Participation is an important aspect of marketing because of how easy it is to block out all the noise. Companies need to make it so that their consumers seek out and engage with the company and the product rather than just stumble upon a commercial or billboard. Some interesting methods I have seen include sweepstakes/ surveys and the demonstration of their products at work. For example, Lays allows its consumers to vote on new chips flavors, making the product on the shelves match the consumers’ interests. Another, overwhelming demonstration of participation was McDonald’s introduction of the Szechuan sauce which was promoted by a popular TV show. By engaging with the fans of the show, McDonalds was able to draw thousands to their doors and get people excited about experiencing an element of their favorite cartoon through their franchise.