It takes some serious creativity to engage customers in an age when they’re constantly bombarded by branded content and promotional campaigns. Fortunately, marketers are a creative bunch, and 2013 saw no shortage of inventive and captivating campaigns that not only engendered goodwill, but also generated genuine excitement.

Contests and sweepstakes played a key role in capturing people’s attention and imagination this year. While prizes remain a top motivator, some of this year’s most creative contests compelled participants on a deeper level, appealing to their sense of adventure or giving them a platform to showcase their passions or the chance to gain recognition from their favourite brands.

Here’s a look at five contests in 2013 that resonated with their audiences. Use them to get your creative juices flowing for the coming year.

Nike - Free Your Run

For true runners – those who head out at 6 am in the rain for a 10k – running isn’t just exercise, it’s a way of life. Nike tapped into that spirit with its Free Your Run contest, in which participants could submit a “dream run.”

Using the Nike+ app, others could vote using miles they accumulated in their own runs, basically dedicating their workouts to a favourite dream run. The contest seamlessly integrated various Nike products and the participant with the most votes won his or her dream run, including airfare, accommodations and Nike equipment.

Heineken - Crack the US Open

Heineken deserves props for its inventive use of Instagram as a contest platform. Eschewing the obvious route of inviting users to submit photos, Heineken’s Crack the US Open contest flipped the script and led its followers on a merry scavenger hunt, posting clues that fans could follow in hopes of solving a puzzle. Participants that followed the clues could then hashtag their answers in order to win a pair of tickets to the US Open Final.

Doodle 4 Google

The Doodle 4 Google campaign encouraged Canadian students from kindergarten to grade 12 to create one of Google’s signature doodles for the Google.ca homepage. It was a simple premise that got a lot of traction because of Google’s prominence and reach.

Plus, there’s something pretty compelling about getting to contribute to the design of a prominent brand, and with the winning design being featured on Google Canada’s homepage for 24 hours, it could mean big opportunities for the doodler. A $10,000 scholarship, a Google Chromebook, and a $10,000 grant for the winner’s school make this contest irresistible for any student with creative tendencies.

Oreo - Whisper Fight

  Oreo launched its Instagram account with a bang this year. Literally. Its Whisper Fight commercial, which aired during the Super Bowl, featured a 30-second spot about an all-out war in a library that erupts when two friends disagree about which part of the Oreo is better: the cookie or the cream.

The ad asked viewers to pick a side on Instagram by uploading creative photos of pretty much anything hashtagged with #cookiethis or #cremethis. Oreo then selected the best images and turned them into life-sized Oreo-inspired sculptures. Who won? Well, with 8,473 posts for #creamthis and 16,489 posts for #cookiethis posted, Oreo came out the clear winner in this campaign.

National Geographic Photo Contest

Sometimes going for the low-hanging fruit is best, and that isn’t lost on National Geographic. When you’re an iconic magazine known the world over for your stunning photography, holding a photography contest seems like a no-brainer.

The great thing about this contest is that because it is National Geographic, participants from around the world (22,000 in 2012) bring their A-game, entering their very best work. Translation: you’re not likely to see photos of this morning’s breakfast. And with $10,000 and a trip to National Geographic HQ for a photography seminar on the line, that’s not too much to ask.

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