An online contest can help you build a list of qualified prospects, or develop a comprehensive database of customer interests and preferences.

The Globe's online team has been developing standard and custom contests for advertisers for more than seven years. Whether you're after a simple list of names and e-mail addresses or want to develop broad-based, multi-platform program, our online experts can help develop a contest that's creative, compelling and highly effective in meeting your objectives.

Currently, we offer three levels of contest development:

• Enter for a chance to win.

• Opt-in with data-mining options.

• Open-ended.

For each of these, contests created can be advertiser exclusives or partnerships with The Globe. On-line contests usually run a minimum of four weeks.

The simplest way to generate qualified leads, an enter-and-win contest asks for a small amount of information (typically just a name and contact details) in exchange for the chance to win a prize.

Unlike those offered by other media outlets, globeandmail.com contests effectively pre-screen entrants so that advertisers increase the likelihood of obtaining the names of individuals truly interested in their product or service.

This is a significant advantage over contests offered by other companies. Our readership isn't made up of the sort of people who will enter just any contest in the hopes of winning something--anything.

Globe readers are busy, active individuals who value their time. If they see something that interests them, they pay attention. Entrants of Globe contests are predisposed to learning more about the products and services that appear in our contests--and that makes simple enter-and-win promotions outstanding values for advertisers with smaller budgets.

Opt-in contests give advertisers the opportunity to acquire more granular information. With an opt-in contest, our on-line teams create forms and corresponding databases with multiple fields so advertisers can capture things like consumer preferences and habits, age and income levels, opinions about or experience with promoted products and services--in short, any information that can help advertisers better target consumers or fine-tune their current programs.

Because consumers explicitly opt-in to providing detailed data--and, if desired, to receive more information from advertisers by e-mail--they are naturally more open to advertisers' offers and follow-up correspondence. Prospects who indicate their interest in an advertiser's offering are clearly prospects of value.

An open-ended contest is just as it sounds--the sky's the limit. In the past, The Globe has created games, multi-media promotions that include non-traditional elements like special events, contents in which visitors contribute content by uploading personal stories or photos, and more. Our depth of experience means we're uniquely qualified to collaborate with your own marketing team to develop a contest that's inventive, innovative and truly captivating.

The Globe's online team can create a contest for practically any need. To learn more, talk to your sales representative.

G'Day Canada Australia Adventure Contest FEATURES: Refer a friend option for bonus entries.

New Face of Smirnoff Contest FEATURES: User-submitted photos. Viewers voted for semi-finalists in six biweekly photo galleries. Grand prize winner determined by viewer votes.

Explore Ontario Contest (Ford) FEATURES: Three-phase contest with different prizes. Option to enter one or all three contests. Survey type entry form.

GlobeinvestorGOLD Portfolio Contest FEATURES: Entrants create and manage competing stock portfolios. Single or group play options. Challenge a friend option.

Panasonic Performance Enhanced Contest FEATURES: Standard enter for a chance to win contest.

Toyota Show Us Your Canada Photo Contest FEATURES: User-submitted photos. Fourteen grand prizes. Toyota owners had the opportunity to win a 14th grand prize by entering their vehicle's V.I.N. Number. One winner selected from each province/territory. Winning photos showcased online and in The Globe and Mail Newspaper.

Club Med Contest FEATURES: Standard enter for a chance to win contest.

Tourism Ireland Beyond the Green Contest FEATURES: Refer a friend option for bonus entries.