The couple behind the popular Bounty Competitions have been forced to rebuild their brand after losing their large following.
Calvin and Leanne Davidson from Turriff started their business during the lockdown in 2020 and over the years have amassed many loyal customers.
These customers come to win big prizes, with the couple delivering life-changing results, including a £1m giveaway.
Other prizes included houses, top-of-the-range sports cars, and cash.
They invested their £30,000 life savings into launching Bounty Competitions after losing their jobs in the pandemic. Since then, they have enjoyed a lot of success.
However, the business has been rocked by the loss of its page and its 250,000 followers.
The page had received strikes against it due to specific wording used in competition posts, which eventually built up over two months.
On September 15, while on holiday, disaster struck when Leanne was told the page had been taken down.
Bounty Competitions is ‘a passion for us’ says Calvin
Calvin told The Press and Journal: “Our whole business was that page, the page was the business. With everything that’s happened, it’s caused a lot of stress and anxiety.
“It felt like a tsunami had come and swept away our business in an instant.”
Luckily, Leanne had created a back-up page called Calvin and Leanne’s Bounty Competitions, which is the profile they are now working to build up.
While they have managed to amass 83,000 followers, it is a far cry from the 250,000 they had on their original page, which the couple say is non-retrievable.
It meant that many loyal followers were left confused about the new page, with Calvin noting some thought it was a scam at first.
However, the couple have been spreading the word that Calvin and Leanne’s Bounty Competitions is now the new main page.
Calvin said without loyal followers’ support they would have been close to giving up.
He said: “Our Bounty family, as we call them, have been absolutely fantastic. These guys have kept us going, spreading the word and bringing people to our new page.
“A lot of followers are angry because we built this business together, not just me and Leanne as the founders, not just our staff members, but our followers who were from day one.”
Calvin recalls when they first started, they were speaking to just a handful of people on the first-ever livestream, amassing a few likes, but interest grew over the years.
The business lost their 250,000-follower Facebook page
In recent livestreams, the couple have been visibly upset and have received an outpouring of support from their audience.
The business employs seven staff and supports local businesses also affected by the loss of the page.
Calvin said: “It’s not just us involved in the business, it is a passion for us, it isn’t just a business. We enjoy changing people’s lives.
“The whole reason why we didn’t want to quit was of our customers, players and the charities we donate to.
“Although we had the wind knocked out of us, we didn’t want to give up.”
Looking to the future, Calvin says the couple are careful about how they word certain posts and feature certain prizes to prevent being flagged by Facebook.
“It’s like walking on eggshells. You are scared to say anything on Facebook in case it gets picked up the wrong way.”
Calvin still maintains they did nothing wrong but is looking to grow the page again albeit slower than before.
They have several prizes in stock, including supercars and a house, but these will remain off the list until they build up their following.
The couple hope to be back to where they were before within the next few months.
Calvin added: “I would like to thank everyone who has supported us through this difficult time. We are super proud of the Bounty family getting behind us and the new page.”
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