Touting free iPads and MacBooks, Cox lures subscribers on Twitter, Facebook

Cox Communications is stepping up efforts to use Twitter and Facebook to acquire subscribers and sell new products to existing customers, launching a social media campaign in which subscribers can win prizes ranging from free cable and Internet service to Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad2 and MacBook Pro.

Cox's new Facebook campaign

Glendora, Calif.-based ad agency Swire is running the social media campaign for Cox, which uses the Cox Facebook page and the @Cox_comm Twitter account to promote its "Cox Trivia Giveaway" sweepstakes. The MSO is incenting Web surfers to share news of the sweepstakes through friends on Twitter and Facebook.

Cox kicked off the sweepstakes campaign on Feb. 3, and it runs through the end of the month. It says it will hand out a total of 80 daily prizes consisting of $50 gift cards from Best Buy, iTunes or Amazon.com. It is also awarding grand prizes each week, consisting mostly of the iPad2 and the Sony PlayStation 3. Week three of the contest features the biggest grand prize valued at about $5,000. The prize includes a 55-inch TV, a Sony PlayStation 3 and a MacBook Pro.

The social media campaigns could help Cox increase the number of consumers that that follow it on Twitter and Facebook, and allow it to market new products and promotions to customers. As of Wednesday, it counted 4,295 followers on its Cox_comm Twitter page, and the company says it has a total of 20,734 Twitter followers including its collection of pages from local systems. Cox also counts 278,966 "likes" on its Facebook page.

Look for Cox to run similar social media campaigns later this year. "We'll continue to offer creative promos and contests as part of our strategy to make Cox social media locations more engaging for our customers and fans," spokesman Todd Smith told FierceCable.

For more:
- see the sweepstakes page

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