• by Larissa Faw , November 14, 2014

Tis the season that shoppers flock to malls, and Southern retailer Belk wants to capture their dollars, whether its online, in-store, or via mobile devices. 

This week, Belk and digital agency HelloWorld are launching the Santa Baby Sweepstakes, a holiday-themed multi-channel incentive program accessible across digital and mobile channels. 

"The customer landscape is changing rapidly and attention spans are short," says Jon Pollack, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Sales Promotion and eCommerce, Belk. "We had to create a campaign that was unique, fun and compelling. We think we have achieved that."

This is the promotion's second year. "Last year’s campaign was successful, but we needed a more sustained and multi – faceted effort," says Pollack. 

In addition to playing festive games, consumers earn bonus sweepstakes entries by sharing the site across social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as watching the Santa Baby television spot and following Belk on Instagram and Twitter.

Through December 31, Belk customers have the opportunity to engage in seasonal activities, such as creating customized eCards and seeing if they’re on the "naughty or nice list," for a chance to win Belk gift cards of $10, $15, $25 or the grand prize of $10,000.

"Belk is a unique brand with loyal customers who appreciate the modern shopping experience,” noted Sara Kowal, VP of Innovation, HelloWorld. “Our goal here was to create a sweepstakes campaign that celebrates the holiday season in a fun way and rewards consumers for engaging with Belk.”

These social media initiatives have proven effective for the retailer. Last year, Belk's "125 Days of Prizes" promotion saw two million people enter its sweepstakes, add 200,000 Facebook fans and capture 175,000 new email addresses.

Belk's advertising costs were $162.3 million, $164.1 million and $152.0 million in fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, according to company financial filings. The company hasn’t disclosed how much it is allocating to the Santa Baby effort.

HelloWorld has had Belk as a client since 2008.