Babies “R” Us Readies New Year’s Sweeps
Toys “R” Us’ baby banner is signing up expectant moms for a New Year’s sweepstakes dangling a $25,000 grand prize.
Babies “R” Us could add a few thousand names to its database with its First Baby of the Year sweeps. Women who are due on or around Jan. 1 must register at FirstBabyoftheYear.com to be eligible for the grand-prize $25,000 savings bond.
Hospitals and doctors can register, too. The hospital that delivers the first baby registered for the sweeps wins $10,000 to fund pre-natal education, and the doctor wins $5,000 in Babies “R” Us gift cards. Babies “R” Us hopes to register 800 hospitals, up from the 646 that registered last year, the inaugural year for the sweepstakes. Signage in the chain’s 245 stores and direct mail support the sweeps.
The first mom to give birth at each registered hospital (up to 1,000) between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3 wins a $100 gift basket. Women who register for the sweeps automatically register their hospital and doctor’s office; hospitals and docs that register automatically cover their pregnant patients for the sweeps. Babies “R” Us plans to confirm winners’ consent after the births.
LeadDog Marketing Group, New York, handles the sweeps for Wayne, NJ-based Toys “R” Us.
About 8,000 babies are born on New Year’s Day. Babies “R” Us pulled in 1,071 entries for its 2005 First Baby of the Year sweeps, and awarded 626 gift baskets to winners.
