Remember the grand room makeover contest that I entered last month? The one where I pleaded readers of this blog and friends to “Like” my entry? Well, the verdict has come out. I did not win. It’s ok – I still thank each one of you who voted for my entry and helped spread the word to their friends. I am grateful for all the support you showed me!
So the contest had ended but is tainted with very bad publicity for the sponsor and their Facebook page have been bombarded by negative comments. Yesterday, they announced the winner like this:
They explained what the “debate” cheerfully in Twitter:
Uhm, hello? Since when was it about the highest number of votes? Did I miss something?Highlight “instead of a draw” and see the original official contest rules below, after #3 (I’ve highlighted in red):
Shady.
There was really no need to be the entry with the highest number of “Likes”, no need to go viral with the campaign and the pleas although if you’re up to it, then fine. To be one of the top 3 would be enough then the sponsor would select one lucky winner, as stated in the contest rules. My entry had the 2nd highest number of votes.
BUT here comes the colorful twist – at the last minute, they decided to change the rules and reward the entry with the highest number of votes – and people only came to know when they announced the winner. It certainly left other participants and their friends unpleasantly surprised, feeling cheated. Had the rule been like this in the first place, contest participants could’ve done better, could’ve stopped people on the streets and asked them to vote for their entries or done extreme shameless stunts just to gather the maximum number of votes.
While I’m happy for the winner to get his dream 30,000 dhs (approx US$8,000) room makeover (what a lavish prize for someone who lives alone!), I am not pleased with the way the contest was handled. It wasn’t only unfair to me and to the other entry with the 3rd highest number of votes, it is unfair to everyone who entered.
They could’ve made it simpler by adding a footnote in the contest rule poster:
Irony Homes (the sponsor) reserves the right to change contest rules as they please at any time they want. People leaving complaints on our Facebook wall after the contest announcement will be labeled “bitter losers”. Thank you.
Don’t you just wish contests like this would be done fairly and with integrity but nah, these days, everything is a marketing strategy.
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Speaking of contests, I apologize for the delay in announcing the winner of the Hazel & Harlow giveaway. I have emailed the winner and waiting for a reply then I’ll announce the name here. Thank you for waiting. Congratulations to Jennifer Rowe!
Finding Backroads 
The winner was probably someone’s brother, if in fact there was a prize. What sort of name is Bonggo? Very fishy!!
Palm Tree Decor Tips
.-= Seb´s last blog ..Tropical Decor Books =-.
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That is REALLY SHADY! They better be careful when they do stuff like that or they will end up with a lawsuit on there hands sometime. If I were you I’d get together with the 3rd runner up and let them know you guys are NOT happy.
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That is definitely a little fishy…If they made the rules at the beginning, they should have stuck to them no matter how big or small the change. In all retrospect, you COULD have won if they were to consider all 3 entries.
I guess it just wasn’t meant to be this time =/
.-= Kayla´s last blog ..New York and BlogHer- The Trip =-.
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Shady as slim shady can be.
What they should have done was stick to the original mechanics–pick the top three entries (which had the most number of likes and then review their entries (both the written part and the photo that was submitted) and finally, base their winner pick on these two elements. They should have discarded the number of likes that the top three entries had as it was moot and academic that on the picking of top three, the winner would be chosen on a whole new criteria set.
Awarding the makeover to a guy who lives alone and based on the photo doesn’t need much of a makeover looks mighty fishy to me. What the hell would he need that for–would it lift his spirits? would it change the fact that he was still lving alone and would only enjoy the prize to himself. The whole idea that this guys name was bonggo just adds to it, i mean what kind of a name is bonggo (it probably answers the question why he’s lving alone as well) Sheesh.
Anyways, I hope this doesn’t put a dampener on your spirits as there are other competitions on FB that look fair and square. Like i told you earlier, having 280 plus people like your entry is validation enough of the support you can get from friends.
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Thank you very much for your very sensible comment. You got what the point was all about. The whole issue is not whether Bonggo (the winner) is a true winner or not, it’s how the sponsors played with the rules in the end.
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What shame.
Consider the name of the company: IRONY Homes. Definition of irony: the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.
Ha!
.-= willowsprite´s last blog ..Saying Goodbye =-.
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Nice contest.
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Would like to participate at least in the next season.
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Maybe the contest is scripted from the start.. To attract visitors to their site.
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