Case study

Cost Plus World Market Star Maker Song Contest

Cost Plus World Market, through its agency Promologix, created a nationwide holiday song contest that invited consumers to showcase their talent online or at participating stores.

Quick Facts

Industry

Retail & E-commerce

Capabilities

UGC / Photo & Video Contests, Custom Development, Promotion Administration

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Case study

From objective to outcome.

Purpose

Cost Plus World Market (CPWM), through its agency Promologix, approached Contest Factory to create an engaging holiday promotion that would encourage consumers to interact with the brand through music and user-generated content. In collaboration with musician Jessie J, CPWM wanted to launch a nationwide song contest that would give participants the opportunity to showcase their talent and compete for a memorable grand prize experience.

Plan

Contest Factory worked with CPWM and Promologix to design the CPWM Star Maker Song Contest, inviting consumers to submit their own rendition of the holiday classic “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” To make the promotion accessible to consumers across the country, participants could enter in one of two ways: by submitting their performance online or by visiting participating World Market stores and recording an entry at a specially designed Star Maker Song Contest kiosk. All eligible submissions would be reviewed and scored by a panel of judges. From those entries, four finalists would be selected, with Jessie J judging the finalists to determine the grand prize winner. The winner would receive a trip to Los Angeles and a professional recording session to create their own album, while the remaining finalists would receive World Market gift cards.

Solution

Contest Factory partnered with CPWM and Promologix to develop and launch the complete user-generated content promotion, providing the technology and contest infrastructure needed to accept, manage, and review thousands of song submissions. The promotion integrated both online and in-store participation, allowing consumers nationwide to engage with the contest in the way that was most convenient for them. Contest Factory’s platform supported participant registration, song submissions, and the judging process, helping CPWM efficiently manage the promotion from entry through finalist selection. By combining digital participation, interactive in-store experiences, celebrity involvement, and a compelling grand prize, the Star Maker Song Contest created a unique holiday campaign designed to drive consumer engagement with the World Market brand.

Results

The CPWM Star Maker Song Contest generated significant consumer participation during the holiday season. More than 24,000 consumers registered for the promotion, resulting in over 3,000 song submissions. The campaign successfully combined user-generated content, nationwide retail activation, and celebrity participation to create an engaging branded experience and give aspiring singers across the country an opportunity to showcase their talent.