With parallels from "The Candy Corn Contest" children's book, Air New Zealand is offering a nationwide contest where New Zealanders and those across the world can win big by correctly guessing how many "lollies" are inside the airline's massive jar. The contest kicked off today and runs until October 20.

A Sweet Contest With Sweeter Rewards

Air New Zealand issued a press release describing the "Air New Zealand Sweetstake" and how contestants can win cuts of one million Airpoints Dollars (APD), equivalent to one dollar of value when booking flights with Air New Zealand. 

The airline will be flying a "giant lolly jar" to numerous locations across the country for travelers to observe, and give their best guess on the candy amount. The jar stands at 4.5 meters tall — almost 15 feet high.

To enter the content, contestants simply need to be registered members of Air New Zealand. For those that don't have accounts, you can sign up for free here.

Here is the schedule for where and when New Zealanders can find the jar:

The jar will have a QR code sticker, which contestants can scan, log into their accounts, and take a guess.

Air New Zealand customers can also play online without having to see the jar in person. With a smartphone, those that wish to examine the jar before guessing can generate an augmented reality (AR) version of the jar that can be placed virtually on their property.

Each Air New Zealand account holder can take up to two guesses per day: one online and one in-person.

A Gourmet Grand Prize

The grand prize for the Sweetstake is 50,000 APD. The person that correctly guesses the precise amount of lollies will be rewarded this generous amount of miles. If multiple people are right on the money, the 50,000 APD reward will be split among them. If there are no winners by the time the contest is over, the grand prize will be awarded to the person or people who guessed the closest.

Travelers can also win 10,000 APD daily prizes and one of hundreds of 500 APD spot prizes. Each physical location will offer one 10,000 APD daily prize for Air New Zealand Customers that attempt to guess. A 10,000 APD prize will also be up for grabs online every day. 

Air New Zealand General Manager Domestic, Scott Carr, had this to say on the versatility of Airpoints Dollars:

"The best thing about Airpoints Dollars is they can be spent on so many different things. You can spend them on domestic flights around New Zealand or a dream holiday overseas, buy a Koru membership, book a rental car, or treat yourself or your whānau with something from the Airpoints store."
 

The hard-boiled lolly is a staple of New Zealand culture, with Air New Zealand serving nearly 20 million to passengers each year. The airline serves them in strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, and peppermint flavors. Not to be confused with the lollipop, lollies are stick-free candies that consumers enjoy sucking on for flavor in addition to exercising the eustachian tubes for relieving ear pressure during flights.