win rate of £70 per month for the rest of the year and I’d have beaten my personal best.

Sadly, my form took a dip, and my blue period gave my mojo a good roasting. Although I’ve since recovered, that hasn’t translated to the same kind of luck as last year, when I averaged a win every other day in December. That’s not to be a moaning minnie - I still managed about two a week (although three of those were in America, so it’ll be a while before I see those wins - if at all!).

More than anything else, though, my 2017 is going to go down as the year of the sublime and the ridiculous. It’s the year I won cologne from both Paul Smith and Peperami; a £100 voucher to spend at Amazon and a coupon for a bottle of Lucozade that ended up costing four pence to redeem; an awesome flannel shirt for my lad and, for me, a hoodie from a peddler of online smut.

Be honest - which would you rather have?

Still, it’s the utter randomness of the draw that keeps the game interesting. Sure, you can shorten your odds, and develop that luck muscle, but unless you can find a competition with no other entrants, the result, like so much in life, could go in any direction. And if you’re lucky enough to find a competition with no other entrants, there’s a good chance it’ll be pretty niche - at least, that’s how I ended up with a beanie hat advertising cattle disinfectant.

The other notable development this year has been my minor success as a piggy-back winner.
I don’t know if there’s an official term for this mode of winning, but I’m talking about giveaways where the entry mechanic requires compers to tag a friend or two, and prizes are awarded not just to the winning entrant but also their friends. This mechanic is great for a whole bunch of reasons. Most obviously, it adds a random-act-of-kindness to the prize-giving - I love that for some folks, the prize will come completely out of the blue. Simply put, it’s a fantastic way for promoters to foster brand sentiment (and in my case, provide a little mojo boost).

In fact, I’ve had three such mojo boosts this year, having won teabags, a Corcicle canteen and a bunch of flower remedies thanks to my lovely comping buddies, Lorna and Rebecca. (This is the point where I call for a virtual team hug, topped off with seasonal high-fives, and, what the hell, finger pistols too!)

But I’d hate for the rest of y’all to feel left out - drop us a comment below to let everyone know how your year has gone, and I'll chuck you an attaboy as you collect your mince pie!

I hope you have a lovely (and restful) Christmas!

Unboxing September/October 2017

This is so late, it's almost a throwback. Nevertheless, I promised I would bring my unboxing up to date and so I have!

(Spoiler: contains 1x sur-prize!)