An oldest furnace contest is a time-tested promotion for HVAC firms. But one Idaho firm found success by adding a social media aspect to the campaign — that and dressing staff in a dinosaur suit.

Last year, the management at Access Heating and Air in Meridian, outside of Boise, looked for a way to create business during the company’s slow season in February and March. Owners Keith and Julie Lithander and their staff considered a number of ideas involving a giveaway. They knew they needed a substantial prize and a qualification for winning that covered a wide range of consumers.